Ironhead XLCH

A few weeks back at a local show, I took a moment to wander around the vendors. One of the things that has gotten worse for me over time is looking at all the cool projects for sale.  This beastly has been on my list for some time.  I've always wanted a AMF chain drive Davidson and lo and behold there it was! Sitting on a trailer, waiting for someone to breathe a little life back into to it.  

The price was what I thought to be really reasonable, though a few people mention that I might have been able to find one for a tad less.  In any case, here it sat.   The seller was cool and forthright, he gave me a business card and I went back to looking around and hanging out at the club booth.  By the end of the day family duties and other things clogged the mind and the XLCH was forgotten about.

Funny enough, I didn't even know it was a XL or what year it was for that matter. All I knew was that it was a chain drive AMF and that was cool for me! As weird as this would sound, it spoke to me;  it called out and drew me close.  close enough to present itself as a faithful ironhead machine.  I never saw the hashed harness, the buckhorn bars with 5 inch risers or the straight pipes.  But I saw the ironhead.  I knew that no matter what people could or would say about AMF;  this could be made into a loyal and reliable machine.  

The following day it came to mind that I had forgotten about the AMF but I had the card from the vendor.  After a few more back and forth thoughts I gave a call. Yep, it was still for sale and it was still on the trailer; yep-  I wanted it and in a few more hours it would be sitting outside my house, cool! 

AMF= American Machine and Foundry.  Think about that, yeah-  it wasn't the best time for Harley;  but for those that had to build their machines out of what they got.  This is it, chain drive with the potential to be re- converted back to right hand shift.  I dug right in to cleaning up the years of dirt and grease.  Damage from a few downs here and there and changes as those tried to make their vision real.  

As the extraneous bits came off and the dirt clear my vision started to take shape. Its still no where close to what I would like, but if it did run (and It should run)  its much closer to what I could work with.  The 5 inch risers are gone as are the buckhorn bars for a later project. A bates saddle stills on the frame awaiting some sort of mounting system in the future.   The rear rim is damage, I'll start looking for a alloy rim;  I wonder how a 19 inch  would do? Foot controls, well that will take time as to whether to go right or left shift.   The details are coming in fast and furious.  Maybe a set of XLCR pipes?  we'll see  what's next when the kick start pedal comes in.

  

More snow. more time for motorcycles

Kept on procrastinating this past week even though there was time to play with the machines. Each time I'd get into the workshop there would be some other small detail that needed to be address first.  Papers needed sorting, a rack need to be setup and hold parts and just about anything that could get in and break the focus - did.    

The head got sent out to Ed G. for  evaluation on the guides and seats. The mag followed suit for a re-gauss. The mag bearings cleaned up very well, so that was a good thing.  But a better examination of the forks found that the upper triple clamp has a half inch crack directly in the middle.  Not sure whether I can find a set of good triples or come up with a different front end.  Prior to my pulling it apart the previous owner said it was fitted with a Ceriani front end. Could be the Ceriani was a replacement due to the crack....   The triples had been chrome plated in the past, maybe hydrogen embrittlement? who knows.. 

With a little more dancing that was expected due to a non- standard chain case bolt fouling the frame  upon removal, the Chain case open easy enough.  The gasket was quite dry and the felt o-ring that rides over the clutch unit was missing.  All the engine bolts except the upper rear most one have been removed.  After the oil tank lines are documented for routing the tank will come off and the engine can then come out.  Gotta get my act together if its to be ready for this spring.

On New Years Day the Norton was dropped off.   With it now in the shop I can give it a better going over.  A few small things here and there; missing timing cover bolt, battery is not very happy and the shifter needs to be address.  Mike S. will be coming by to give me a few pointers and I've called out to other Norton fellows as well.  More learning curves to go and get onto.