Well my Bitsa is finally out of the Shop... Now I know what I have as we went through it all: I did not like the look of some of the gear so ended up with a new primary chain, drive chain, brake shoes, checked wheel bearings and axles front and rear, flushed out the hydraulics in the rear drum brakes, linkage upgrade, engine primary drive sprocket, adjuster, repaired and wired bolts on chrome inner primary, on and on.. We went through everything that needed done for about $2300... Not too bad, least I can ride it with some confidence.
Now it is a 66 Shovel in my book, 07 - 66 on the heads, drum rear, FLH Police Special, added engine bars, now just about everything possible chromed. With research what I have is mostly a 66 Shovel on a Delkor drag motor lower end, and sitting in an 82 frame, with the drum brake swingarm and Duo-Glide style chrome shocks rear end and FLH chromed front end. All about 1966 in style and heads...
The problem is that it is not what the Chassis is, which on a search comes up
1982 Make: Harley-davidson Model: FLH80 POLICE DLX = Touring Go figure THAT one... !!!
Someone built this in Old School style, on a newer frame and lower.. It is a bitsa, and I miss the genny style lower end of my last 1966 Shovel, but there are some advantages. Your advice please: Leave it 82 for ease of insurance, or how re-register it? Probably not worth getting a whole shovel lower and frame as it would still be a Bitsa...
I still like it... And I am not the only one, everyone in my area likes the look of it, and my big kick is getting back on a kick start for fun.. I must admit if I am tired the electric start is nice to have, but the fun is in the Old Style "Kicker" in a big road bike FLH style. Once in a while... My big trips will always be on my new Ultra, but this is for fun locally..
Should I leave it be, (easier to insure) or can I get it re-registered as a 1966 Shovel?? Advantages: Noise, compliancing, indicator... Someone imported it in an 82 front frame section, Delkor drag motor lower, my guess it for ease of import??
it's the frame that make the year of the bike not the engine if it's a 1982 frame that's what it is
Thanks for that Kiwi Dave, it bit me and so I bought it..
Now I have been all the way through it and am feeling pretty good about it. I have a modern two up seat and sissy bar with the gold HD eagle on the back, and a tool kit, more comfortable, but it takes away the old look... Looks more 70's-80's with it on...
I like the tool bag behind the sissy bar, but I like this Old School solo look better below, you agree?
I just have to figure out how to mount the old Panhead style DuoGlide or HydraGlide chrome tool boxes somewhere on it... ??? Or a set of old style FLH hard bags, but I have no clue where to find some... heh he... Gives me something to tinker with cuz my new Ultra has nothing to do on it... For around town this old Girl is fun to ride, and a bit of a challenge.. For example the new 5 finger clutch drags for some reason I cannot adjust, so I have to coast up hitting nuetral at a light... I cannot hit nuetral out of first gear with the engine running.. Ha! Real old tractor stuff.
Thanks for that Lynchy, you have good tastes...
My future plans for this Police Deluxe... Bros, any help Please...
Anybody got a giant 50-60's big Spring Solo Seat for sale?
How about the double Passing Lights big turn indicators and mounts?
Big Rear indicators?
Vintage Pannier boxes to suit this Old Girl?
Shift lever and shift rod (mine are pretty rough)...
Old HD Siren would be fun... heh he... RRRRR rrrrrrrrr......
Also, my platforms drag big time, I can hardly bank around a curve more than maybe 10 degrees before I bottom out... Any ideas?
Mechanics, I am not too bad, but stuffed on this one: My clutch is an updated 5 finger clutch, and it drags. We cannot seem to adjust it out. This means I cannot get into nuetral unless I do it coasting to a stop, once you are stopped you cannot get out of first gear to nuetral...
Thanks for that Wayne,
I had the best Old School HD Mechanic at local Dealer dissassemble the whole thing so I could TIG up a broken bit on the chrome inner primary... He thought maybe the clutch plates were feathered a little and had to run it, but I am past that now. Last night I ran it up the coast to a HOG rally, just to show off the kicker... Beauty started up about 5 times over the night on the second kick... !!
Anyway, something is wrong, I will be taking it back to him for a dissassembly to figure out why it is dragging... It is beyond me...
