Here we go again.. (JUNK knucklehead build)

[Billy Whiz]

Took delivery of my new motor today - '47 FL. This will be my first build in a couple years and also my first Stateside since moving here to CA in December 2011. Yee ha!

[Billy Whiz]

Felt a bit like Xmas as a boy again..

[Von Zacho]

Titties

[Billy Whiz]

Better than porn, hell this IS porn... ;-)

[knuckleworks]

go on then ,tell us whats in it

[FLY49]

Very nice Billy!

[Loffer]

Gives me that fuzzy warm feeling ...

[XwalkerX]

Fuck yes

[servi53]

where's the rest? get her going

[deluxe72]

I recently realized that the 'knuckles' are only on one side of the engine. And then I felt a little down.

[Okie Pete]

WOW i am drooling .

[Too Many Projects]

OK, what's next?

[panman]

Nice engine,what kind of bike do you want to build with it?

[DPWU]

Crap that's nice. Just once, I'd like to open a box and find something that pretty...

[Dr.Frankensickle]

Originally Posted by deluxe72

I recently realized that the 'knuckles' are only on one side of the engine. And then I felt a little down.

I know a cat named " Blue Bob" sells slushies with booze in em at bike meets,anyway his knuckle is always done in blue,and he has "knuckles" on both sides as well as a bunch of one off mods,It was featured in easyriders back in the late 70s early 80s.I hope enjoy you knuckle as much as I do mine.

[iiggii]

Knuckle good.

[Haynuzband]

Does the motor have everything in it or are you going to put those pistons and cam in it?

[Billy Whiz]

I got into the "'shop" err.. living room (the missus is actually very supportive) for a few minutes today and pulled the top end off the motor ready for inspection. As I don't know the re-build history I'm gonna go through the motor thoroughly with the help of Mike Olsen and see what we can find out..

[Billy Whiz]

As spotted by Haynuzband the pistons were out of the motor - it has had a rebuild started but not quite finished - I think everything is present except the pushrods. I will need a generator and carb too. It's cool to find that the cases are matching in belly numbers & '47 year marked. I actually bought the motor on Ebay as a bit of a punt - I didn't have a lot to go on but fancied a gamble! As it happened the seller also had a CA pink slip to hand too - I wasn't expecting that.
We're gonna take the motor over to Mike Olsen's place tomorrow afternoon where we can appraise it fully. Fingers crossed!
I have a '57 OEM Harley wishbone frame (I think it's a '57..) too - another Ebay find, and I want to put together a compact, narrow bobber - I'm limited on fabrication facilities so it's gonna be more of an assembly job this time than a lot of welding and shaping metal. Just have the motor, frame (collecting that soon..) and an old solo seat that purports to be a Bates but looks like it might not be one (Ebay again!!)
Fun fun fun...

[Zeeman]

No such thing as a '57 wishbone - the 55-7 frames were straight leg.

I share your excitement, picking up a 47 knuckle motor of my own next week!

[rockett]

Originally Posted by deluxe72

I recently realized that the 'knuckles' are only on one side of the engine. And then I felt a little down.

Why do you think everyone takes pictures of the right-hand side of knucks? =P

Looks like the start of a sick project. Clean looking knuck. Worth a mint, probably.

[Billy Whiz]

Zeeman - oops! Oh well, gonna go see the frame this arvo.. Wow glad you found a knuck too - ya know rockett I didn't pay BIG money as such - I was expecting less* too, but maybe it's those motorcycle Gods again stepping in.. Can't wait to get the bare bones of the bike together - got an appraisal of the motor today too - share the results of that later on this evening. ;-)

* I knew the cases had had a repair at the front mounts, seller described it as needing a rebuild, no title, not complete.. I was sooo pleasantly surprised when I opened the box!

[Billy Whiz]

OK - Easter out of the way and back to business.. Before I took the motor over to Mike's 'shop I had a play around to see how the timing side of the motor worked and see if I could find if anything obvious that was missing or worn badly: The camshaft seemed very loose in the bushings - front & back - I assembled the timing gears and found that the worm gear that drives the oil pump shaft was missing as well as the breather gear etc.. The oil pump is complete and looks in good nick. I want to run the original pump as it's such a cool-looking thing - and keep the speed of the bike down on the freeway to allow the old pump to provide enough oil pressure.

[Billy Whiz]

It was off to Mike Olsen's 'shop next to investigate the bottom end of the knuck..

