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[ultrarider123]

Love that Shovel Sturgis model.  Have to say that the Sturgis shovel models ('80 and '81 I believe?) looks so much cooler than the Evo Sturgis model FXDB in '91.  However, I wouldn't be unhappy if I had either the Sturgis shovel or evo in my garage.....

[Dan_Lockwood]

I've got one of those bad boys!  I bought it in '04 and then I redid back in '05.  It's a '76 and was a blue AMF with batwing fairing.  The PO had rattle can painted the fairing and the hard bags.  I never put the hard bags on the bike.  I'm not saying it's restored because it's not as original.  The bike went down the bare frame and all the framework I could powdercoat black, I did.  The tin is all original, but repainted.  The wiring is all new, the chrome is new including the nacelle and I polished the lower front tubes when I put in new Progressive springs.  So it's redo, not a restore.



If you look close, you can see 1976 crud in the primary area...



I rode it for one short summer and then tore it down in January and had it back together the first part of April.



This view shows the late model RK type removeable windshield.  It was a pretty easy conversion to do and looks good as well.



I bought the Mustang seat and then the Boss Bags.  The Boss Bags use the same supplier for the chrome studs and the conchos so they are all the same color chrome, so to speak...



Boss didn't have any way to mount the bags so I made up some angle brackets and then a small hard to see lower spreader between the rear lower corner of the bags.  The spreader runs just inside the rear fender.  You can barely see it in the picture.  These are the best leather bags I've ever seen.  The HD leather bags don't even hold a candle to these.  Although at almost $1100 they should be good.  They are also lockable and they supply the two keyed alike padlocks.



The color is mainly black with the gold accent.  The black has a touch of gold flecks to make it pop in the sunlight.



The motor is stock except for a #2 Adrews cam and solid lifters.  It has a new bottom end with crank rebuild and new cylinder/piston kit at stock 74".

Since I bought my first new Harley in '08, a SERK Annie, I the '76 once about 10 miles and the rear exhaust pipe gasket blew out and I've not ridden it since.  That was 5 years ago this June.  I have it on the lift as we speak, but had issues getting the pipe to seal up.  I finally figured out that the exhaust flange surface is out of square and rough enough to blow the gaskets.  I have a rebuilt rear head on the bench to put on and hopefully my issues will be over.

Once it's up and running again, I'll be putting it up for sale.  I know the market right now sucks for this type of bike.  I'd like to get over $10k, but I see some very nice ones selling for $7k to $8k.  So I'm not sure what to do.  I obviously don't "need" to sell it, but I hate to just see it sitting the garage not being used.

Thanks for posting this thread about old Shovelheads.  I enjoy them very much.

Have a great day dudes and dudettes...

[miker]

Love the oem crud....don't worry, it can sit without getting bored. Best of luck Dan.

[Rimjam]

Dan,
Be wary of letting the '76 sit for very long w/o starting.  First year of the Kehin carb w/ accelerator pump circuit right in the bottom of the carb bowl.  If gas is not stabilized or engine run it'll clog up those passages.  You'll have to remove bowl & boil it out to restore function.  I share your pain on exhaust leak @ the head, one bolt is a poor design.  There's an aftermarket gasket much superior to stock (Custom Chrome, Drag Specialties?) that fixed my leak w/o replacing head.

[ultrarider123]

Dan, that is one, good looking shovel and great color choice.  Another shovel revived from the ashes, so to speak.

[tompen]

1977 FLH.

[ultrarider123]

Not mine but good buddy that rides with us....'82 FLT with the faring removed and painted to match his Chevy truck.  One sweet ride...his is the one in the middle (like I really needed to say that... ).

It's for sale, by the way.....

[Dan_Lockwood]

Dan,
Be wary of letting the '76 sit for very long w/o starting.  First year of the Kehin carb w/ accelerator pump circuit right in the bottom of the carb bowl.  If gas is not stabilized or engine run it'll clog up those passages.  You'll have to remove bowl & boil it out to restore function.  I share your pain on exhaust leak @ the head, one bolt is a poor design.  There's an aftermarket gasket much superior to stock (Custom Chrome, Drag Specialties?) that fixed my leak w/o replacing head.

