Days of Future Past.......... and the 1953 Panhead

OK I know it's been a long time since I've posted, just never seemed to have the extra time, but I did want to start again before the one year anniversary of my last post in February. So here we go..... a lot has happened good and bad, I will try to fast forward over the next few weeks and post short captions and quick pic's of what I've been up too until I reach the present. Then hopefully with winter setting in and a little effort/dedication on my part I will post more often for my many followers.

 

1953 Panhead

Finally got the beast done! fought me tooth & nail with too many demons to go into here so I'll just give ya some pictures of the finished product.

 

First day after defeating it's last (hopefully) demon

 

 The 53 sandwiched between a 60's Sporty and a beautiful Knuck outside the White Rose M/C clubhouse

 

While at White Rose AMCA meet my buddy Drew and I decided to take a ride by the York PA Harley Davidson plant for a quick and very cool photo Op. that's Drew's 58 on the left.

 

Stay tuned for more good stuff to come from the past ten months! 



 



 

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Time for change! Change is good!

BEFORE

AFTER

Needed some maintenance and change on my 1999 Softail. I've had this bike since new and been all over the east coast with it, always reliable and fun to ride just throw on a T-Bag, strap my leather to the handlebars and hit the road!

New tires, brakes, cleaned and repacked the wheel bearings, new neck bearings, Apehangers, sissybar and all fluids she's good to go! Did all the work at a buddy's shop and I would like to thank Pete for his expertise on internal wiring and cable length, it looks factory install.....nice! 

More updates on the 1953 Panhead rebuild soon......





1953 Panhead

Found some pictures I forgot about on my phone of the 53 before the motor went in and for your additional viewing pleasure I've add a new  "creature"  to your right.

Motors In

   Managed to get the 53 motor in, got this done a few months back just havent had the time to post, fitting the gas tanks will be next.

Rolling.....1953 Pan.

Noticed a little side to side end play in the front wheel while the 53 was on the lift so I decided to have a look see....don't want any issues/surprises there!

Use two separate parts trays here you don't want to mix this shit up if your going to reuse it.

Everything cleaned and checked for assembly... roller bearing fit was acceptable and bearing surface good...just need to add some additional shims to bring the end play to at least close to what the manual said it should be.

Cleaned it up nice nice while it was off.

Brake drum installed...it's ready to roll and hopefully safer than before.

 

 









GOT MOTOR!!!!!!!

53 back from the shop complete and ready to go back in the frame, I chose to paint the cylinders silver while we had it apart as they should be, if you go back to my earlier post when it was first removed for rebuild you will see they were black. Pleases excuse the blurry cell phone photo.

1953 Panhead update.....

As I mentioned in a previous posts I'm catching up with work that's been done over the late summer, I hope to be current with my posts soon.

 

 

53 Heads before and after..... Work done by Head Hog in Ohio.... not cheap but some of the best work I've seen.

 

BEFORE

AFTER

 

 

 

Like New...

Here's a photo of a OG Tombstone taillight I just finished, picked it up at the Rhinebeck meet this past June really cheap I think $10... correct glass lenses and all!.....wish I had taken some before and after pic's.. it was painted red over the original chrome and the bridge in front of the license plate lens was cracked off and held in place only by the red lense bezel..... a little JB weld, sand paper a rattle can of black paint and its ready to replace the chrome repop unit on the 53 Pan.



Once in a lifetime!

My father, born Oct. 27, 1928.

 

This past Oct. 27, 2012......84 years old sitting on a 1928 Indian Scout.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY POP!

 

The bike belongs to a good buddy of mine....Thanks Drew.

Where you at......?

OK it's been a while and I have a lot of catching up to do here, most of what you will be seeing and reading over the next few post has happened over the last three months, I just haven't had the time to
update.

 First an update on the 53 Panhead rebuild, as I suspected and mentioned back in July, it was the crank bearing and as you can see from the top photo this baby was only a few revolutions away from total detonation.