Toby Davis' Old School Shovelhead

 . . . working on my friend Toby's '67FL over the weekend.  Gear cover stripped of crappy chrome job, wet sanded and buffed out.  Got his original pump all painted up, checked it out and assembled - she spins nice and smooth.  These cast iron pumps throw just enough oil, and they last and last.  Grab the rods and spin it over, it just turns so free-n-easy.  I could reach down through the tappets and I got the cam and timer gear with a perfect amount of end-play.  Reach in through the generator hole and the idler gear (with new, fitted oil-lite bushing) has just a tiny bit of end-play too. 

I spent a few hours assembling, and dis-assembling.  Measuring and checking.  Through a process of elimination, checking where I can feel a bit of binding.  What part is doing it?  Checking the cam and pinion bushings.  Checking oil passages and surfaces.  Eliminating burrs.  Making threads and fasteners perfect.  It takes time to do it correctly - so give yourself the time.  It's just a good 'ol Harley motor again. 

2 comments:

Bastard said...

Thanks...So good to know there are others out there doin' the job..
Now, if I can ever get those hill climb cams done, I'm gonna fly.

Your comments and photos remind me, time after time, of doing it right.


Noot said...

I figure it's cams, or diet and lose 50 lbs !