Took off the primary cover and that screw falls out. The tensioner assembly was hanging on by a few threads on the lower screw only.

This was only one of the "issues" I found. Figured I really couldn't trust the bike so I took it apart. Here is where I'm at.....

78 Shovel

The next victim is here.

The other morning this 1978 FXS was on c-list.

Now the old girl is in my garage. She's filthy, she's old and been ragged on. She looks like she was ridden hard and put away wet more than once. The front brake doesn't work, paint is peeling, chrome is flaking and there are oil leaks; but she runs and rides just fine.

I have no idea where I am going with this old bird......for now probably leaving it alone and riding it the way it sits.

 

Cut the cam cover

More cutting and grinding. This time the cam cover got trimmed down. It really changes the look of the sportster engine/trans combo.

more cutting

 More cutting.....cut the sprocket cover in half. Very easy to do. Drill some holes from the back side and basically play connect the dots with the cut off wheel. Then grind it smooth. Take care though....you only get one shot at this.

Cutting stuff up

 The rear fender got cut in half. I probably should have cut a little less off but its all good.

 Cut the ends off of the struts. We won't be needing them anymore.

 This stuff goes in the garbage.

883 coming apart

I got the 883 to the garage and started pulling the bike apart.

Plans were to re-use the tank that was on it, lose the front fender and cut the rear fender.

91 883 Bobber project

Here's another bike that I have in the garage.....its a 1991 Harley Davidson Sportster 883. I wanted to build a cool looking bike that wasn't gonna break my wallet. I figured an evo sportster was the cheapest, most reliable platform I was gonna be able to get. FWIW, I have always loved sportsters. I really like old iron heads. But, I have had a few and they can be a little needy.

I really want a Shovelhead, but I am torn between a round swing-arm cone FLH, specifically a 1971 model and an earlier flatside in a rigid frame. I was born in 71 so that's why I think about the cone shovel, but I just love the look of the earlier flatside shovels. IMHO, those are the best looking engines HD ever made. I'll keep looking. Maybe next winter.

Back the Sportster project...... I found it on craigslist looking pretty sad for too much money. Ask price was 2500.00. I was able to bargain my way to a price that I was comfortable with. After buying the bike, I sold some of stuff that I wasn't gonna be using and got back some bucks. So to start, the bike cost me a grand out of pocket. It came with an S&S Super E carb and drag pipes.