48 Panhead progress

OK, I have been slack on posting pics from the Panhead project lately. Luckily I`m not that slack in wrenching.
You all for sure know how little could be done in a long day when restoring old motorcycles, there is thinking, making jigs, seeking advice, getting hold of parts and so on.
I feel like sometimes wishing for more hours in a day.

Feels good the see the stack of parcels containing parts is increasing, tough I bet my ol friend "the customs" are pleased with my level of activity on importing Harley parts!

Below a bunch of pics from some of the restoration activities taking place with my ol Panhead girl,

48 Panhead progress

Getting back from the rig was kind of depressing, snow, snow and more snow. Spent an entire day shuveling just to find my workshop door.

My plan had been to do postings along the way as my work proceeded with the ol Panhead girl, but we all know there is a big difference in plans and action. The key issue is there is progress to the restoration. Pictures in this post is the last couple of days progress.

Three big parcels of pre-paid goodies is under way, cant wait getting them.

Still working with getting oval holes back to round, making new and change bushings, reaming, making new pivot bolts and control rod ends and, bending back what is bent to straight, making tools to pull out or other tools to bring back in, there is no end to it. I love all this lathe work and I sometimes get to think, how could I have lived without my lathe?

Making a puller to remove the frame neck cups was really fun, I`m amazed how stuck them cups where.

Every old Harley I have bought have had loose rear sprockets. Its of great importance when riveting the sprocket that a proper tool is made to ensure the rivets are securely fastened. As the ol Pan girl have 8" rear drum and my 45`s have 7" I had to make a new riveting jig, check out pics. It is easy to clamp the entire srum with new rivets in this tool.

48 Panhead progress

As said in many contexts before, "the devil is in the details".
My progression curve have been pointing the wrong way lately, down the hill kind off, and now I`m back in the "making money bussiness" wich means progression is like none, zero, nada.

Last issues sorted where some more holes beeing oval and 1/4" control rod ends beeing far of their original meassures. This sounds like nothing but does actually envolve a lot of lathe work, welding, bending, drilling and time, time our worst enemy.
The wise would say "why the fuc%¤"# do you not buy new repops" but hey, I want to keep as much as possible of what is Made in Milwaukee back in 48. This means repair, repair and repair, not replace, replace. I might be stupid, oh well I know I`m stupid, else I wouldnt have been doing all this :-)

48 Panhead progress

Another day filled with action have passed by. Due to the amount of work, ehrr fun there was no other option, another set of hands where needed. As usual no volunteers, did I say none, its not the trouth. My grandson was more than happy with staying for a couple of days, to help me out, and yes even if still only 6 years old he does indeed help a lot.

When I where to file down the second front frame tube after welding he sat across my upside downed frame for two long hours making it more stable. His only award for this heroic act was getting allowed to perform som stunt welding on a piece of scrap metal. As my frame is now considered done I found next task was to start working with brake pedal and linkages. To get back decent play in the brake pedal both the support plate shaft and the bush in the pedal was replaced, I cant stand a wiggly brake pedal. 1/10 of a mm play is great :-), when greased it feels very direct.

48 Panhead progress

Started out early this morning by checking my e-mail, damned that made me feel like a fu#¤%¤%%ker big time. Loads of nice guys e-mailing me just to be neglected as I`m fucking all day with my ol Panhead gal, sorry I will get there eventually.
Collected pedals and linkages to see what would need to be done, hmm, hint is ovality. OK, leave that for later. Stuffed my Pan frame in the car, off I go to Arendal where my friend Erik "the blacksmith master" have his shop. He is the one to ask if you need a pipe to be heated at the exact point needed to get it back to shape.
I had two pipes in need.
Before leaving his shop I collected a rear fork belonging to Stig aka Beveldrive (see link to his blog elsewhere on my site) wich lower legs now are as straight as if they where calibrated towards the atomic clock in Bern.
Back home I pulled out my MIG welder to add metal required to get my bentlegs to shape, then the fun starts, filing, filing and more filing. Oh I love filing, its like magic what decent files will do to metal. If you have done some serious filing you should have to change socks from sweating :-)
You dont keep your stack of files in a bundle in the bottom of a drawer do you?, shame shame shame on you. Files should be seperated from each other to prevent any damage to their theets, whenever a filing practice is done, brush it with a filebrush, if material is sticking to your file, add chalk to it. If used on aluminium, try adding technical alchole by a brush.


I was bullied today when at Eriks place by two motorcyclists coming by, this as I came to talk about my collection of vintage miniature vices. Heck, I collect as many miniature vices as I want, I`m after all an adult, or not?

48 Panhead, yesterdays progress

Damned time is for sure flying when you have fun. Yesterday was spent with some more welding in the front gearboks mount area, making a new seat post bushing and a driver tool for this as well as fabricationg a jiig to replace the motor when I`m trying to work the lower end of my bent legs (that was kind of deep, did you catch up with that one?) back to their origianl 1" (inch) diameter, ruined by jumping Mexico city`s curbs.
Went out of Argon for my TIG welder and lost several hours in locating a new bottle, damned.
Ended the day by making a tool needed later on to check steering head allignment, dry fitted this but still have to figure out a procedure of how to ensure frame geometry is as when it left "the factory".

48 Panhead progression

Am I not a lucky bastard, have had the pleasure of spending 13 hours non-stop in the workshop today. A day filled with fun (eh, OK Knuckle buster?), filing, welding, lathe work and more welding and filing.
Well seriously, a lot of work done and I am really pleased with wath is gained today. Tomorrow is another day, hope to score the same amount of fun and exitement then :-)

!!! If anyone know a source for new frame neck bearing cups and races, please let me know. Mine are in desperate need of replacement.