[Billy Whiz]

Mike and I tore down the bottom end and split the flywheels using Mike's jig and a big copper mallet.. Mike has seen and rebuilt a lot of early Harley motors and his opinion was that the motor had been run briefly after some kind of a lower end rebuild - then a problem arose.. The bottom end rod thrust washers were worn away and there were signs of lack of oil and excessive heat build - up not surprisingly! Mike reckoned that probably the motor had been rebuilt too tight laterally - plus there may have been an oiling issue too.. Who knows..?
It'll be done right this time..
Damage seems to be limited to the crankpin, conrod outer races and one of the main bearing outer races had loosened in the case..
We were pleased to find the cases were in good condition inside - no nasty surprises there. There was some wear in the pots - at +.030" presently, so we decided that a .010" cut would sort that out combined with new jugs/rings at + .050"
The top end of the motor looks OK - I might just test the seal in the chambers with carb cleaner - or I might take a look at the valve springs. There wasn't a lot of wetness in the exhaust ports (just a fraction on the front head) so the valveguides might be servicable still for a few thousand miles before she gets too smoky. No nasty cracks in the heads either - a relief!
We are going to get hold of a new camshaft and use a three hole crankpin & maybe use a slightly thicker oil in the rebuilt motor I gather..

[HD48FL]

Nice start there Billy, definately keep us posted on this one. (Keep up the fine job on the mag as well, good stuff.)

[Billy Whiz]

I got stuck into my frame with the paint stripper and it looks nicer now - the frame is a little out of alignment - I think it looks like the frame has been raked out previously - then kind of "restored" back to stock - probably without using a frame jig when the neck was welded back on. I think I can straighten it all up though easily enough - with a bit of luck, some heat and a big hammer - I hope to get another experienced eye on the frame though before I start beating on it. Might need a cut someplace to let the tension out of the headstock area before re-welding it up.

[chromedRAT]

I like about any older HD engine, but that's a nice one. Never knew they were one-sided either!

[rockett]

Originally Posted by chromedRAT

I like about any older HD engine, but that's a nice one. Never knew they were one-sided either!

There's a reason for that. I challenge you to find a picture of a completed knuck project from the left-hand side. I challenge you, sir.

[Von Zacho]

Originally Posted by rockett

there's a reason for that. I challenge you to find a picture of a completed knuck project from the left-hand side. I challenge you, sir.

here...

[rockett]

It was a joke, a satirical comment that almost all builders publish right-handed photos of their knucks. Haha. Thank you, though, for making me look like an ass. =D Bring on the beatings.

[spsgold]

ROFL........Ya had to know,someone would have pics......

[taxman]

i'm still waiting for the "junk" part...

[Neo Dutch]

[taxman]

oh, well then, count me in as a fan of JUNK

[selectedgrub]

Now I get it.
A motorcycle build for your own magazine.

[DRTYRAT30]

Very cool man, this will be a top notch build with what you have going already...

So if you have a CA title with your motor and a pre 69 frame do you still need a chp/dmv vin# verification to register it if its out of date in California. Just wondering, i have a friend that has a 57' pan engine with a 15 year out of system CA title that i might buy...

[redasphalt3]

Ha. this is good

Originally Posted by Von Zacho

here...

[notcool]

Originally Posted by DRTYRAT30

Very cool man, this will be a top notch build with what you have going already...

So if you have a CA title with your motor and a pre 69 frame do you still need a chp/dmv vin# verification to register it if its out of date in California. Just wondering, i have a friend that has a 57' pan engine with a 15 year out of system CA title that i might buy...

If you have old registration and a bill of sale with the title it helps.

[Billy Whiz]

The magazine which I started in my kitchen in the UK a year or so back was named after something that Mike Olsen said to me: I was hanging out round his place looking at all this cool old stuff he had - motors and frames and parts - you know a real Aladin (sane) 's cave of neat ol' shit when Mike turned to me and said "It's just junk Billy - just old junk.." I always remembered that day & when it came to naming my magazine - it popped right back into my head!
See some of you crazies at Hippy Killer Hoedown tomorrow I hope - now we just need the rain to stop!!!!! B

[Billy Whiz]

Got back to the bike fabrication again after starting out on the motor - rebuild parts are on order for the '47FL - I bought a cheap new sporty tank but it wasn't the right look for my tastes..

[Billy Whiz]

So I got cutting - took this chunk out the center..

[Billy Whiz]

Looked pretty good - gonna clean out the oil & crap thoroughly inside & tack it together next - I ordered some bungs for gas cap and petcock too..

[Billy Whiz]

The tank isn't in EXACTLY the position I want - it'll be a quarter inch further forward probably. I am going to try & do a novel & simple mounting technique - kind of "quick release" I think. Just waiting for all the other parts I scored offa Ebay to arrive now - I got a nice steel brake plate - just visible in the last pic. I have an 18" sporty rear wheel winging it's way from N.Y. along with an oil bag, alloy 21" front wheel from an '80s Yam & a bunch of other junk! ;-)

[Billy Whiz]

Tried to leave the neck area neat - hated to cut it but.. oh well.

