this dude is bad ass , rumor has it he has a grizzly bear carpet in his living room but the problem is its not dead it just lays there because its afraid to move
Thanks for another great video Mike. You have a beautiful way of simplifying mechanical processes that previously wouldn't have interested me. Thanks again Mike and stay safe out there. Regards, Mitch
Looks really nice Mike, I remember when i was younger we had a couple of chopped builders in town,. Back in those days (70.s) anything you needed or wanted you had to design build and paint yourself. Old school rules just like you are doing, cheers!
Nice job Mike...man I can't wait to see the frame all painted up!.....exciting stuff man for sure, but really im ultra curious to see you build the motor!....
@@pacificmike9501 your certainly welcome, and thank you for responding back as you always do....ive been layed off from my job after 8 years but I somehow make sure I can keep the gas tank filled up for the next ride for sure!...
Thanks for the video Mike. I like your thoughts on building friendships over the internet. I consider you a friend now because you are from the same world as me and we need to stick together haha. Take care. Al (England)
Mike it was great meeting you and the guys yesterday! I can’t wait to see more and more work done on the project bike. Hope to ride with you all one day.
You sound like an old, good friend that I've known for 50+ years. I could listen to you talk about adjusting tire pressure. Your currant project is WAY more interesting than mine ('96 FXD/'70s FLH replica).
mocked up my 49 pan ridge, dd springer in second floor bedroom. F14 red paint. cant wait to see this final assembly. glad to see your work back in the day most harley riders did it all
Good.advice on the relationship thing Mike! Its a good lesson for all ages, its been something im teaching my 17 yr old because when it comes right down to it its all about who u know and how you treated them! Nice work dude!
Another great video, I'm still poking along on my chopper project. Chased all the threads in the frame. Doing a little more mock up. Have to dissemble the front end & replace my tubes ( pitted ) going to turn down the legs while I'm at it. Looking forward to your next video & as always be well.
Sounds great! You too. Be cool now. We used to turn those legs down, make 'em thin, make 'em short, no oil, no seals, 40 degree rake. I had one that I really liked until one leg got stuck in a shorter position than the other. It was twelve over. I flooded it with wd40 and got it to free up. I'm sure you're better than I was 44 years ago. Sounds like fun.
I always look forward to your vids Mike. Thanks for making them and sharing your knowledge. I have never built a bike but it may come one day. Stay safe man
Hey Mike, thanks for addressing my questions. I'm pretty new to the whole internet way of life ( still trying to figure out RUclips lol!) In fact, you're the only person I've really spoken to online! I'm not that old, but not young either (48). As I mentioned in an earlier post, just lost my greatest mentor and beloved friend who was helping me on this bike... I will finish it in his memory! Really appreciate your help and sincerity, and hope to build a friendship with you as well! Thanks my friend...sorry so long winded but really enjoy all you do! Keep on keepin'on!!! Lovin the new build by the way! Waiting on the next notification bell!
Mike you're great! My desire of a rigid frame bike is increasing, it's a pity that in Italy it's difficult to find good parts without spending too much. And the advice about build relationships is wise, really!
I spray bomb everything. It's old school and you can do it dude, My frame, tanks fenders. All of it. Its easy to even get fancy and flame it out or anything if you got minimal artistic skills...It I get scratch's or anything, It's it very simple to fix and match the color perfect with a few minutes of work. I like my frames same color as rest of bike but my dad use to always tell me to paint frame black so its easy to change color of bike (I did not take that advise, lol). All you need is some good paint cleaner and maybe light sand paper and possibly spot puddy to fix chips or dings. We had this motorcycle club moved in next door to us when i was a kid and we lived at the end of a dead end road, One of those guys had a white bike with a womans coochie painted where the front tubes met at the top (his frame was molded there) and as a little kid i was heavily influenced by those guys and that bike. Thats why my my shovel is white, lol. I am a professional artist but ANYONE can spray bomb a bike as good as a $1000 paint job. It is all in the prep are the key words. Here is a video of my shovel a while back when I had shorter handlebars. Not the best quality filming ruclips.net/video/cPk2bdl0mAM/видео.html
@@pacificmike9501 I know it's easier to take it to someone and pay them a lot of money to paint it but whatever you get, your stuck with later and hard to match color and repair the paint if you plan to ride the bike a lot. Iv changed my paint many times sinse that video with different lettering and flames etc, and never have to worry about it. It is just as flawless as a $1000 paint job with proper prep. Initial prep is a LOT of extra work though but a one time thing. I had the rear seat pan rust once and damage the back fender. I made a new rear seat pan and upholstered it in leather and striped the back fender with acetone and did a new base paint and flame job on fender in about 4 days. Probably cost less than $20 in materials. (unfortunately, cant see flames in low resolution video well). Tank was just plain white in video
I went for powder coat on my frame. Looks great but would not do it again. Possible the prep was bad but I have found it brittle so rather than getting a minor scratch, which as you say can easily be touched up, you get a chip which is harder to repair.
I love your videos. It's your frame, powder coat it if you want to, it paint it if you want to, do what you want to do. I will say that there are some really cool powder coat colors or there now, even sparkling metallic ones.
