Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

Gear Case (cams, idlers, cam cover)
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packrat48
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Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#1

Post by packrat48 »

Working on a friends 55FL motor, He wants to put a 8 fin early style (1948) cam cover on it. Thinking a Vtwin repop, as there is already a bunch of repop stuff on this bike. I'm pretty sure I have seen it done?? but I have a couple questions. Has anyone done this here?

Do all the bolt holes line up?

Generator screws; larger diameter on a 55, or was that later?

One, or both of the bushings need to be replaced?

Where to get bushing/s to fit 55 internals and 48 style case?

Does any company make one already converted?

Appreciate any information.
RooDog
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#2

Post by RooDog »

I put a V-Twin '47 Knucklehead repop on my 1950 Panny for the outside oiler. Had to drill the genny holes, just bolted the cover to the engine case and drilled from the genny side to 5/16, no big deal. The bushings already fit the 1950's cam and pinion. The cam bushing is good until 1969, but the book calls for a different bushing 1954 and newer. You will have to confirm this. All the screw, dowel, and gear shaft holes lined up and fit well.
DSC02322.JPG
OEM on top, Tedd's on the bottom.
DSC02328.JPG
And installed on my Project Panny, sans screws at that time....
....RooDog....
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RUBONE
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#3

Post by RUBONE »

Genny bolt holes are the same unless you are using a two brush (although those can even be left the same by using a 1/4-24 helicoil in the genny!). The only thing you need to change is the pinion bushing, a fairly straightforward swap.
packrat48
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#4

Post by packrat48 »

Thank you both, sounds like a go... Best place for the bushing? ( I assume I get a bearing for a 55, and it will fit in the case) .. Then ream both.
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#5

Post by RooDog »

Order the late, 1954 & newer, bushing when you order the cam cover. Do not ream until you have trial fitted the cover to the engine. Some bushings require reaming, some do not. Parts are like a box of chocolates, you never know what you've got until you install 'em and try to make 'em work....
....RooDog....
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#6

Post by RUBONE »

This was a '55 Pan lower I put an early cover on and a Shovel top end on in '73.
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packrat48
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#7

Post by packrat48 »

Beautiful! Reminds me of the old days...
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#8

Post by Frankenstein »

Nice! lot of work in that bike, all the molding on the frame, solid bottom sporty tank, and of course, the motor we all wanted, a Pan/Shovel! Still the best lookin motor Harley never built.
DD
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#9

Post by RooDog »

$&$ also lists those cam covers in the $300 + price range.....
Yah, they show it on their web page, but it "is currently out of stock", and since they sold off their FlatHead Power line of vintage parts, I doubt these classic items will ever be "back in stock"....
The bastards killed Kenny....
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Last edited by RooDog on Fri Dec 20, 2019 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
RooDog
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#10

Post by RooDog »

in 1969 I had the chance to score a '68 Shovelhead top end from a wrecked police bike. With the plans of installing it on my 1950 Panny bottom end, which would have been a mistake with the small bearings on the chain side, etc. Went back the next day and the back yard MC salvage dog, who had the motor, would not part with just the top end, he would only sell the whole motor. Rats! now I had to come up with $150.oo for the whole package. Times were tough back then but I made it happen.... And had the first rigid framed, Shovelhead chop job in Lexington, Kentucky....
PantoShovel1973.jpg
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#11

Post by RUBONE »

Frankenstein wrote: Fri Dec 20, 2019 2:19 pm Nice! lot of work in that bike, all the molding on the frame, solid bottom sporty tank, and of course, the motor we all wanted, a Pan/Shovel! Still the best lookin motor Harley never built.
DD
The tank was a flat bottomed Hummer tank. that visible line is for the Tillotson vent. I liked and ran Tillotsons for years. Once you understood them they were great carbs, especially with the adjustable high speed.
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Re: Cam Cover: early (1948) onto a 55 FL motor.

#12

Post by RooDog »

And the Tilly was the largest bore of any stock Harley carb. Fixed main jet, adjustable intermediate screw on the side of the body.....
I ran a Tilly on my Panhead for some time, and just to be a dick, I rolled the intake over and hung the carb out the left side. This worked just fine until one day I laid it down on the beach and packed the throat full of sand. Back in them days cool ruled over reason, and ran with no carb cover/air cleaner. And another lesson learned......
RoononVine1971.jpg
....RooDog....
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