Regards, Cowboy
Thank you Hogbag, on research this is what I have found:
This was never finished properly and I am rebuilding it to make a vintage looking but able to ride anytime... Hogbag, the lower end is actually a Delkron Drag Motor lower, on discovery and a call to Delkron. The Heads are numbered, and are ID of 07-1966. Someone built this of all the old style bits and 66 Shovel, on a more modern lower end a frame to take the drag motor lower end. The rest is 60's. The rear fender is of the early 60's DuoGlide Panhead vintage, as is the swing arm with chromed brake drum. The front end is about 72 FLH to get the disk brake. I thinik maybe they blew the lower, and wanted to upgrade to new lower and frame, and front end disc brake for better ride, but keep the old style in the rest. I guess the truth is I like it, Registered 82 per the frame, and I want to clean up and rework the rest of it to a good able rider...
What I really wanted was an affordable total original Vintage 1960's, but they are waaaay too much money. When I find one reasonable I will go for it. In the mean time, I am rebuilding this for the Vintage 60's look.
Houli, it has a more modern 5 finger clutch, and I need it reworked. It is beyond me, and parts are too much of a mix. I am putting it back in the shop on Wednesday next for a tear down. Can you describe what you are talking about there??
Thanks Guys... Gotta admit, love doing the kick start again, S&S Super Carb, full choke, and warm backing off the choke to nothing, what a great feeling to have a kick start shovel again !!!
G'day, Cowboy. The important thing is that you like the bike. But here's my take on things and please note that this post is not meant as criticism of your machine. I think it's always good to know what you have and I don't see much there from 1966.
You mentioned 07-66 on the heads and I think that is a casting date code which indicates the heads were cast in July 1966. But that doesn’t help make the bike a 66 model Shovel because I think those heads were more likely to have originally been fitted to a 1967 model engine.
Delkron: When you say Delkron drag motor lower, do you mean the lower end (flywheel assembly) or do you mean the crankcases themselves are Delkron? Either way the engine is a cone (alternator) style and that means it is 1970 or later type.
Frame: If the frame is a 1982 FLH-80-Police-Dlx then I figure it has a seventeen-character VIN with AH as the model designation? And I assume the VIN has the letter C in the tenth character position to indicate 1982 as the model year? The seventeen-character style of VIN began with 1981 models so I doubt that any state or territory in Australia would register the bike as a 66. And you’ll need a lot more than the frame from a police machine to call the bike a police special.
Petrol tanks and trim thereon: The tanks are not 1966. If they were then the petrol tap would be in the right-hand tank. I can’t tell whether the tap is male or female. A male tap in the left tank would indicate the tanks are 67–74 style and a female tap would indicate 75 or later style. I can’t tell if the tanks are H-D or aftermarket. Are they five gallon or larger? Is the trim on the tanks a nameplate or a transfer? Either way, the trim design is a style the same as or similar to the type first used for 1963–65. Front brake: You’re right about it being 1972 or later. I had those big calipers front and rear on my first Harley which was a 1974 FLH that I bought in 76.
Petrol tanks and trim thereon: The tanks are not 1966. If they were then the petrol tap would be in the right-hand tank. I can’t tell whether the tap is male or female. A male tap in the left tank would indicate the tanks are 67–74 style and a female tap would indicate 75 or later style. I can’t tell if the tanks are H-D or aftermarket. Are they five gallon or larger? Is the trim on the tanks a nameplate or a transfer? Either way, the trim design is a style the same as or similar to the type first used for 1963–65.
Front brake: You’re right about it being 1972 or later. I had those big calipers front and rear on my first Harley which was a 1974 FLH that I bought in 76.
Big sprung solo seat 50s–60s: Does the frame have seat post bushings installed in the frame tube? If it’s really an 82 model frame then a sprung solo seat may not just bolt on. My 1941–84 H-D catalog indicates the seat post bushings were last used on early-81 models so you may find that an 82 frame will require some attention to accommodate a sprung solo seat with a seat post.
Tool box: Some aftermarket companies make mounting brackets to adapt a Panhead style tool box to the left side of your type of frame and I think the bracket bolts to the two-hole block where the passenger peg bracket is fitted.
Footboards: They are always easy to scrape with short fork legs so your only option may be to install longer forks to gain more ground clearance. Raising the footboards themselves may lead to problems operating the gear shifter and brake pedal unless you modified them. Your footboards appear to be the type with a rubber-mounted upper plate so that indicates they are a style first introduced around 1974–75 and they could be later. I can’t tell if they are H-D or aftermarket.
Instrument panel: It’s similar to the style first introduced for 1968 models but I think it’s a later version although I can’t tell the exact year. And I can’t tell whether it’s H-D or aftermarket.