Hey Mike another great video, it’s cool watching you fixing up these beautiful classics, maybe I’ll need to know some of this stuff when I win the lottery and get a Panhead. Cheers anyway stay safe over there.
We are both at the same stage, I have just got my frame back from powder coating and starting fro put the wheels and swingarm on when parts arrive. Got all new bearings for the stems, wheel bearings, swingarm etc. I’m however building an 81 sportster. Lot of work and fun doing this
As a biker coming from an impoverished dark and gloomy UK back in the 70s and early 80s I had a guilty secret fetish nobody else I knew shared. Once a month on their eagerly awaited publication I used to furtively buy Easyriders and my absolute favourite: Street Choppers. To me, these publications were like a refreshing portal into another sunny (mostly Californian) world. At the time, my fellow bikers just couldn't understand why I preferred Harleys (shovels really) over British bikes. Engines were shovelheads and pans with the occasional knuckle thrown in and names like Arlen Ness, the Bay Area Simms brothers and Dave Perewitz abounded. I always wondered what these mythical bike builders were really like and now thanks to people like Pacific Mike I finally found out. Although I have a brilliant EVO sportster, sadly I’ve yet to build my dream chopper, but thank you Mike, one day.
You know we all started in the same place. Yes, I grew up aroud the stuff, but it took a lot to get going with it. It still requires doing without a lot of other things. But, it's all worth it. Evo Sportsters can fly, you know.
Hi Mike, I saw you displaying the kickstand mount in the AMF box. So cool! In 72-73 I worked at the AMF factory in Olney, Ill. I worked in the chrome plating department. Quite possible I may have chrome plated or nickle plated that part. Or maybe some others you have. I love watching your videos. Keep it going.
Hey Mike. I commented a while ago where I needed some help with the mousetrap and clutch on my dads old 61 duo-glide. We changed out the clutch and adjusted the mousetrap (thanks to your videos), and it runs great! My dad has never ridden that bike as much as he has for the last couple of months:) Now we are trying to get my GP’s 65 Electra-glide started. It started when we poured some gas into the carb, but it wouldn’t keep running. So we took the carb apart and oh man! The fuel was green, and there was so much gunk. We’re in the process of cleaning it now, and hopefully it fires right up:)
I love the bearing cup trick. I likely wouldnt have thought of that until I was directly confronted with the issue. All the stuff I have worked on have bearing races pressed directly into the steering head. The last frame I painted I did with hammerite. The original 70-s Moto Guzzi had been on fire and then had been left to rot in an alley in the pacific northwest. It was a mess. The frame had a rather pockmarked surface and after blasting it and studying the scars and rather sloppy welding the factory did, I figured "Oh lets embrace the flaws". THe hammerite gave it a texture to match the rust scars and weld spatter. Tough as nails too. Im not as broke as I was when I did that bike, so I';; probably pay for a shop to spray the next bike. Nice stuff!
That's a little rough on drill presses. "The right tool for the job." If I can't afford an arbor press, I certainly can't afford to damage a treasure like my drill press. I can, however rig up some washers, a nut and a bolt, and, pull a race into place. There's always a way to get a job done carefully.
Mike, glad to see you're holding up well during the pandemic. Have you looked at Eastwood's coatings for the frame ? After building several Traditional style Hot Rods over the years, I started using the frame coatings on some of my bike builds, and I've been very pleased. In fact I'll be using the 2K Ceramic chassis coating on my vintage drag bike this week. SARGE 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Setting bearing races and cups without that fancy press is one of my challenges. I use a thick piece of hardened all thread with several large washers and nuts.
That works! It's taken my whole life to gather the tools I have. I don't wanna demonstrate the hard way, but, sometimes I do explain it. There is always a way.
Pacific Mike so true, I really appreciate your way of helping us work on our projects. I watch as much as possible, just wanted to throw my 50 cents (inflation) in.
Thanks again Mike! Your ideas are super. I’m fixin to start a new project, starting out with a 66model Paughco frame. I’m putting my 77 Shovel and transmission in it. It has the dry brake setup like your project on the rear. I was wondering if I could run a disc brake instead. I appreciate your knowledge as I know it will be the best. Thanks again Mike, stay safe.🧷
You'll just have to fab a few things. But Paughco still has everything to do it on your frame. And they're a great bunch of folks too. Enjoy and stay safe yourself.
The sum of parts that part your sums & multiply the spend, that box of bits you bought back when, oft mused & now old friends. Pedals, levers, rods & cranks, a jigsaw view of 'sky', but take 'spare' time & see 'who' fits; how do the forces lie? Push to pull, lift or lean, what message will it send, & will it cruise there straight away, or bind up on some bend? Dry builds are the 'fittings', to prove the tailor's eye, so line 'em up before you sew, & help that project fly. (Remember - time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana, . . . hence their name I guess : )
Painting the frame was always a nightmare due to the chances of scratching it and powder coating seemed a great idea but it does tend to go a bit 'dull' due to the micro scratches it gets over time. Years ago I got some paint called Hammerite Smooth - an industrial paint that is still available over here in England - and I am sure it or something similar must be available in the good ol' USA. After I brush painted it on to cover the various places where H-D's paint had flaked off and the frame rusted (this type of paint is it's own undercoat as well AND can be painted over the rust ) I later got the whole frame powder coated. When I went to collect it from the powder coating company I was asked what kind of paint did it have on it as the blasting process they used couldn't shift the paint. Do some good research Mike and you may well find a paint you can spray on that is just as good if not better than powder coating.... as good as the old 'stove enamelling' from years ago.
