Cedar River Harley-Davidson Shop: Open House

The local Harley dealer had a customer appreciation day . . . and made it real easy to come out and hang around, eat some smoked pork (heck, take 2 or 3), drink a cold beverage - they even had ice cream !
I rode the WLA out . . . A bit cloudy in the morning(for hot coffee) gave way to some sun in the afternoon(for a cold drink).  The crowd slowly rolled in for the poker run and demo rides.
 The one-man-band rocked it all day long, and never played a song I didn't like.  He was great !
 Sekar servin' up that great smoked pork . . .
Zimmer grabs a cold one . . . 
For a smaller shop, they offer a decent selection of leathers, hoodies and shirts.  I'm usually hangin' in the service department, but found myself checkin' out some new H-D threads !
 Usually, I see Justin building big-bores . . .
Today he was back changing rubber.
The Dyno Room
Ed fixin' some exhaust.  
The Service Dept. is often called upon to assist travelers
just passin' thru . . .
 Hey Kelly, how's your sandwich ?
I liked this new custom . . . I could ride this !  Nice !
Sales Staff photo op.
Check their website for sales and inventory, 
or call Clint at (641)228-2192 for the latest trades and new 2017s !
Clint will take trades on cars, trucks, boats or your lake house !
Morgan wit set yup wid sum rad threads !
 Hickle sneaked in for the free food . . . goin' incognito . . .

 They've got vintage rides to look at too, memorabilia . . .
some of which could be in a museum.
That black panhead is FOR SALE !
Nick Franke (Service Manager-left) doesn't seem convinced . . . 
 My dad (Noot Sr.) is retired, but still likes to help out . . .
 When I said they'll deal on American muscle, I was serious.
I dig that Firebird.

Tom "Hawk" Minert has been into Harley-Davidsons for over 50 years.  He's built this shop into a solid business that offers competitive prices and great service . . . plan to stop in sometime, always something new to look it.  It's located just west of Charles City, Iowa (on the Avenue of the Saints).  It's sort of like a ranch out here with a long white fence and green pastures . . .
and a rooster hangin' around.
(I promise no high pressure, they're real relaxed as you can tell)
Come out and see us . . .
Cedar River Harley-Davidson Shop
1750 Cedar View Road
Charles City, Iowa USA 50616
Ph (641)228-2192


Josh's Rockers


I got the polished rockers (from Bronsonville - and they look great!), washed up everything, did some checking, etc . . . now they're ready for assembly. 
The question is ????????  Should I give up my totally retro Gardner-Wescott Rocker Bolt Kit for 900 Sportsters I've had for 20+ years, so Josh can have sano chrome bolts?  Tough decision.
Done.
Sentimental motorcycle parts . . . I suppose.

WR Tappet Guides


These guides are specially made for each individual cam.  
FI = Front Intake

Etched in History


Kenny Jr.

Coolbeth may have his own plan for Santa Rosa . . ?

Generator Block Off Plate

Time to seal this up for good. 
(I'll need to make some spacers first)

Bench Testing and Aligning

I made a Right Side Chain Adjuster, 2 spacers, Modified Rear Exhaust Pipe Bracket . . . then adjusted, tweeked and bent everything to make it clear . . . Lots o' stuff in a small space - and it all must handle heavy abuse.  I need more nylon-insert lock nuts too.  Will it hold?  We'll see . . .

Primary Chain Shoe

The aftermarket plastic shoes are too short, too thick, and somewhat deformed.  They just don't fit worth a shit.  I dug out one of my few remaining NOS 39978-58A shoes.  I glued it on . . . now I'll use a NOS 39979-58A Lining Retainer to secure it.  Factory Fresh !
( for Kurp's XLCH motor)

Hoses, Grips or Pegs


The extent of my safety wiring skills . . . 
Maybe I should just use clamps?

Dressers

I really like both these FLHs . . .

The Doctor

It's been awhile . . . The veteran now chasin' the kid.
I think Rossi can win it again . . . ? 
_____________________________
Marquez is the only one, who can make his Honda work - race after race.

Jammin'

Behind Bars . . .
. . . or in a cage.
It's still Jammin'

221 Points

I never really understood why they disqualified Smith.  Now, it seems fair to me, the AMA gave Bryan Smith (and his team) his earned points and purse money back.  When the points are close, and there's that championship on the line, all eyes are lookin' for anything it takes to win.  I've watched Smith race a lot of years, and I was a fan way back when Smith was an underdog and took chances, and changed teams and worked hard to win.  I don't think he was cheatin' . . . just taking everything to the edge, to win.  Whatever it took.  The AMA, on a second look . . . didn't think he was cheatin' either.  The power of suggestion.
Go Smith Go !  You ain't on a Harley, but I'm rootin' for the rider . . . Good Luck at Santa Rosa . . .

E.K.

Roger Reiman (chief mechanic), E.K.
and Mert Lawwill (tech support)
Note the short, rear brake pedal
Extra lever on the left bar
(to touch rear brake in mid-air,
when you're goin' over backside?)
Battery low & up front
Solid low pegs
Ceriani fork
Jumpy tach
It's a jump bike !
This photo freaks me out - holy shit !
Chrome low pipes (denote an Iron XR)
His best successful jump percentage.
 14 straight I guess?
Are those chrome rocker boxes ?

