Never Judge a Book By It's Cover

This ol' 1957FL was a real crud when I got it.  I scraped for 3 days as I tore it down.  Soaked most of the parts.  It still destroyed the solvent in 2 different parts washers.  I'd never seen anything so dirty.  Never washed in over 60 years apparently.

Now it's shiny on the inside - still "krusty" on the outside to match the rest of the bike.  Crusty, but clean.  The rods were toast - crank pin was breaking up, rod races where rough and pitted.  Now the lower end has new rod races, new crank pin, everything fit with proper end play and factory clearances - nice.  NOS Sonnax rollers(gettin' rare) all measured perfect.  Oem steel rod cages.  I line lapped the pinion race(just to barely true it up) and fitted +.0002 rollers.  The flywheels trued up sweet, and roll so smooth now. The threads for the aluminum rocker covers didn't need a single heli-coil or repair - they were all perfect - that's incredible !

Even though the parts are rusty, these old, original Harley-Davidson parts fit the best !  They had great quality control back then... the Motor Co. in the 40s, 50s and 60s was hittin' on both cylinders...

The factory timer runs a Blue Streak condenser(I like 'em) and oem points/with an nos shielded coil wire.

I like these original band-type manifold clamps.  Kinda cheesy, but fit nice, and hold tight. I bored the cylinders .040, new cast pistons and Hastings Moly 1/16, 1/16, 3/16(3-piece) oil rings.

I stuck a new Colony sprocket shaft seal in it - the threads were still perfect !  You can take an original seal(steel part) and machine it for a new seal (from your seal supplier) - but these Colony seals are really nice.