That's probably how this project is going. I've got a buddy with vast knowledge on this and I'll probably take him to lunch and pick his brain. But you guys have supplied all the questions for me.
Duratar . . an oilfield/pipeline coal tar epoxy is an good coat for an frame . . they banned it from an cancer risk whilst spraying , it did't have any zinc so you had to to prime it well . . I'd use it still if I could get it
sorry to be so off topic but does anybody know a method to get back into an Instagram account? I somehow forgot the login password. I would love any tips you can offer me
@Brady Tony thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now. I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Mike, you are cool without that kickstand part. I used to work on AMF bowling machines and when having a bad day working on one I would say that AMF stood for "Another M###*** F***###". I also remembering back in the early 70's riding the Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 350 Sprint that my friend had. 4-stroke. We swapped bikes now and then. I had a Yamaha 350 R5. Keep up the good work. It was funny watching you get excited about pulling the nice new kickstand part out. Like it was Christmas.
It is like Christmas. I love this stuff. And I remember AMF well. They did buy out a failing old company with worn out tooling. The electrics were awful, but in the 70's, American electrics were all pretty awful, only surpassed by the British. Okay, that's the extent of my badmouthing. It's all pretty funny stuff. The cars had no horsepower. Anything that was cool was either old or we built it ourselves. That Yamaha flew. My 305 Scrambler was lightened and geared up and on and on. Whoops, that was the 60's. Nevermind.
Mike, love your channel man. Hey bought my 1st Harley. It's a 2015 fatboy. I'd like to convert it to a jockey shift with suicide clutch but can't find anybody who's done it. It's a cable clutch and that's the problem. I can't figure out what peddle setup that would work. I'm not really asking for advice since I know you mainly work on the older stuff. Just wanted to throw you some love brother. You inspire me and I think your the best builder on You Tube. Live long and prosper buddy and thanx for what you do.
Thank You. I generally work on only my own stuff, which is old. That's just what flips my switch. But, occasionally I work on something for one of the neighbor kids or somebody destitute, or just because maybe I wanted to experience it. I did a jockey shift /suicide clutch setup a few years back for a guy with an FXR. He bought a kit from a gentleman in Colorado who was advertising them at the time. There seems to be some folks on the internet. Google "Jockey Shift for sale," "Suicide Shift for sale," and mix the words around. You'll find it. Doesn't matter that "correctly speaking," we know it's a "Jockey Shift with a Suicide Clutch." They don't need to be correct. You just want their parts.
Cool you are, with the ability to find what you saved. I'm so happy to see you healthy. Things sound like they are getting bad south of our border, so please be careful out there.
I wondered how you'd handle the larger neck stem on the I-beam fork, a one inch stem makes perfect sense. I bet a good set of VL cups would be hard to find.
I'm sure I could round them up, but I really like modern tapered bearings. I'm retired. I want to spend some real time on this bike. I'm really concerned about function. The "Middle of Nowhere" is one of my favorite places.
Mike I really enjoy the videos very much ! This build process is very exciting to me. Also; would you mind sharing with us the details of the rear tire ? I really like the style of it. Keep the videos coming !
Thank You. We'll get to the tire when I buy a new one. I'm sure we'll talk about it from time to time. I have one on the back of my Panhead and I have one on the back of my Knucklehead. When I put 16" wheels on the front of my relics, I use the same tire.
Pacific Mike...the original kick stand part you unboxed, that was on my 75. I enjoy the Pressing in of parts and reasons to do this or that. That’s how one avoids stupid and costly mistakes 👍. See, I get what your doing, this is Americana at its highest level, I think you’ll start seeing more access to replacement parts, even high performance parts in the coming months, I hope so anyway. Later, Pacific Mike
Thank you for inspiration , Mike! I've owned my FXS-80 Superglide -79 since -89 and now had the engine restored, replaced origin carburator, changed ignition to electronic (Hi4N), going back to hydraulic rods after stiff, and when out on the road discover that old brake calipers need restoration/ replacement as well. Once you get it moving, you need to stop it somehow, otherwise not safe, right?
If a person does not have an arbor press to install the bearing race into the the bearing cup (in this case the steering head on the front end) put the race in the freezer for ten minutes ( this contracts the metal ) while you heat up the cup, ( expanding the metal ). Once the race is very cold and the cup is very hot simply place the race in the cup. When both pieces normalize to room temperature the race is “pressed” into the cup. Easy as pie!
Hey Mike. I love watching your videos and your projects. I have a rather large collection of motorcycles that I have restored myself. I recently starting working on a 1942 Military WLA (My first Harley). I have her running and riding and am working on getting all the electrical stuff to work properly. I have an idea for a future video for you. Show or give some tips on riding a hand shift motorcycle with a rocker clutch like my WLA and some of your bikes. I have all kinds of bikes that shift on the wrong side, have reverse patterns, shift on the handlebars, etc..., but this is my first handshift bike with foot clutch and find it to be the most difficult to learn to ride well. Some tips or even a video of you doing would be awesome. Keep up the good work. I look forward to everyone of your videos. Rob
I appreciate that. We will be showing some of that and have been talking about it. You and I both know: Before it was standardized, there was all kinds of different controls on bikes.