Loss Oiling System


That little black lever (with spring) is hooked to a rod that runs through the lower end.  The end of the rod has a cup, and a seal that can open, and let all the oil out of the motor - it just shoots out, on the ground.  You can do it running down the road or parked.  Then you need to add more oil to the oil tank.  This is the only way to keep fresh oil in the lower end. We made a special, small seal to go under the spring to help keep oil from working it's way out the topside too . . .
All the cams just have bushings (like a WL, K model or '57 Sportster).  The end of the pinion is accessible from the outside of the gear cover.  The VLD.  Pretty neat lil' engine.  They got big-twin power in a WL-type chassis !

My Right Case Half


I've done (1)Keen-Sert and (2) heli coils.  I replaced the damaged oil pump shaft bushing.  Now just 3 Heli-Coils, (2) more Keen-Serts, some welding, surfacing, matching - and I can press in a race and a bushing.  What a mess !  Oh, and saw off(shorten) the relay mount.

Pan Project: OEM Rocker Arms and Blocks

These rocker arms are for my panhead project I started about a year ago after I'd just got done saying, "I'm not building any more bikes." . . . it's a sickness.  2 done - 1 to go . . .

Shovelhead Exhaust Seat Repair

These heads had incorrectly-ground exhaust seats.  Somebody ground them way off.  You could see huge amounts of light between the valve and the seat.  It's like they ground them without locating a pilot in the guide, or . . . who knows?  The motor had no compression, it was all leaking out the exhaust seats.  We had our buddy Radar machine out the old exhaust seat, and press in new steel seats - and now they're perfect !
Noot cut new seats, ground the valves, lapped 'em in . . . nice set of heads again.

1948 WR

The 1948 WR is one of the only years this racing model has a vertically mounted magneto (like a Sportster) and a generator block-off plate.  The valves are "at angles" in the cylinders, tipped towards the bore.  The tappet block bores are angled.  The tappet blocks themselves are straight.  The small feet on the tappets are angled, and made specific for each cam - the cam lobes are straight.  Confused?

I bored these cylinders for the pop-up style pistons.  Intake valves and seats are ground at 30 degrees for improved flow (I heard the Indian factory did this too)  I ground the exhaust valves and seats at 45 degrees for longer life.  Big ports on the WR cylinders !
Ball bearings are used where applicable for the cams.  4 each in the case, 2 each in the gear cove.  All the cam shafts must be polished down for a perfect hand-fit (slip fit) into the center of the ball bearings.  You don't want a press fit.  The OD of the ball bearings are medium press fit into the case and gear cover.  I have some special set-up bearings I use that are easily removed for setting the cam end play with special shims I came up with, that are installed behind the ball bearings.  These motors take a lot of time.  Hours and hours of fitting, spinning and measuring to get it right !
Here's the little "feet" solid cam followers these WRs ran . . . The long feet face-each-other and are site specific for each camshaft.  The tappet blocks have no threads for covers.  There's an o-ring groove around the top of each tappet, and a set screw to hold the cover. The lower cover just slides over the o-ring - and a hole in the side of the lower cover secures the cover to the tappet block with that small screw.  Now I'm confused.
I'll bead blast the tappet blocks and paint them original, Hi-Heat H-D Silver.

The best of times . . .

Life is filled with ups and downs, stress, heartache, pain and agony. However, joy and happiness will usually outweigh all the former - and that makes life worth living.  We all know it's not always about joy and happiness for yourself - but, the good you bring and share to those who know you.  Last weekend riding this old motorcycle (it could be any motorcycle) with my friends was just so fun.  Everyone in their own state of mind, meeting up with others with "like" interests.  The weather was just right for cruisin' 72mph down the highway.  The sun was never in my eyes.  The fields were so green, cattle in the pasture, creeks flowing.  It was just the best-of-times which happens every once in awhile, if you're lucky.  Now the '64 is all washed up & ready to go again.  Somewhere?  But, now I have work to do . . . so a few more can do the same thing - and have their own:   The best of times . . .

LUNCH: You've Got (1)Hour - Ready, Set, GO !

I worked on other people's shit for 41 minutes.  Then I worked on my own shit for 19 minutes.  In my 19 minutes, I made a custom throttle cable (twice) for my Dellorto PHM Carburetor which has about 8 different fuel adjustments (of various types) and each of the 8 adjustments has a dozen combinations, so that's about 90+ different combinations.  I hope it doesn't take all that At the least, it's all hooked up with this Motion Pro Gunner Gasser - with Biltwell Grips and Honda XR75 kill switch. Time is up.

H-D Part No. 165-32

70+ year old product . . . still in the package.  Unwrap the cosmoline and oiled wax paper - and the valves are still new.  No rust or corrosion.  Made with the highest quality.  New old stock, right off the shelf.  Preserved in time.  Only the Egyptians could do it better.   
Genuine Motor Factory Replacement Parts
They've passed THE MOST RIGID INSPECTION
_____________________________________________
Cosmoline: Was first developed as a petroleum based product for military storage applications requiring a rust inhibitor.  It has a thick, oily wax-type viscosity.  It can be removed by scraping, or applying gentle heat, and washed off completely with common light solvents.  A song was sung by GIs that "cosmoline" will keep my weapon clean . .  ! . . .

Jordan Baber #72

Jordan had a bit of an off-night . . . shit.  But I got to have some beers and pizza with him later - Fun times JB . . . good to see you again.  -Noot

Springfield All Star Short Track


46 Races . . . In case you wondered who was there ?