HELP! Panhead part needed!

[panheadpete]

I certainly don't want to start anything about preference of suppliers so I'll tell you what happened; I started my search on the internet due to the time of day and needing to know asap if the part could be found - I haven't dealt with Fatboyzdiner before and the website came up with "no matching parts found" so I went on to the jwboon site which confirmed availability, price and gave a choice of nos or pattern, so they got my order. Like I say, no axe to grind, that's just the way it happened on this occasion...Pete.

[Limey_Dave]

Pete.

I would be interested to see an aprox list of parts you used.

If you used 1965/66 primary cases,did you have to change crank sprocket and g/box main shafts?

[panheadpete]

Dave, yer a brave man to even contemplate such a thing...However, I have been thinking that I ought to write it all down if only for posterity, so that I can look back in years to come and think "Why the f*** did I do that?"
So, I'm just going outside to the garage; I may be quite some time....
Cheers, Pete.

[panheadpete]

Dave, as it happens I never made it as far as the garage; I've spent the whole day and most of the evening fixing a fault on the upstairs lighting. Being somewhat singed around the extremities, I'll give you the short version for now;
Inner chaincase - I used a '65-'69, it still needed extensive mods to fit the pre-65 crankcases but nothing like as much as trying to make a shovel chaincase fit.
Gearbox mainshaft - you need to fit the specific 65-69 shaft; it's longer than the pre-65 and shorter than the shovel 70+. You also need a shovel box.
Engine sprocket - I tried extended sprocket carriers but nothing fitted, so I cheated and spaced the sprocket out on the shaft; not by much but it's not a totally satisfying solution so next engine strip I'll fit the proper shaft (having said that, I've stripped the primary trans with 1,000 plus miles just to check and there's no signs of any probs).
Sadly there's a huge list of other parts needing to be made/modified/bought;I'll put it all together when I'm a bit more together.
Cheers, Pete.

[Limey_Dave]

Pete,
Don't I feel an arse.

Please don't bust a gut on this,I haven't got a Duo-Glide,YET.
I started looking then managed to put it to the back of my mind.Then was given an old American-V mag that had a nice one in it.
When your question poped up it started me off again and once the cogs start going round,well,you know.
I think I'd need to have a holiday and import one and it would be a keeper so would gather the starter parts for when I couldn't kick it and put a chair on when I couldn't hold it up.

They changed the box in 65 then,not just the mainshaft?

[panheadpete]

Dave, before going any further, can I suggest you have a look at Custom Motorcycle Parts for their knucklehead/panhead electric start conversion; this would be, as suggested previously, the cheapest and easiest way of putting an electric foot on a duoglide. I have two good reasons for saying this; firstly, the job of collecting both the info and the parts is long and hazardous to both your patience and your wallet, secondly, I just happen to have, surplus, one of their starters, to which you could add the rest of the kit or convert what you already had.
I'm not trying to get out of it; if you want the info I'll gladly post it - it's just that their conversion is already proven, bolt-on and hardly alters the original appearance of the bike.
Cheers, Pete.
PS I hope at this time of night that the arse you're feeling is your missus'...

[panheadpete]

Didn't answer your question, did I? Yes, they changed the gearbox casing to include the two 'ears' that the inner primary has to bolt to; also, I did this because I now have difficulty kicking the old bugger into life; also, I'll be going for three wheels for it's next incarnation....Just checked that link and it's a bit tortuous; go MC Parts-Harley and Custom parts-Engine and Drive Train-Electric Start Kit for Pan and Knuckle.
Cheers, Pete.

[Limey_Dave]

Thanks Pete
I found it ok then got distracted by the tools,as you do.

Looks ok if it could be made to work with a chain,don't like belts,and maybe enclose the ring gear.
Something to think about.

YouTube - 1965 Panhead riding down the road

Should have gone for this but couldn't sort the details in time.

[panheadpete]

Hi Dave; that video was great, so nostalgic, too, it so reminded me of my '72 Glide which was identical - bar the engine, of course. I just got back from a long ride involving empty country roads, real ale and good friends...it doesn't get much better...anyway one of these chaps builds trikes that are as good as they come and I asked him about converting mine.
We came to the conclusion that it would be dead easy - after all, Harleys were the original trikes. He could build a bolt-on axle and frame, I could convert the gearbox to 3-speed plus reverse, the only question being how to convert chain final drive to shaft, cos neither of us likes the idea of cutting a hole into a precision differential to let the chain in, as well as mud, grit, rain etc.
Anyway there seems to be a solution, so we'll investigate that. And getting back to the original subject, I'm so, so pleased with the end result of all that work with the starter; 9am on the Dragon Rally site, an inch of ice on the bike, a steaming hangover; one push of the button, result pleasure (and relief) - without the starter conversion I possibly would not have gone and I would have missed one of the best rallys I have ever been to.
Whichever way you go about it, it'll be worth it the very first time you press that button.
And now all that real ale is telling me to take a break, so I'll speak to you later.
Cheers, Pete.

[panheadpete]

Just re-read my last post; when I mentioned pressing a button and getting pleasure and relief, I wasn't being rude, honest. No, not the red pen, no, please, not again...
Cheers, Pete.