[Loffer]

Nice , I'm excited for you...

[charmer21o]

Cool Build Billy. Looking very nice. All it needs now is a cool front end. Let me know when u r ready to come by. Its ready

www.petrolmoto.com

[Billy Whiz]

Weekend here - work paused for a party for my wife Susie.. here's where I got to..

[Jtw79]

I'll be watching to see how this turns out. Looks like a pretty cool wife you got there. Good luck with the build.

[S.G]

Looking forward to see the next step of the build, keep it up

[Billy Whiz]

The front wheel - a 21" aluminum D.I.D. from an old '82 Yamaha XS or TT250 turned up yesterday while we were having a party for my wife's 50th.. It was in really good nick - nice and true - just needs a few spokes tightening a little. I think I really scored with both wheels - this front was $70 inc shipping & I'm gonna run it as it is to start - using this tire; the brake was all there too. The rear I paid a bit more for -the seller described it as "chrome" although it looked alloy - I even queried that with him but he was "certain" - I ended up with a cherry 18" aluminum borrani style flanged wheel. I have bought a righteous old 5" spotlight from Ebay and a 6" flat raw steel fender which I hope will fit good.. Gonna tack that tank up next week and fit the bungs - have the gas cap & neck as you can see.

[S.G]

There is some good looking 21" dirtbike wheels, i just bought a 70ths 21" Honda XL front wheel myself that i try to figur out if it work or not, its all about the fork to.

[Billy Whiz]

Here's where I got to on the bike - we had to move recently so I tried to get her rolling for ease of loading - succeeded but for the 'bars.. My good friend Oscar form Petrol Moto in L.A. hooked me up with these awesome forks - this set is actually a prototype set - they're super-narrow and as cool as fuck in my opinion.. It's the first time I have used a springer fork as my builds are usually super-low budget! Re: the dirt bike wheel - I use those because I'm cheap - I mean they're cheap - oh both's probably true.. Now awaiting the motor from Mike Olsen - happy days..

[Richard D]

Looking at a knucklehead from the left side is kinda like looking a a chick with an hourglass figure from the back- but waist up, no view of the ass OR tits!

[charmer21o]

Looking good Billy. Good work.

[ta2dcliff]

Lookin good man! I'm following this one. I'm diggin the "low budget" approach and the direction you're going. And super cool with the knuckle.

[not45blesk]

Hi Billy,

Your bike is a dream true: a "low knuck" project like we all like !!!

Congratulations !!!

I "low pan" project is not as yours :





Knot

[HD48FL]

Originally Posted by charmer21o

Looking good Billy. Good work.

Nice front end as well!

[rotorhead]

Originally Posted by Zeeman

No such thing as a '57 wishbone - the 55-7 frames were straight leg.

Actually, late '54 to '57

[HD48FL]

Originally Posted by rotorhead

Actually, late '54 to '57

Yep!

[Greazerz]

Keep the pics coming... just subscribed to this one. Can't wait to see it finished.

[VanHorton]

looks good, I also like dirtbike front rims, how do you plan to get the brake working with the springer? I know most of those rims have a special block on the fork legs that the drum slides on to....

[Billy Whiz]

Thanks guys - actually let me elaborate.. I'm really a fan of the home-built/low budget/rat philosophy cuz my parents never let me have a motorcycle until I was 40 - hey just kiddin on the 40 but I remember even before a motorized bike entered my mind I saw this kid in England with a home built bicycle - fuck, it had what we called "Greebo" 'bars.. these were like shallow apes; I think that was from "greaser" probably - well, I thought this (older) kid's bike was the coolest thing I'd ever seen -but my folks bought me a ready-made bike which was far too shiny for my taste even then!
I just like to build as much as I can (within safety bounds) - actually this build I thought I would be largely assembling but I lucked out & scored a TIG welder from Harbor Freight for low bucks - next thing I was out in the yard cutting & shaping metal again happily - then I did my welding in the apartment using a hook up to the 240V cooker outlet - boy was I a happy motherfucka!
Sadly at this new place even tho I have a garage it has no power - I got a 240V genny but their use is barred in our (42 page) lease!!!!! So it's back to assembly only.
Re: the brake - OK I figure I can severely narrow the outer boss on the ali brake plate, then it fits physically, then I will shave a bit off the head of the allen cap screw (in the springer leg) - it will then slide into the slot and double as the brake tether point!
Bingo.. (in theory..) ;-) the 6" yamaha brake won't apply huge stopped force of course.