I have a few flat head parts, head, carb laying around, but you mentioned a rocker clutch for your pan. Do you like that better than the mouse trap l had both on mine at one point in time, I did like the rocker as long as my front brakes were working, keep up the cool videos thanks.
We all find same things. It's just what you get used to. My Pan has a rocker clutch with a stock handshift lever. My Knuckle has a mousetrap for the hand clutch and
Another good one Mike....Just a suggestion for guys looking for original Old school Harley parts they might try "Tatro Machine" He's in San Diego and on the internet....and well stocked
Love watching your vids! I might have missed an episode, but we'd love to know some history about you... You must have been either owning your own shop or fathers shop? Outta what part of Cali you from? How long working on bikes? and the such. If there's a vid already made please let me know... Thanks again for your videos. Their a Blast to watch!! Oh! and that voice of yours... You are the Rege Cordic of the bike world!!!
Thank You. I grew up in San Bernardino Ca. It was a bike and Hot Rod town. Didn't fit anywhere else. No matter what I tried, always ended back in a bike shop. I've worked in a few and owned a few. I've lived in lots of California towns, all of them at the right times. Now in SoCal. That's it.
Thank you so much for your wonderful channel. Thanks also to RUclips for 4 sets of ads in a 13 minute video
Thank You. I didn't know that. I'll check more.
Now that You've started on the Flathead I'm going back and watching all your old flathead videos
Thank You.
Another lovely soothing bed time story thank you Mike.
Glad you enjoyed it
Your teaching the youth and passing on your knowledge! Inspiration for the next generation.
I hope so!
Great video Mike. Appreciate it 👍
Thank You.
this dude is bad ass , rumor has it he has a grizzly bear carpet in his living room but the problem is its not dead it just lays there because its afraid to move
That's funny.
Very good...
Yeah bear rape is pretty serious.
Remember to watch the adds. They suck but its worth it for a show like this.
Thank You.
Great Video! I love NOS parts, also!!!!
There are people out there who collect the boxes too. It's all fun.
@@pacificmike9501 They're collecting the old H-D boxes!!!! Well, crap..............
I get to watch your videos over Saturday morning breakfast here in the UK Mike, it's a brilliant start to the weekend. Bike will be awesome!
Sounds great! Thank You.
Thanks for another great video Mike. You have a beautiful way of simplifying mechanical processes that previously wouldn't have interested me. Thanks again Mike and stay safe out there. Regards, Mitch
Glad it was helpful! You take care.
I’m from holland and enjoy your program. You keep improving! On this way you become a star!🖖🏻
Wow, thank you!
I gotta say,it is so fun to watch these videos.you sir are one cool dude.
Glad you enjoy it! Thank You.
Looks really nice Mike, I remember when i was younger we had a couple of chopped builders in town,. Back in those days (70.s) anything you needed or wanted you had to design build and paint yourself. Old school rules just like you are doing, cheers!
Thank You.
That kickstand bracket! Very cool to have that.
Yah, I get excited.
You have alot of fun i can tell 👍👍👍🙂. The project bike will be a nice bike with nice parts on it!!! "The Swede"
Yah, it's gonna be fun. Thank You.
Thx for being thare on the internet enjoy everyone of your videos, keep the good going peace.
Thank You. And my best to you.
Nice job Mike...man I can't wait to see the frame all painted up!.....exciting stuff man for sure, but really im ultra curious to see you build the motor!....
Me too. Due to the state of the Universe, at this point, gonna have to build up the savings a little. We'll get there. I always have. Thank You.
@@pacificmike9501 your certainly welcome, and thank you for responding back as you always do....ive been layed off from my job after 8 years but I somehow make sure I can keep the gas tank filled up for the next ride for sure!...
Thanks Mike
Thank You.
Thanks for the video Mike. I like your thoughts on building friendships over the internet. I consider you a friend now because you are from the same world as me and we need to stick together haha. Take care. Al (England)
You got it. Thank You.
Couldn’t hit play fast enough when I saw your video posted! Love your videos!
Glad you like them!
Came in from the garage working on my bikes watched your show had a great time. Thank you
Thank You.
Mike it was great meeting you and the guys yesterday! I can’t wait to see more and more work done on the project bike. Hope to ride with you all one day.
Yah, it was great meeting you guys. Great day. We'll have to do something soon.
You sound like an old, good friend that I've known for 50+ years. I could listen to you talk about adjusting tire pressure.
Your currant project is WAY more interesting than mine ('96 FXD/'70s FLH replica).
Thank You. And your project sounds pretty interesting to me. It's a little difficult. Years ago, we built an FXR into an FLH. It was pretty cool.
You are doing it! What so many guys that save parts for that big project down the road Hooray for you.
Thank You. You know it's fun.
mocked up my 49 pan ridge, dd springer in second floor bedroom. F14 red paint. cant wait to see this final assembly. glad to see your work back in the day most harley riders did it all
Yep! Sounnds good to me.
