Nice little project, or trip into Hell?

1975 XLCH kicker, no electric start. Sitting forever, doesn't look bad. $1500.

http://westernmass.craigslist.org/mcy/4018349174.html

Sounds like "nice little descent into Hell": Probably just tires, brake work, electrical cleanup, and carb rebuild away from being a rider.

I'm no AMF guy, but I'd jump on it.

I sent the link to my cousin. This is right up his alley.

Trip into hell. RUN AWAY!!!!

ValuePack wrote: Sounds like "nice little descent into Hell": Probably just tires, brake work, electrical cleanup, and carb rebuild away from being a rider.

And a generator, and a top end job, and a clutch, and a transmission, and spokes, and a front end, and a chain, and sprockets, and a seat, and points, and a timing advance mechanism, and probably a bottom end. However, on the positive side, I think that kick start pedal looks useable, which is good, because you'll be using it a whole lot trying to get it started. Also, 25 years from now, you'll be able to say to everyone "Yeah, I had a Harley once. It was a total piece of E36 M3. Broke down all the time, leaked oil, absolutely everything bad that Harley was known for. I never, ever want to see another Harley again for the rest of my life." And you'll mean it.

I've seen 883's going for that much or less, and an 883 is 100x the bike that POS is.

The Dr. QFT

Thanks Doc, on to something else to think about.

It's not the worst Harley ever made. That would be the 1979 Sportster, which had even worse build quality and as a bonus, a frame that was different than the years before or the years after, which means the 1979 Sportster earned the name of "The one that nothing fits."

My friend turned a one room aftermarket shop into a Harley dealership by being the only shop for hundreds of miles around that would actually work on those things. We counted >20 of them lining the walls waiting for parts or in line to be worked on one day.

Woody wrote: I sent the link to my cousin. This is right up his alley.

I never said that he hangs out in the best alleys...

yeah, that's a lot of money for a bike that's not worth much when it's done.

In reply to Dr. Hess:

LOL! You're my hero. I said 'from being a rider', not 'from not being a deathtrap.' Sure it's a pile, it's just a neater pile than no pile at all.

I just happened by in the search for mechanical knowledge and this place attracted me to it's,for the most part fairly knowledgable crowd ,of there always exceptions,this fellow Dr.hess seems to be a bit close minded as well as a bit ignorant as far as Sportsters and probably motors in general but perhaps I'm wrong,please forgive me if so. 914driver , I'd love to be able to look at that Sporty first hand but ,I've seen much worse for more bought by guys who know what thier doing and they took it away with a grin.in short You did good,could it cost money ,sure but what doesn't and if you do it right you'll smile,ironhead Sportsters ,despite what the ignorant say have a long lineage of performance stretching back to 1957 and beyond if you count the K's back to 1952 ,build em right and the will stay right up to any new Harley and all but them dang mappers But,they ain't that kind of bike,a lot of new tech there to be be sure and it is to be respected but there is something about the Harley's in general and the Sportster's in particular, something that p@&$$'s guys with the sport bikes off,something that is hard to define it's class,it's lineage and it's looks -it has cool. 50's60'sand 70's cool it's laid back mellow and powerful,I've beat guys on my stocker with motors that were faster just buy pushing the easy button........well ok I'm bullE36 M3ten' there but the rest is true ,you'got a jewel there and there's I thing fer sure,take a ride across the USA and you'll be part of it and you be more comfortable than the guy laying on his tank if he goes that far, the sound is as sweet as America too,akin to them american V-8's and the other American V's,the Indians ,finally with a real chance at ressurection,and the Victory,good bike too even the V-6 ,there have been faster quicker Harley's and in thier day they weren't laughed at ask Cal Rayborn about his XL-750 Sportster bikes and the Harley he set a Bonneville record with even when he was not experienced at that kind of racing dude,make no mistake about it you have a thorobred there,all you have to do is groom it a little,clean it up,paint grease and oil,it is right there with Corvette ,Mustang,and Charger.......Oh guys I'm Shooterj2003 and I love Ironhead Sportsters heh! ....Sorry!

Dr. Hess isn't biased, he's probably the most knowledgeable Harley person here. He's telling it like it is.

