Okay, so I’ve been messing around with this ’80s Harley project, and let me tell you, it’s been a journey. I wanted to share my experiences, the ups and downs, mostly downs honestly, but hey, that’s part of the fun, right?
It all started with a random Craigslist ad. You know, one of those “ran when parked” deals. This beat-up, 1980s Harley-Davidson – I’m not even 100% sure of the model – was sitting in some guy’s garage, covered in dust and bird droppings. I hauled it back to my place, feeling like I’d just rescued a piece of history. Or maybe just a pile of scrap metal. Time would tell.
The Teardown
First thing, I tore the whole thing down. Every nut, every bolt, every greasy, grimy component. I laid it all out on my garage floor, which quickly became a minefield of parts. I took photos of everything, hoping I’d remember how it all went back together. (Spoiler alert: I didn’t always remember.)
- Engine: Completely seized. I soaked the cylinders in penetrating oil for days, then used a breaker bar and a whole lot of muscle (and some choice words) to finally get the pistons moving.
- Carburetor: Gummed up beyond belief. I spent hours cleaning out tiny jets and passages with carb cleaner and compressed air. Felt like a dentist for a motorcycle.
- Wiring: A rat’s nest. Seriously, it looked like rodents had been living in the headlight bucket. I spent a good week just tracing wires and trying to make sense of the faded colors.
- Frame:It has some surface rust, so i clear * I repainted.
Putting It Back Together (Sort Of)
Reassembly was… challenging. Let’s just say I had a lot of “leftover” parts. I googled diagrams, watched YouTube videos, and cursed a lot. There were moments I thought I’d completely ruined it. I got the engine back together, eventually, after a few false starts and a couple of stripped threads. I managed to rebuild the carburetor, and after some trial and error, I got the wiring sorted (mostly). I even got to repaint it,give it a new look.
The first time I tried to start it, it coughed, sputtered, and backfired like a cannon. My neighbor probably hates me now. But after more tweaking, more adjusting, and more praying, it finally roared to life. It wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t perfect, but it ran!
It’s still a work in progress. There are leaks, rattles, and things I’m sure I’ll discover are wrong later. But riding it down the street, even just for a short test run, felt amazing. It’s a raw, mechanical, and incredibly satisfying feeling. It’s like I brought something back from the dead. So, yeah, that’s my ’80s Harley story so far. It’s been a pain, but a rewarding one.