Good.advice on the relationship thing Mike! Its a good lesson for all ages, its been something im teaching my 17 yr old because when it comes right down to it its all about who u know and how you treated them! Nice work dude!
Yes, and it holds true for all situations, including, how you feel about yourself.
Mlhr. I really enjoy your posts and refer back to them for guidance. Keep posting and maybe someday we'll see each other on the road
Thank You. I will. And, I'll look forward to that day.
Another great video, I'm still poking along on my chopper project. Chased all the threads in the frame. Doing a little more mock up. Have to dissemble the front end & replace my tubes ( pitted ) going to turn down the legs while I'm at it. Looking forward to your next video & as always be well.
Sounds great! You too. Be cool now. We used to turn those legs down, make 'em thin, make 'em short, no oil, no seals, 40 degree rake. I had one that I really liked until one leg got stuck in a shorter position than the other. It was twelve over. I flooded it with wd40 and got it to free up. I'm sure you're better than I was 44 years ago. Sounds like fun.
Pacific Mike, you are the Mr Rodgers for bikers!! "Won't you be my Biker?"
My dog and I actually foud each other on Valentine's Day, so I'm afraid I'm already spoken for.
Great video Mike
Thank You.
I always look forward to your vids Mike. Thanks for making them and sharing your knowledge. I have never built a bike but it may come one day. Stay safe man
Thank You. You can do it. And, stay safe yourself.
that's going to be a sweet ride looking forward to more of the build
Thank You.
Can’t wait to see what you come up with.
That's the spirit! Thank You.
Nice work Mike! Coming along nicely
Thanks 👍
Hey Mike, thanks for addressing my questions. I'm pretty new to the whole internet way of life ( still trying to figure out RUclips lol!) In fact, you're the only person I've really spoken to online! I'm not that old, but not young either (48). As I mentioned in an earlier post, just lost my greatest mentor and beloved friend who was helping me on this bike... I will finish it in his memory! Really appreciate your help and sincerity, and hope to build a friendship with you as well! Thanks my friend...sorry so long winded but really enjoy all you do! Keep on keepin'on!!! Lovin the new build by the way! Waiting on the next notification bell!
Thank you. You guys really make the whole thing worthwhile.
Thank you!
Mike you're great! My desire of a rigid frame bike is increasing, it's a pity that in Italy it's difficult to find good parts without spending too much. And the advice about build relationships is wise, really!
Thank You. Sometimes it takes a lot of determination to make this stuff happen.
No, it isn't rocket science. But it takes a TON of skill, experience, ingenuity, planning and PATIENCE. Which is why we watch you!
Thank You.
I spray bomb everything. It's old school and you can do it dude, My frame, tanks fenders. All of it. Its easy to even get fancy and flame it out or anything if you got minimal artistic skills...It I get scratch's or anything, It's it very simple to fix and match the color perfect with a few minutes of work. I like my frames same color as rest of bike but my dad use to always tell me to paint frame black so its easy to change color of bike (I did not take that advise, lol). All you need is some good paint cleaner and maybe light sand paper and possibly spot puddy to fix chips or dings. We had this motorcycle club moved in next door to us when i was a kid and we lived at the end of a dead end road, One of those guys had a white bike with a womans coochie painted where the front tubes met at the top (his frame was molded there) and as a little kid i was heavily influenced by those guys and that bike. Thats why my my shovel is white, lol. I am a professional artist but ANYONE can spray bomb a bike as good as a $1000 paint job. It is all in the prep are the key words. Here is a video of my shovel a while back when I had shorter handlebars. Not the best quality filming ruclips.net/video/cPk2bdl0mAM/видео.html
That's all great stuff. And, your white Shovel is awesome. Thank You.
@@pacificmike9501 I know it's easier to take it to someone and pay them a lot of money to paint it but whatever you get, your stuck with later and hard to match color and repair the paint if you plan to ride the bike a lot. Iv changed my paint many times sinse that video with different lettering and flames etc, and never have to worry about it. It is just as flawless as a $1000 paint job with proper prep. Initial prep is a LOT of extra work though but a one time thing. I had the rear seat pan rust once and damage the back fender. I made a new rear seat pan and upholstered it in leather and striped the back fender with acetone and did a new base paint and flame job on fender in about 4 days. Probably cost less than $20 in materials. (unfortunately, cant see flames in low resolution video well). Tank was just plain white in video
I went for powder coat on my frame. Looks great but would not do it again. Possible the prep was bad but I have found it brittle so rather than getting a minor scratch, which as you say can easily be touched up, you get a chip which is harder to repair.
I've used a lot of powder coat. Too brittle usually means too much heat. It's a balancing act for the folks who do it. Time and temp need to be right.
Hello from Australia. Your a legend of the game Mike I can’t wait to see how this build works out mate. Keep safe. Cheers
Hello and Thank You.
Thanks Mike, always enjoy your vids & learn something every time.
Thanks for watching!
I love your videos. It's your frame, powder coat it if you want to, it paint it if you want to, do what you want to do. I will say that there are some really cool powder coat colors or there now, even sparkling metallic ones.
Absolutely true. I've worked close with powder coaters. It's great. May or may not be appropriate. We'll see when it happens.
Hey Mike another great video, it’s cool watching you fixing up these beautiful classics, maybe I’ll need to know some of this stuff when I win the lottery and get a Panhead. Cheers anyway stay safe over there.
