Ironhead Sporty ID

[banquo]

Mate of a mate's looking to divest himself of what looks (from the rusty frame in the background) to be an aborted Chopper project. Question over how much the motor and boxes of bits might be worth...?
I've asked for the engine number, to put a better date on it, but is there anything you can say about this from the pix? Can you tel if it's a kciker or electric, generator or alternator, some idea of age, etc., from the pix.
Unless there's a lot of good provenance, and some pretty good indications that the motor's been refurbished or is otherwise in pretty good conditions, then I guess it's worth very little....
Whaddya think?

[kiwidave]

the engine numbers will reveal all.

I don't think it appears to be machined for a kicker, in which case it will be a 1980s motor, one of the last ones.

The left side view of the case looks identical to generator models, so I am guessing 80-83....

Totally prepared to be wrong though

[kevscrivener]

DEFINITELY post-1978; the gearchange is the giveaway, pre-75 ones had gearchange totally on the right and 75-76 models had that awful "cross-over" linkage with the long pedal.

Kickers were not factory fitted after 1978; alternator was 1984-85 only and is somewhat rare. I suspect KD is about right.

Check this link out for help in dating the engine number;

http://www.cyborgcycles.com/vinid.htm#sportster

Hope this helps.

[kiwidave]

ahhhh...good stuff Kev. Well spotted. Could still be 79 or 80 though....those year trannys were machined for a kicker even though the factory did not fit them.... ;)

[Kiwi]

Originally Posted by kevscrivener

Kickers were not factory fitted after 1978

sorry kev the last of the XLCH were 1979 and they were kickstart only according to variuous references either 141 or a 143 left the factory, these were the last kick start only HD's to leave the factory

had a firend in nz who had a 79 XLCH and it was definitely kick start only

the heads in the photo have a boss above the spark plugs, on my 80 XLS this was drilled for the air cleaner mounts, on my 77 it is not drilled

heads in the picture are not drilled hence my guess is late 70's

[the_french_owl]

Would just say it appears the engine # on right hand case is rather long so could be post 1980, when they left J0 for all that 1 hd xxxxxCDAHccccc palava... It's also a 1/2 sump engine so deffo post 1977.

As others said, check # it will tell all...

Anyway, late Sporty, terrible Q cams etc, don't part with more than £ 500/700 in that state of dismantling

Patrick

[banquo]

"I have engine numbers taken from the crankcase as follows:
CAHF******, plus each cylinder has a number, one is 102884 and the other is 102284 (though the guy may have written this down incorrectly)."

What do you reckon on age and value? I guess we're talking 81-85 XLH from the CA...
I'm guessing that we're talking auto jumble prices here, and the hardtail frame in the background, assuming no V5, is worth next to nothing.
Apparently, it's a lot from a storage depot where payment was defaulted, so it could even be ripped off from somewhere....

Any ideas on value?

[kevscrivener]

Thanks for the corrections, Graeme. Proves you never stop learning; also proves that some reference books don't get it right!

Banquo, as to valuation I wouldn't go any higher than Patrick's lower estimate, since as you say you have no provenance on it. However, somone's obviously gone to a bit of trouble to do it up, although you'd need to TOTALLY strip it again of course to be sure it's OK.

The numbers on the cylinders would, I presume, be cast into the barrels and are probably part numbers, won't have much influence on the age of the bike.

[banquo]

Thanks folks!
Good advice as always!
I'll pass it on, and see what transpires, and let you know the outcome....

I was surprised to find Ironheads lumped in with everything from sidevalves to shovels... Thought they would reside in the Sportster section.....

[kevscrivener]

We were going to, but Evo Sporty's have enough of an inferiority complex as it is!