'71 H-D scrap pile chop build

[crazy b]

Been wanting to make something that wasn't too fancy, cut corners, crusty and just used whatever was laying around. Got dicked over on a deal on a frame, long story, so decided to chop up the 1971 frame and use Softail axle plates to hardtail it and go from there. Tossed together a motor/trans with junk that's accumulated from left over trades and swapping. Keep joking how I'm not going to spend any money at all, so far haven't really spent much!







So the angles just don't line up with the front of the frame. There's right way and the cheating way, I decided to cheat cause this is the lazy low buck build. Just left the angles alone, the top rails will just twist a little near the seat post. The top rails will be 1" bar and bottoms 1-1/8" sorta like stock hardtail.


My way of getting around the trans support bar thingy, add the threaded rear bung back in later.



you can see it needs a bit of offset cope to get it to line back up.


Bottom bends are pretty easy, just matched the angle on the axle. Gonna be a disc brake bike so skipped the compound bends on the chain side, scooted it out a tiny bit to compensate.


You can kinda see the twisting up of the top rails, but I think it's acceptable for what we're going for here. Cheap, fast.




I can dig it, about $45 in metal and some elbow grease.

[crazy b]

absolutely nothing new here.

free take off legs and friend hooked me up with the trees.

those are actually 6+ tubes but modern lowers are a little longer so it almost doesn't look like a longer front end, still good stance.


also gotta do something funky






Chopped up the pipes that have been drug around to swaps and never sell. Don't throw anything away boys.



nothing new here either, never done ones like this and was also stuff laying around.

[crazy b]

We got a weirdo sissy bar thing going on around here.



Bike is currently torn down to prep for paint and seat is getting covered. I've never found a seat I can just put on a bike and be happy with so breaking the budget on that one. And also with the no cash budget, gonna use some of that 2 part paint in a rattle can to paint it, never tried it before and I have a few cans laying around. Black, of course.

[[JP]]

Im digging that!!!

the softail axle plates worked a treat, looks great.
When you welded the risers to the cast split top clamp, do you heat it up before welding? or straight on it?
Just wondering as I have a few split clamps and have thought of doing what you done.

[govmule84]

Triangulated sissy bar. Kind of a modern take on a Dick Allen setup.

Cool.

[crazy b]

Originally Posted by [JP]

Im digging that!!!

the softail axle plates worked a treat, looks great.
When you welded the risers to the cast split top clamp, do you heat it up before welding? or straight on it?
Just wondering as I have a few split clamps and have thought of doing what you done.

I didn't warm it up, was fine but would probably recommend warming it up.

Originally Posted by govmule84

Triangulated sissy bar. Kind of a modern take on a Dick Allen setup.

Cool.

thanks man, we'll see how it works. Not sure how sturdy it's gonna be.

[Stormin]

Cool idea with the riser. What are the bars from? I would like to do something like that.

[blewcrab]

like the work and the original look ….hate the god awful head lites JMHO

[hammerweight]

ingenuity, and a none existent budget.....love it.

[MikeJustice55]

Looking good so far. I dig the rear light you made. Thats pretty cool stuff.

[Ratso]

My goodness. Stem to (especially) stern, I don't see anything that looks like cheating. That's all real fine, and fine-looking. Wham bam! -- what an eye.

[JonesL]

As a fellow fabricator, my hat's off to you. Not too many true builders out there these days, most folks just want to 'accessorize'.
I finished a 5 year Harley 'barn find board tracker' project and it's a real kick to ride.
I'm looking forward to more updates on your bike.

[crazy b]

Thanks everyone for checking it out!

Originally Posted by Stormin

Cool idea with the riser. What are the bars from? I would like to do something like that.

The bars are just cut down stock either pan/sportster with the stock internal throttle. They came off a bike project I got on trade. The cast riser is stock and welded on about 8" rise to them.

[crazy b]

got it painted. Was just going to rattle can the whole thing with some 2k paint in a can I had as I've never tried that stuff out before. It's cold here so needed a warm place to paint it. Took it to a friends who's painted some of my other bikes and he talked me out of the rattle can job. I've only painted a few times but he showed me the ropes, turned out ok but definitely better than rattle can. Used paint that was available and the gold was a color of an old bike of mine that was still left over.





Started the assembly of the bike, should be done pretty quick.

[govmule84]

Straightforward. I dig.

[tomsoftail]

Natty Ice Light, better than pbr. Ha ha

How will you attach, fasten the backside of that sporty tank? I like its stance on the frame. It's just hard to see if it straddles the frame or if you will drill a hole thru it and of course nut and bolt it.

[crazy b]

Originally Posted by tomsoftail

Natty Ice Light, better than pbr. Ha ha

How will you attach, fasten the backside of that sporty tank? I like its stance on the frame. It's just hard to see if it straddles the frame or if you will drill a hole thru it and of course nut and bolt it.

thanks guys. I didn't grab a pic of it, but the front mounts go to the stock part of the neck casting. The rear ones I wedged the tank where I wanted it to sit, used a transfer punch in the center of the holes into the frame. Spun up a small steel rod, drilled/tapped it for 5/16 bolt on both sides in the lathe. drilled out a hole in the frame the same size as the rod and tacked it in, double checked tank wasn't crooked and then welded it in/sanded it smooth.

[rhysmort]

Looks good dude! coming together well!

[tomsoftail]

Looks really good! The windowed frame with the sporty tank just shows off the beautiful motor and triangle window. Super clean looking work. Congrats!

[HD48FL]

Simple and clean, that color came out nice.