Just got a knucklehead that hasnt run for over 30 yrs from what I can remember. Anyone know a mechanic in Melb that can do an engine restoration ? Thanx
Colt at HD Development. Google HD Development he has either just finished his own Knuck or is still building it
Go talk to Dave Readie at Harley city or John Trease, no matter who you use its going to cost big bucks, ask around, , show us a pic or 2.
Before you send it out mark every part, you don`t know what you`ll get back.
thanx for replies so far, i'll try and post some photos, ater a good look at it i dont think its all original its a bit rough but it kinda looks cool like that. Hey Houli wadda you mean mark the parts what are you sayin ?
Mark the parts so you know they are yours, a little cross or stamp somewhere inconspicuous, what happens is you drop your engine off to me, its never been run in 30 yrs, your heads are still original no welds, cracks, and guides are still original, i have a pair of odd heads, weld repairs guides last oversize, full of helicoils, same goes for all other parts.............would you notice? not everyone is dodgy but if i were farming out a knuck for rebuild i`d be very wary.Genuine good condition knuck parts are rare and expensive.
Good advice Houli
OK houli good advice. Shit does that really go on, or do you think it might happen burnzy Ill ckeck out HD Devel for sure
OK Thanks for all the info fellas. Still havent gone to get the bike yet,thought i would this weekend but i gotta work. My mate tells me its a 41 and his dad used to ride it into Mildura sometimes and something happened to it one day and he was goona fix it but he never did,that was sometime in the late 80s. From memory I remember the bike in the 70s the bloke had it parked next to his army Norton and his brand new suzuki 500 triton. So i dont know what year that was but it was the first year the 500 tritons came out 2 stroke i think it was. He was terific old bloke me mates dad. When my mate moved up to near Mildura in the late 70s he was on his own so id call in now and then for a few beers and chat about bikes footy and women and that. He used to be a despatch rider in the war and it was good listening to some of his storys about those days. I was glad for him wen he eventually moved up to live with his son. If i remember right the knucles black and he always told me mate to see if i wanted any of his bikes when he was gone, the other bikes have long gone sold off years ago we think but this ones been sittin in the garage since he passed about 10 yr ago. We still havent mentioned anything about money yet so i dunno whats happenig there sounds like this is gonna add up to a few bucks just have to wait till ican get there i suppose and then see what happens.
Just start, thats the hardest part, paint and seats depreciate and look worse with dust and rust. Take a lot of pictures so you know which way some of the cogs, washers and stuff go back together and in which order while your stripping it, 6 moths or a year later your memory might be a bit fuzzy. Keep the bits grouped together in big cheap plastic tubs with lids from Bunnings so nothing gets misplaced or moved and forgotten. Most metal bits keep well, if he looked after his bikes there might be a lot less work than you think. Its easier to clean, recondition and paint what you have, than to try to find something that fits. If it's basically a complete bike with something that needs fixing your a long way front already. Some of those old bikes keep up with the traffic easily and are fun to ride as well. A lot more people will notice what your on than the latest chromed, whatever the fashion is this year bike and that will only increase over time. Some of the old bikes didn't have many numbers on them.
How about some pictures for us.
I'm bloody envious of you.
H D Development
Address: 359 Lt Lonsdale St, Melbourne VIC 3000 Phone03) 9670 4747 Hours: Monday 9:00 am - 5:30 pm
Talk to Colt
Phoenix Motorcycles
Address: 6 Olympic St, Warragul VIC 3820 Phone03) 5622 3220
Talk to Wheels
Know the story well, but it's worth every minute of it. Reading your story has got me looking for an old barn find as well, guess I'm a slow learner. Those old bikes didn't have many, if any numbers on them, an old girl I had only had 54 stamped on the frame. I looked at the price of a '42, simular to one that I'm sure I owned 25 years ago and go O.F. Sure I saw an old bike of mine, its not original any more, covered in chrome and crap that it never had, looks like a 75 year old woman in high heals, wigs etc and as much makeup as she can carry before it drips off (very old mutton dressed as lamb). VERY SAD to see it happen as it used to be all original and kept in everyday riding condition. Used to enjoy riding it as well, often did 60 to 100 km on sunday rides, kept up with the traffic and never had a breakdown on it, which was good because there were no mobile phones back then. Saw it at a show and the owner claimed to have fully restored it on his little sign. I doubt its been riden much at all, just blinged up with all the chrome, junk and rubbish he can find to put on it, it was depressing to see, probably takes it everywhere on a trailer. Looks like the only work that has been done on it mechanically is taking bits off to have them chromed or replaced with shiny bling stuff.
Such is life.