Thank You. And, you do the same.
We are both at the same stage, I have just got my frame back from powder coating and starting fro put the wheels and swingarm on when parts arrive. Got all new bearings for the stems, wheel bearings, swingarm etc. I’m however building an 81 sportster. Lot of work and fun doing this
You bet. I'll built my Sportster in 1969 from a $200.00 1958 basket case. It was cool. Enjoy. !981 is a much nicer Sportster to begin with.
Thanks mike love watching the build
Thank You.
Very cool. Love this series. 👍
Glad you enjoy it!
As a biker coming from an impoverished dark and gloomy UK back in the 70s and early 80s I had a guilty secret fetish nobody else I knew shared. Once a month on their eagerly awaited publication I used to furtively buy Easyriders and my absolute favourite: Street Choppers. To me, these publications were like a refreshing portal into another sunny (mostly Californian) world. At the time, my fellow bikers just couldn't understand why I preferred Harleys (shovels really) over British bikes. Engines were shovelheads and pans with the occasional knuckle thrown in and names like Arlen Ness, the Bay Area Simms brothers and Dave Perewitz abounded. I always wondered what these mythical bike builders were really like and now thanks to people like Pacific Mike I finally found out. Although I have a brilliant EVO sportster, sadly I’ve yet to build my dream chopper, but thank you Mike, one day.
You know we all started in the same place. Yes, I grew up aroud the stuff, but it took a lot to get going with it. It still requires doing without a lot of other things. But, it's all worth it. Evo Sportsters can fly, you know.
THANK YOU...for sharing. Really some nice parts.
Glad you like them!
Hi Mike, I saw you displaying the kickstand mount in the AMF box. So cool! In 72-73 I worked at the AMF factory in Olney, Ill. I worked in the chrome plating department. Quite possible I may have chrome plated or nickle plated that part. Or maybe some others you have. I love watching your videos. Keep it going.
That's cool. You did a great job on this one. Thank You.
You’re the best Mike. Love you man.
Gee I feel good. Thank You.
Good advice given free. Your build is coming along nicely. I'm waiting on parts for mine too, and remaining patient.
Thank You. We'll get there.
Oh man I waited all week for more content! Way stoked to see this thing done sometime.
You and me both! It's fun now. It just gets better.
Great video Mike thank you👍🇬🇧
Glad you enjoyed it
Hey Mike. I commented a while ago where I needed some help with the mousetrap and clutch on my dads old 61 duo-glide. We changed out the clutch and adjusted the mousetrap (thanks to your videos), and it runs great! My dad has never ridden that bike as much as he has for the last couple of months:) Now we are trying to get my GP’s 65 Electra-glide started. It started when we poured some gas into the carb, but it wouldn’t keep running. So we took the carb apart and oh man! The fuel was green, and there was so much gunk. We’re in the process of cleaning it now, and hopefully it fires right up:)
Cool. Glad to help. Look through our videos and find the Linkert rebuild stuff.
I think it would be such an amazing experience and honor to be able to build a bike with you!
I'd probably love it too.
Love it Mike ! I wish I had the knowledge that you do.
Thank You. I'll eventually run out of material, and you'll have it all.
I love the bearing cup trick. I likely wouldnt have thought of that until I was directly confronted with the issue. All the stuff I have worked on have bearing races pressed directly into the steering head. The last frame I painted I did with hammerite. The original 70-s Moto Guzzi had been on fire and then had been left to rot in an alley in the pacific northwest. It was a mess. The frame had a rather pockmarked surface and after blasting it and studying the scars and rather sloppy welding the factory did, I figured "Oh lets embrace the flaws". THe hammerite gave it a texture to match the rust scars and weld spatter. Tough as nails too. Im not as broke as I was when I did that bike, so I';; probably pay for a shop to spray the next bike.
Nice stuff!
I've enjoyed Guzzis over the years. Every factory has their way of doing things. If we're lucky, we learn from all of them.
I enjoyed your video,you got a great radio announcers voice :-)
Thank you very much!
We love you man!!!
I'm gonna blush now.
Im building almost the exact same bike. VL front and all.
When mocking up I turned up some delrin spacers to replicate the cups and bearings.
Great idea. At least they won't wear out.
Awesome stuff, thanks
My pleasure!
Thank you
Thank You.
I have used a drill press to press a bearing in. Use a length of pipe to make the handle think it's longer.
That's a little rough on drill presses. "The right tool for the job." If I can't afford an arbor press, I certainly can't afford to damage a treasure like my drill press. I can, however rig up some washers, a nut and a bolt, and, pull a race into place. There's always a way to get a job done carefully.
Mike, glad to see you're holding up well during the pandemic. Have you looked at Eastwood's coatings for the frame ? After building several Traditional style Hot Rods over the years, I started using the frame coatings on some of my bike builds, and I've been very pleased. In fact I'll be using the 2K Ceramic chassis coating on my vintage drag bike this week. SARGE 🇺🇸🇺🇸
Thank You. I'll be looking into that.
Mike I have used Eastwood 2k on my frames and love it...preparing is everything but seems pretty tuff stuff... Good Deal..
Thanks Mike , With the tanks your using , will you coat them? if so please do a segment .