Swingarm and rear wheel: Round tube swingarms were used for 1958–65 Panheads and 1966–72 Shovelheads but there may have been at least eight types used over that 58–72 period. At least three different swingarms were used for 1963–72 although the differences are minor. Yours appears to be either the second or third version of the 63–72 style but I don’t know when after 1963 the later changes were implemented. What makes you think the swingarm is Panhead? How do you know it’s not a Shovel swingarm? The rear wheel hub doesn’t look Panhead but instead it looks like 1967 (Shovelhead) or later so the swingarm may also be Shovelhead. And because the wheel hub looks to be 67 or later then the brake drum may also be 67 or later because they both changed at the same time.
Oil tank: It’s 1970 or later. It may be H-D or it could be aftermarket.
Rear mudguard: Rear mudguards for 1958–64 are not the same as 65 and/or later. What makes you think the rear mudguard is early-60s?
Taillight: The body is the type used for 1955–early-73 but it could be aftermarket. If it’s H-D then stamped on top of it you may find the following: MADE IN USA; and RH-55. The lens is the style used for 69–early-73 because it’s standing proud of the lens door by about half an inch. If the lens was 55–68 style then it would sit flush with the door.
Shock absorbers: The shocks are not Duo-Glide style. Two types of shocks were used on Big Twins for 1958–72. The first type was used 58–66 but yours appear to be the second type: 67–72. Notice they have a cam sleeve at the bottom. If they were 58–66 style they would have a rotating cam. I can’t tell if your shocks are H-D and they could be aftermarket.
Eric
WOW! Speeding Big Twin, Eric, you are the Harley Historian here, heh he... Thanks for all the info...
I really want a Vintage or Classic, 50's or 60's, but the ones I find are pretty high dollars. Eric, I know this is a "Bitsa" but it has the 66-67 Shovel Heads, and a kick start, and that is as close to a Classic as I can get right now... All chromed up, and reworked, it is still less than half the price people want for a Classic, so it will have to do... For now.... Sides of tanks are stock original badges looks to me, but shutoff is on the left... Tranny is a four speed. Dekron cases accounts for the newer cone style points motor.. I know I have a bitsa, but it is still fun, and thanks for the help... Someone did a good job of building a old style bike in a newer frame, or they somehow got that frame number for import to Australia about 2009????
The fender is a hinged type FLH, and from what I remember that put the fender in late Panhead era, as I don't remember seeing the hinged fenders on shovels... But I am obviously not the expert like you, so I will take your word for the rest... Thanks again..
She has the Old Shovel Lope, starts on the second kick, I am going to finish Her and rechrome everything I fix, and keep Her until I can get an all original restored Classic... Or maybe just keep er forever... Best regards, Cowboy
Always good to have the hinged mudguard as they can be handy at times. My 1974 FLH had one originally but I later put a shortened Super Glide mudguard on it. And on the front end I changed the original guard to a small aluminium one along with a nineteen inch rim but I sold the bike sometime around 78.
Hey there Eric,
Agreed, agreed, I just like all the Old School stuff. I have had three Twin Cam Baggers, and now have the new 2011.5 BIG BLUE Ultra, 110, all chrome, auto locking boxes and forks, heated grips and seat and all the rest.... This makes me be able to go about twice the distance of out in the wind bikes. I mean if you can go 300-400 kms before you are buggered, on these new Baggers you can do 600- 800 in a day no worries.. And all weather, winter, rain, no matter.....
However, I miss the "Hanging in the Wind" feeling, and also a kick start. Here is Oz, finding a reasonably price all original vintage 1960's Hog like I started with is rare and expensive. So this is the best I could do. From memory, I thought that hinged fender was the end of the Panhead era as I do not remember them on the Shovels, I had a 1966 and later a 1973 points in the sidecase AMF Harley. The out in wind bike is a good second scooter for me, and while this one is only a Bitsa all over the place, it does have that cool old look about it and starts right up.. When I can find a vintage to chrome up, I will maybe pull the chrome off the Bitsa and change it all over to Chromed up vintage classic...
Fun stuff this is... Regards, Cowboy.
Thanks HogBag,
I do get it... I just started with a chromed up 66 Shovel myself, but I get it. I will keep this Old School looker until I can actually find an original restored or ready for restoration at a fair price, for my local ride... I will get something close, and transfer all the good chrome I like over, and swap it out.. I just have a soft spot in my head, for the early shovel and kicker I started with... Dumb probably, but that is the way I am made... heh he..
Cowboy I understand mate. Why dont you send chopperweeza a PM about what he has in the states. Some of those shovels he imports are original low mile one owner bikes. I rebuilt a 62 police pan 25 years ago and finding original pan parts was tough then. Most of the stuff I brought was Chinese shit boxed as US parts. So buy a clean low mile bike and restore it.