Thanks for the carb tip.  I did have it running on several occasions in the past couple months while trying to fix the leak.  I know these carbs are typically not something people like to keep on their bike.  That may be why S&S got a foot hold with their carbs.  As of right now, it still seems to be working correctly and not leaking.

Rimjam, I think that's the one I tried and it still would not seal.  It's kind of like an EVO wire type mesh in a ring about 1/8" thick.

I think when I put the head on that I'll use them on both pipes to make sure they stay as long as possible.

Haird, what does your friend want for his FLT?

Thanks to all for the kind comments.

[Dan_Lockwood]

1977 FLH.

I think that's a very nice looking original FLH.  I like those pogostick seats a lot.  My FLH rides like a dumptruck so I'm thinking that the floating seat would be a great option to have on it.  But at this point it would not fit the theme of the redo on my bike.

The bags, tour pack and batwing were originally white, were they not?  I've seen a couple blue FLH's with the white seat, the white bags, pack and batwing look very good on the blue bike.  Yours is a classic and I bet you get lots of comments.

[ultrarider123]

Haird, what does your friend want for his FLT?

Thanks to all for the kind comments.

Dan, I believe he is asking $8,600 for it.  Has the original, fixed faring, set of aftermarket pipes and a few other odds/ends extra parts for it.  Runs great and in very good shape. 

[tompen]

I think that's a very nice looking original FLH.  I like those pogostick seats a lot.  My FLH rides like a dumptruck so I'm thinking that the floating seat would be a great option to have on it.  But at this point it would not fit the theme of the redo on my bike.

The bags, tour pack and batwing were originally white, were they not?  I've seen a couple blue FLH's with the white seat, the white bags, pack and batwing look very good on the blue bike.  Yours is a classic and I bet you get lots of comments.

Dan:
My Dad bought this in 1980. It was all blue then. You are correct that the plastic on the old FLHs were white. Harley (AMF) bought the plastic from an outside source. I'm not sure when they changed. In the 80s I think. The bags and pack are the ones that were on it when he got it and it was all blue then. May have been painted though. I got it from him in the late 90s. I took off a bunch of rusted aftermarket chrome and lights and painted most of it. Tank and fenders have not been painted. Still runs good but doesn't get the miles it should.

[Dan_Lockwood]

Dan, I believe he is asking $8,600 for it.  Has the original, fixed faring, set of aftermarket pipes and a few other odds/ends extra parts for it.  Runs great and in very good shape. 

Not that they're worth much, but I still have all the original stuff from my build, aluminum spoke wheels, batwing fairing, bags with all the brackets, but not the tour pack.  Mine came with a king/gueen fixed set, not the pogostick floater.

I'm not sure having the original stuff would help me any when selling mine.  I had mine for sale while it was still running without the leaky exhaust for $13k, but that was 5 years ago when the prices were still up a bit more.  I have over that into the bike, but I'm sure now I'll be hard pressed to get anywhere near $10k. 

As they say, there is a buyer for everything, if you can wait long enough.  Who knows, someone may see my bike and say that's just was I've been looking for and he has more money than he knows what to do with.

I really don't have to sell it and it's probably never going to be worth much less than it is now and at some point it may even increase in value.

Thanks for the information on your friends FLT.

[JustDennis]

Yes, I have a 1980 FXWG.  I love to ride it but the "ride" comfort is not like I remember it when I was in my 20s. 

[Skillet]

Yes, I have a 1980 FXWG.  I love to ride it but the "ride" comfort is not like I remember it when I was in my 20s. 

Comfort level for sure is different but still great scoots.

[Skillet]

After...awaiting the rest of the bike's assembly.  This bike was originally a 1960 Pan with 67ish shovel heads.  It's getting converted to a hard tail with moderate extension & rake.  

Beemer that pic looks familiar. Tell Jett hello for me.