Jury's still out. They aren't here yet.
Great vid Mike.
Thank You.
Setting bearing races and cups without that fancy press is one of my challenges. I use a thick piece of hardened all thread with several large washers and nuts.
That works! It's taken my whole life to gather the tools I have. I don't wanna demonstrate the hard way, but, sometimes I do explain it. There is always a way.
Pacific Mike so true, I really appreciate your way of helping us work on our projects. I watch as much as possible, just wanted to throw my 50 cents (inflation) in.
Great stuff, thanks Mike
Thank You.
Too cool for school! Thanks for the video.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks again Mike!
Your ideas are super.
I’m fixin to start a new project, starting out with a 66model Paughco frame.
I’m putting my 77 Shovel and transmission in it.
It has the dry brake setup like your project on the rear.
I was wondering if I could run a disc brake instead.
I appreciate your knowledge as I know it will be the best.
Thanks again Mike, stay safe.🧷
You'll just have to fab a few things. But Paughco still has everything to do it on your frame. And they're a great bunch of folks too. Enjoy and stay safe yourself.
The sum of parts that part your sums & multiply the spend,
that box of bits you bought back when, oft mused & now old friends.
Pedals, levers, rods & cranks, a jigsaw view of 'sky',
but take 'spare' time & see 'who' fits; how do the forces lie?
Push to pull, lift or lean, what message will it send,
& will it cruise there straight away, or bind up on some bend?
Dry builds are the 'fittings', to prove the tailor's eye,
so line 'em up before you sew, & help that project fly.
(Remember - time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana, . . . hence their name I guess : )
Awesome Dude.
Painting the frame was always a nightmare due to the chances of scratching it and powder coating seemed a great idea but it does tend to go a bit 'dull' due to the micro scratches it gets over time. Years ago I got some paint called Hammerite Smooth - an industrial paint that is still available over here in England - and I am sure it or something similar must be available in the good ol' USA. After I brush painted it on to cover the various places where H-D's paint had flaked off and the frame rusted (this type of paint is it's own undercoat as well AND can be painted over the rust ) I later got the whole frame powder coated. When I went to collect it from the powder coating company I was asked what kind of paint did it have on it as the blasting process they used couldn't shift the paint.
Do some good research Mike and you may well find a paint you can spray on that is just as good if not better than powder coating.... as good as the old 'stove enamelling' from years ago.
That's probably how this project is going. I've got a buddy with vast knowledge on this and I'll probably take him to lunch and pick his brain. But you guys have supplied all the questions for me.
Duratar . . an oilfield/pipeline coal tar epoxy is an good coat for an frame . . they banned it from an cancer risk whilst spraying , it did't have any zinc so you had to to prime it well . . I'd use it still if I could get it
sorry to be so off topic but does anybody know a method to get back into an Instagram account?
I somehow forgot the login password. I would love any tips you can offer me
@Grayson Canaan instablaster :)
@Brady Tony thanks for your reply. I got to the site on google and Im waiting for the hacking stuff now.
I see it takes quite some time so I will get back to you later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
Man, you're brilliant. PEACE
Not really. But thank you.
Mike, you are cool without that kickstand part. I used to work on AMF bowling machines and when having a bad day working on one I would say that AMF stood for "Another M###*** F***###". I also remembering back in the early 70's riding the Aermacchi Harley-Davidson 350 Sprint that my friend had. 4-stroke. We swapped bikes now and then. I had a Yamaha 350 R5. Keep up the good work. It was funny watching you get excited about pulling the nice new kickstand part out. Like it was Christmas.
It is like Christmas. I love this stuff. And I remember AMF well. They did buy out a failing old company with worn out tooling. The electrics were awful, but in the 70's, American electrics were all pretty awful, only surpassed by the British. Okay, that's the extent of my badmouthing. It's all pretty funny stuff. The cars had no horsepower. Anything that was cool was either old or we built it ourselves. That Yamaha flew. My 305 Scrambler was lightened and geared up and on and on. Whoops, that was the 60's. Nevermind.
👍
Thank You.
👍🏿
Thank You.
Mike, love your channel man. Hey bought my 1st Harley. It's a 2015 fatboy. I'd like to convert it to a jockey shift with suicide clutch but can't find anybody who's done it. It's a cable clutch and that's the problem. I can't figure out what peddle setup that would work. I'm not really asking for advice since I know you mainly work on the older stuff. Just wanted to throw you some love brother. You inspire me and I think your the best builder on You Tube. Live long and prosper buddy and thanx for what you do.
Thank You. I generally work on only my own stuff, which is old. That's just what flips my switch. But, occasionally I work on something for one of the neighbor kids or somebody destitute, or just because maybe I wanted to experience it. I did a jockey shift /suicide clutch setup a few years back for a guy with an FXR. He bought a kit from a gentleman in Colorado who was advertising them at the time. There seems to be some folks on the internet. Google "Jockey Shift for sale," "Suicide Shift for sale," and mix the words around. You'll find it. Doesn't matter that "correctly speaking," we know it's a "Jockey Shift with a Suicide Clutch." They don't need to be correct. You just want their parts.
I totally understand inpatient im waiting on a bunch of stuff myself, but it all FUN
be well bro
Ride hard ride safe be well
Thank You. And, You too.
