81 Project Update

It has been a long while since I posted, primarily because it is taking a long time to do the next mod. Here are the things being done. BTW this is a complete garage build, I am an amateur so not really concerned if someone can do it better.

1. Adding a Hard Tail to it. The new frame will drop the bike by 3" and add 4" to overall length. This will also require the bike to have a raked front end to level it out.
2. Changing the tank to add to the custom look, more of an oval tank, Also putting in a visual gas gauge.
3. Change out the rims, 19" in the front and a little wider tire in the back, both on whitewall old school tires.
4. Changing out the Oil tank to a full custom built tank.
5. New paint......or maybe no paint, I like the new rusted out look so might go that route. Rusted out with some nice old school pin striping might also be an option.
6. Rearrange the exhaust....I am going to look at some different designs, maybe some super short straight down, or the exact opposite, supper long that shoot way up in the back. If I go that way then I need a large sissy bar in the back.
7. The bike will be totally unrecognizable as an AMF HD 81' 1000 sportster when its done.

Step 3 - Take the front fender off - Ironhead Bobber Project Bike

After a good cleaning I just had to take the front fender off thats just mandatory no matter what else gets done.
Then of course I want to take it for a ride and being that it is carburated of course I flood it out and one of the cylinders runs a little rich for a while. BUT it worked itself out.
Took it down to the gas station and filled it up with NEW gas and found that on the ride back the gas tank lid leaks so a nice bunch of streaks down the tank. A little simple green cleans em up nice but that seems to be the next move. Sand the tank down to bare metal.

Step 2 - See What I have

This is where I just got the bike and finally take some simple green and rags and clean off the years of road grime. I found that for the most part I can get a lot of the surface stuff off but a lot may need some power tools and some special cleaning items like long cleaning q-tips or even a dremel polisher to get into some of the cracks. The rims (which I thought were stock aluminum) where Chrome once I got the first layer of grime off them This was kinda a surprise and a let down. A surprise because it is now chrome and do I want to paint over the chrome with either red? or Black? not sure yet but thinking about the color scheme I think Black is the way to go but need to really polish the chrome to see exactly how bad it is. First look is the Front rim is about 90% good looking chrome but has the aging blemishes that just won't polish up.

1981 Ironhead Harley Sportster as Purchased.

This is my 1981 Ironhead Harley Sportster XLH 1000. Here is the bike the day I got it. There is a lot of things that I want to do to it and I am trying to figure out what to do first. I have a million questions that need answered. 1. Do I Bobber it? or leave it stock? Do I need the engine rebuilt? or can it wait? A million ?'s. Anyway I think the first thing I will do is clean it up and see whats underneath some of the oil and dirt. Once I've done that maybe the starting point will show itself.

Here is my list of things to do that I don't need to purchase.
1. Clean the bike.
2. Remove the Front Fender (the tire is too big right now for it anyway)
3. Sand down the tank that is on it. The original is with me but not installed needs some work on it as well.
4. Do something with the back end. if I remove the fender I may find something else to do but that might be a good start.
5. look at all of the connections and see if there is some cleaning I can do to make it look a little neater.
6. Wrap the pipes. (for now wrapped will have to do.

Here is my preliminary list of things to buy to start the project.


1. New Seat (bobber/solo seat) even if I stay stock it still needs to have the seat removed since it isn't stock.
2. New Handlebars. (Drag or Apes?) not sure yet.
3. New Front Tire (21" maybe 40spoke) Might as well go white wall and do both while I'm at it.
4. Exhaust some LAF Y pipes should set it off, but will have to wrap the current pipes as they are.

There will be a lot of things changing and as I do them I will post on here the results. Or the steps that I have taken. SO far I haven't done anything but title and plate her. About $150 bones later and I can drive her if I want.

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Chrome won't get you home.