Grant's '37 UL build

[notcool]

Hey there,
I couldn't pass up this '37 Harley UL project that was on CL about 6 months ago. The motor was blown so i got it at a good deal along with the rest of the bike. But i soon stripped the bike and sold all but the motor and knuckle/flathead frame basically.
Found some cylinders and dropped the motor off at my favorite old time engine builder in Long Beach.
Then came the task of finding everything else, which turned out to be a quest for the hard to find and more often than not, Expensive '37-only bits! I have not had a harley this old before and never thought i would be this enthralled with stock parts, but these early big twins have a certain charm once you dive in.
Anyway, motor is almost done, building the trans next week. Just fixed up this old springer i got that looks like an old Buchanans job and is 2 3/8" over like an XA. Had to replace the front legs and staighten the left rear leg. I am not much for stock frontends anyway and love my shovel with the 6" over wideglide.
Need to weld some stuff back onto the frame for the tanks and brakes. I got a set of '37/eary '38 only Big twin flathead tanks, a '37 only oil tank, some '36-39 stepped star hubs, a VL 19" front rim and 18" kelsey hayes rear, and just have an old rigid panhead fender for the back right now.

Anyway, i hope these pics work, i usually just put progress on the FMA blog...cuz its a pain to do the photobucket thing...

Hope to have it at Born-Free

[greasystain]

oh yeah im gonna follow this one!

[redrabbit]

Man,Im really diggin the look of the bike already.the whole front end,wheel and tank combo
Is pretty tight! Can't wait to see it finnished at B.free.

[Flathead4Ever]

Awesome build, Grant. I ride a '38 "U". It's such a joy to ride, you're gonna love it!

Not sure how stock you're planning... I have a cool dual exhaust setup to sell if you are interested.

Keep the build pics coming.

[notcool]

Thanks guys, I have a bunch more pics but I'm too busy/lazy to try and resize them to post.
Flathead4ever, I might be interested in your exhaust. Pm me. Are you the guy that bought that '38 from jeff Leighton? Now it's a seattle Cossacks bike?

[elmiguel13]

Bitchin, looking forward to seeing this one. Took some balls to polish out those ribs!

[HD48FL]

I'll be watching this one!

[servi53]

good one to watch, count me in

[CRFyou]

Are you going to keep the tank paint the way it is? That's fully runnable dude!

I love it! Can't wait to see more progress!

[TDWZ28]

Gonna be a nice one.

[el diablo]

wow grant great score !!

keep the pics comming

[notcool]

Originally Posted by elmiguel13

Bitchin, looking forward to seeing this one. Took some balls to polish out those ribs!

Yeah, i struggled with that a little, but couldn't find the right early smooth cover that i could afford and the later finned one that came on the motor was cherry but i think they look like 45"s with those so i said screw it i'm gonna cut the fins off! Harpoon suggested i leave a little in the middle kinda like an old WR factory race cam cover and it turned out good!

I'm gonna run the tanks as is for now, they are pretty neat.
I am having a hard time not making everything nice...i am trying to use retraint and just get this thing on the road with what i can find. It'll be a mutt for a while then change as time goes on and more parts are found.

Here's the cam cover all polished...

[notcool]

just resized some pics. the roller outside is how the bike was when i got the rest of it. I sold basically everything that was on the frame.

The other pics are the springer i have been fixing.

[skidlid]

Grant i'm gonna be watching this build too , as you know i'm just embarking on a 38 UL build and a friend of mine is almost finished with a 37 UL build , its the fastest way too bankruptcy and a feeling of total satisfaction !!!

Ride long & safe

Magnetozoo

[texas rattler]

i love it when a flathead comes together! if ya hadnt had a bt flatty before your in for a treat, the got soul like no other.

[notcool]

After a few parts hiccups my UL motor is allllmost done. Was over at smokey's late last night and he wanted to put the top end on since I brought over the discontinued new screw down valve covers. We had the tops of the pistons ceramic coated and tr skirts coated in an abratable powder coating so he could put a little more prison to cylinder clearance in the motor (HD says the flathead should have 0.001" which is pretty tight. The coating wears in the cylinder to a snug fit and keeps the motor quiet with 0.003-0.004" clearance. We'll see. Supposed to help reduce wear too.
Gonna try and put the Trans together today.

[redrabbit]

Damn..that engine is looking TIP-TOP mang!

[notcool]

Motor is done! had a few other last minute minor hiccups, but she's home now! Rebuilt the trans over the weekend, yesterday put in oversize kicker bushings and had Smokey hone them for me.
Now i just gotta finish the frame and i can start bolting it all together!

[Old Vegas]

WOW, that motor looks freaking great, can't wait to see the whole build at the BF4.

[kickstarts]

Beautiful.