Be assured that this bike and its videos are the highlight of my day. Thank you because I needed it. MPLHL to yea
Thank You. But I don't know what that means.
Cool you are, with the ability to find what you saved. I'm so happy to see you healthy. Things sound like they are getting bad south of our border, so please be careful out there.
Thank You. You take care too.
Awesome
Thank You.
I wondered how you'd handle the larger neck stem on the I-beam fork, a one inch stem makes perfect sense. I bet a good set of VL cups would be hard to find.
I'm sure I could round them up, but I really like modern tapered bearings. I'm retired. I want to spend some real time on this bike. I'm really concerned about function. The "Middle of Nowhere" is one of my favorite places.
Mike I really enjoy the videos very much ! This build process is very exciting to me. Also; would you mind sharing with us the details of the rear tire ? I really like the style of it. Keep the videos coming !
Thank You. We'll get to the tire when I buy a new one. I'm sure we'll talk about it from time to time. I have one on the back of my Panhead and I have one on the back of my Knucklehead. When I put 16" wheels on the front of my relics, I use the same tire.
Floor boards are frightening . . spooked me
Sorry! That's what everything had many years ago. They are just the thing, in their place. We'll see.
I had that on my 75 fxe
What are you referring to?
Pacific Mike...the original kick stand part you unboxed, that was on my 75. I enjoy the Pressing in of parts and reasons to do this or that. That’s how one avoids stupid and costly mistakes 👍. See, I get what your doing, this is Americana at its highest level, I think you’ll start seeing more access to replacement parts, even high performance parts in the coming months, I hope so anyway. Later, Pacific Mike
so cool the bike is going to be awesome
Thank You. I'm looking forward to it.
Rocker clutch & foot boards, -"Way Cool"...
I think so.
mike i reckon etch primer on the bare metal and spray can engine enamel for the top coats tough as and heat proof
Thank You. I recommend heating for complete drying and hardening.
Thank you for inspiration , Mike! I've owned my FXS-80 Superglide -79 since -89 and now had the engine restored, replaced origin carburator, changed ignition to electronic (Hi4N), going back to hydraulic rods after stiff, and when out on the road discover that old brake calipers need restoration/ replacement as well. Once you get it moving, you need to stop it somehow, otherwise not safe, right?
Would seem so. Sounds like a great old bike.
Wow. Great idea.
Glad you like it!
If a person does not have an arbor press to install the bearing race into the the bearing cup (in this case the steering head on the front end) put the race in the freezer for ten minutes ( this contracts the metal ) while you heat up the cup, ( expanding the metal ). Once the race is very cold and the cup is very hot simply place the race in the cup. When both pieces normalize to room temperature the race is “pressed” into the cup. Easy as pie!
Thank you. Nice explanation.
Hey Mike. I love watching your videos and your projects. I have a rather large collection of motorcycles that I have restored myself. I recently starting working on a 1942 Military WLA (My first Harley). I have her running and riding and am working on getting all the electrical stuff to work properly. I have an idea for a future video for you. Show or give some tips on riding a hand shift motorcycle with a rocker clutch like my WLA and some of your bikes. I have all kinds of bikes that shift on the wrong side, have reverse patterns, shift on the handlebars, etc..., but this is my first handshift bike with foot clutch and find it to be the most difficult to learn to ride well. Some tips or even a video of you doing would be awesome. Keep up the good work. I look forward to everyone of your videos.
Rob
I appreciate that. We will be showing some of that and have been talking about it. You and I both know: Before it was standardized, there was all kinds of different controls on bikes.
I have a few flat head parts, head, carb laying around, but you mentioned a rocker clutch for your pan. Do you like that better than the mouse trap l had both on mine at one point in time, I did like the rocker as long as my front brakes were working, keep up the cool videos thanks.
flathead reliability I'm thinking of getting a kick only sportster never kick it from the top🏁🏁🏁🏁
We all find same things. It's just what you get used to. My Pan has a rocker clutch with a stock handshift lever. My Knuckle has a mousetrap for the hand clutch and
and a footshift. I really like it all.
Another good one Mike....Just a suggestion for guys looking for original Old school Harley parts they might try "Tatro Machine" He's in San Diego and on the internet....and well stocked
Coll. Thank You.
It’s world class cool tho ..
Thank You.
hello mike its leroy from PA how are you
I'm fine and wishing you the same. Good Morning!
Love watching your vids! I might have missed an episode, but we'd love to know some history about you... You must have been either owning your own shop or fathers shop? Outta what part of Cali you from? How long working on bikes? and the such. If there's a vid already made please let me know... Thanks again for your videos. Their a Blast to watch!! Oh! and that voice of yours... You are the Rege Cordic of the bike world!!!
Thank You. I grew up in San Bernardino Ca. It was a bike and Hot Rod town. Didn't fit anywhere else. No matter what I tried, always ended back in a bike shop. I've worked in a few and owned a few. I've lived in lots of California towns, all of them at the right times. Now in SoCal. That's it.
yes to showing the heli coil process on the bike
You got it coming.
Paint or powder coat ? Pinstriping a frame can look really good !!
You're right. Don't know. maybe.
👍😎
Thank you.