V-Twin Panhead Kit Bikes

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EasyDuz'er
Member
Posts: 15
Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2004 7:06 pm
Location: Florida

V-Twin Panhead Kit Bikes

#1

Post by EasyDuz'er »

Are the V-Twin Panhead Kit Bikes any good or are they junk?
another Guest

#2

Post by another Guest »

The're JUNK,
Couple guys bought the kits & are so Pissed that they did. Garbage.
VintageTwin
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Posts: 1330
Joined: Mon Mar 11, 2002 5:11 pm
Bikes: '46 Knuck. '57 Panhead, '59 Panhead
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#3

Post by VintageTwin »

As of today, the knucklehead frames have the top motor mount too far forward. Not an easy fix (logisticallly) for the factory to correct, since the frames are in Newburgh, NY and would have to travel to Conneticut to get corrected. However, the Panhead kit is do-able. I'm building one. The only place I'm stuck is on the rear brake and drum. The obstacles involved in the Panhead kit are as follows:
1. Be prepared to spend 15-20 thousand bucks either in a big lump sum or in painful increments if you order piece-meal shipments under $250. for which you'll pay shipping charges.
2. Buy the entire rolling kit (In boxes. Some real assembly required.), or buy the frame and transmission first and make sure they fit in the frame. Be looking for the motor mount holes to be correct. Transmission mount holes are usually fine. I giving you information that I had to pay big shipping money (three times west to east coast) to find out. So trust me. My rigid frame is #1107, and Corbin Don told me those frames are all worked out now. Improved. you won't have a problem.
3. You need to buy two '54 up throttle spirals available now at http://www.nosparts.com/
4. Locate a painter for your parts.
You can follow me, a self-appointed wagon master, as I build mine. I'm not a part of V-Twin?, I just find out things that are wrong and report them here.
5. If you decide to go for it, don't quit mid-way. It's an all or nothing thing. Or, you'll wind up scooter-less with a bunch of parts you won't be able to sell.
6. My advise is don't do it. I've got 250 sq. ft. of shop space Bestway? hydraulic floor lift, Duo-Lift, rolling tool box stuffedf full of Harley tools. You won't need a welder, but you'll need a grinder and a shop press and at least 200 sq. ft. to work in, undisturbed, so you can leave stuff laying around without having to move it.
7. Don't build one. There is no support out there except this site. Our first book doesn't cover much except maintenance procedures that the other manuals leave out. Vol. 2 is the builder book, targeted for July '05, if people'll stop calling me for plumbing jobs.
8. I've devoted the last 12 yrs. of my life to it, but then Vol. 2 has been a dragging anchor during the process.
9. I've only seen one Replica machine finished and running online. It's a white '49 Pan on this site (has a chrome cam cover). The builder said that in retrospect, it was such a fun accomplishment.....that he's looking forward to building the next one
10. You need to study. You need to have all the books. The H-D Service Manuals, Palmers, Clymers, ours, the parts books for your year, and years before and beyond your year. You have to be able to understand why Harley kept parts the same and why they changed. It's a vision quest. Something you do in your life.... like climbing Mt. Everest, one day at a time with periods of waiting for parts and periods of waiting on parts returns.
11. If you can buy an already machine for a lousy 12 or 15 grand. Buy it. Your better off rebuilding something already rolling, than building your own.
12. 60 days on any parts returns from V-Twin. 60 days will go by fast.
13. You'll never get the money out of the Replica bike you put into it.
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