Starting on my '79 FXE/FLH Harley build...

[ScrapMetal]

A little over a year ago I bought a true "basket case" '79 Harley FXE. Here is what the cases and heads looked like - arrows are pointing towards damage or broken fins.







As I didn't have my mill or tooling (still working on tooling) I sent the motor remnants out to a shop to have some work done. It is now a "stroked" big bore with about a 9.5/1 compression ratio. It has an Evo cam/lifters/rockers and a Woods cam.

Today, I had a truck come to the office and drop of this -



It will be going into a '79 FXE frame with matching VIN numbers. Since I already have a WideGlide type (my '04 Softail) and a springer (another project w/Paugcho frame and '79 Shovel motor) and I've always like them, I'm putting a FLH front end on it (that's a wide/thick front end with a big nacelle for the 7" headlight.

Now I need some cooler weather so that I can get to work.

-Ron

[Hawkeye]

Ron, you had to be grinning pretty wide when you opened that crate. Good project.

[ScrapMetal]

Ron, you had to be grinning pretty wide when you opened that crate. Good project.

Yeah, I have to fight the urge to give it a quick hug each time I walk by. I wouldn't mention it to my wife though, she would probably by jealous.

I've been presented with something of a quandary, now that I've had a chance to put a tape measure to the motor as well as the intended frame. The frame is from a stock '79 FXE and the VIN matches that which is on the motor. The problem being, the motor was built as a "stroker" and to get the proper relationship between stroke and compression the cylinders had to be a bit taller. Now, I had expected the taller cylinders but I was a little unprepared for how much taller. It would appear that I have about 3/4" - 1" too little of clearance on the rear jug to fit in the frame and darn little to zero on the front. The frame is built very solidly with nice castings at all the joints and the area around the seat post (where the rear head would be) is especially built-up.

Now I could just throw that motor in my other build which is on a Paugcho frame and would have plenty of room but that would be a minor tragedy in itself if for nothing else other than breaking up the original frame/motor. The other option would be to butcher the stock frame, how I'm not sure. I hadn't quite planned for this contingency.

Things are never "easy".

-Ron

[rleete]

The motor is no longer original, being made into a stroker. So, having a non-original frame is no big deal. Put it in the other frame.

[ScrapMetal]

Well, yeah, it's not "original" but it still has the matching numbers! I wasn't planning on a restoration as it's just not "me". I just have to muck with the stuff and modify to my tastes. Kind of why I don't just buy a really nice, original bike to begin with.

Part of the problem is that I have two build under way. One is a basically stock '79 Shovel motor and 4-speed tranny that were to go in to a Paugcho rigid frame with a springer front end. It was to be light, nimble bike for around town. The second was to be this FXE, with a monster motor, Baker 6 into 4 tranny, and a FLH front end. Basically a "super cruiser" for longer trips.

If I put the big motor/tranny in the Paugcho I will have a strong bike that won't be good for distance as well as a weak long-distance bike. In short, I don't get anything that I wanted out either of the builds.

Going to have to give this one a bit more thought.

-Ron

[rleete]

You could always "unstroke" it. Sell the parts, to recoup some of the cost.

[ScrapMetal]

You could always "unstroke" it. Sell the parts, to recoup some of the cost.

Hmmm, interesting. Thinking about it though, if I were to sell "some" parts I'd have to sell most everything except for the cases and heads and basically start from scratch. The parts cost was actually fairly minor compared to the machining and labor that went in to this motor. I probably could have bought all new parts cheaper than what this build cost me. "Why then?", you ask? The idea was to keep the original cases with the frame it was born in. Kind of an "OCD" thing just like the fact that I used nothing but "Made in USA" parts for the build. It wasn't the most "practical" or cost effective route but seemed like a pretty neat concept anyway.

Right now, I need to get some better measurements and maybe even try and set the motor into the frame so I can see just how much I'm off. It might not be quite as bad as I first thought. I'm still pretty sure it will involve the use of both heat and force in some quantity but maybe not quite as drastic as first envisioned.

I'll certainly be taking pics and posting them, for comedy relief if nothing else.

-Ron