In reply to mndsm: If he's for real about the way he talks he 's close minded The newer Harley's have advanced technologies ,but they would not be there without the older ones to lead the way,I've got a 77 Stocker and the only money I put into it is to straighten out po's crap work .my first one was a76 Sporty both AMF products,yeah they had issues but if they are rolling today the AMF issues are long gone.they are machines ,if you fix em' right they'll roll and they'll roll as fast or faster than most guys can drive.He's trying to discourage a guy from learning and working on a piece of American history,from bringing it back to useful life as it deserves,and he's giving out false impressions,Sorry that is the truth

Oh, I understand it's the truth. But you're talking about two bikes that (I'm assuming) were running when you purchased them. This particular bike is far from it. AMF or not, it's in need of a lot of work- and he's just laying it out there. Personally, you wouldn't catch me on a Harley anyhow (I prefer my bikes Japanese....) but I can respect what they are, and even I know the AMF ones were more problematic than their ilk from earlier/later eras.

It's true but labor issues were at the heart of the matter it was a double edged sword they had to cut to survive and guys on the line reacted in typical human fashion they struck out the way they could,the repercussions were a bad rep but there is no boogiemen or gremlins in AMF machines just a bad rep memory ,the real problems were long ago fixed or they would not be rolling now .I went through nearly the same thing in my comany but luckily the actual sword strike was averted and we got over it to gain our spot.reply to mndsm: D

In reply to Shooterj2003: And we don't know if it's not capable of running,if it kicks over smoothly ign. Off,nthat ups the antsy considerably,chances are ,it's a runner but the money is worth it ,I see them go in boxes for a grand,if I had money I would jump on it.

I like the old sportsters myself. An old harley might not be without issue but if I had one that rode I'd ride the hell out of it. My uncle rides an old 67 shovel but finally got a 2005 softail. That being said, you very rarely see those harleys out in the wild like the 1990 and younger bikes. I very rarely see old harleys and it sucks because I like them damn things things. I'd tear that damn thing down and rebuell it myself but that's why they call me "hard-way."

Good luck out there Shooter!

Morning Shooter.

While I appreciate the PM you sent, I don't understand it. I don't know where Huguenot is, but if you ask politely I'll bet one of our members near the AMF would check it out for you.

I'm going to pass on the opportunity.

Dan

I'm going to have to pull age and mention to Shooter that I have owned an iron head Sportster of that exact year (most likely before Shooter was born,) known MANY people with them when they were new or relatively new, and know first hand "quite a bit" about them. Yes, after you replace everything I mention above, it will run really nice and be quite fast, relatively speaking. For about 2 days, then it will start to fall apart again and you start all over. And doing a top end every 20K miles is just routine maintenance.

So, if you want to try to insult me, you're going to have to try harder. (There's a reason Sportster riders have a certain reputation. At least the male Sportster riders.)

In 1975 Shooter was 23 years old.

OK, fair enough. The lack of complete sentences and punctuation skillz, y0, had me thinking him younger.

Anyway, I'm glad Shooter likes his iron head Sportsters. Someone has to. Just like batE36 M3 crazy frying pan swinging women. Someone has to love them too, and we have someone on the board here that searches them out, so it takes all kinds.

Dr. Hess wrote: . Just like batE36 M3 crazy frying pan swinging women. Someone has to love them too ....

Yeah. When they're NEW !!

reply to Dr. Hess: Sorry dude,mine is 35 years old ,and as said I 'm 60 but not old enough to give up ironheads,I'll see a friend about that green monster there if he still wants one and has the money that thing will be purring like a kitten in two days,you just have to talk thier language ,just like them frying pan throwers,if he don't want it who knows maybe I'll find some money. My last one gave me a little problems but I think the stuff I smoked back then had something to do with it.If I had the money I couldn't find enough of them to keep me happy. I sit on mine(avatar) and I know when the button gets pushed it growls even cold,I got a kick kit I'm stickin' on it this winter because the electrics so easy! Personally I think you had one and could not figure things out and gave up instead of stickin' it out,you shoulda' asked around ,I would have helped you.

Oh my god........