All my life I have been told that my '85 FXWG was an evo top end and a shovel bottom. Someone a while ago told me that I was wrong and that it is an evo bottom. Can someone please help me and if I am wrong, can someone explain why? Thanks.

 

Hard to say, but I would say Evo bottom end and Evo top end, halfway through 84 they got most of the shovelheads out of the production line, that's why you can't hardly find parts for 84's, hard to what parts they used, up until the shovel part bins were empty.

 

Thanks for your response. I talked to my dad and he said that he had a top end done at 70,000 and that it is a shovel bottom end because there was a leak at the top of the crankcase. He says there is a special gasket that fits the evo top end to the shovel bottom end, and the '85s were the last year for the shovel bottom ends. Boy I feel good now.

 

My Evo was built in Aug 83, it has the dry clutch and the good shovel crank. If it only had the Shovel top end it would've been a damn near perfect machine

 

There is certainly nothing wrong with a Shovel bottom end.

 

I've never heard of this. How can you tell the difference? I know a few people with early EVOs. I know 2 people with 84 Softails, 85 FXR and 85 FXWG. I wonder if any of those are shovel bottoms?

 

Also if Vinnie's 85 EVO has a shovel bottom does that mean if he wants to do a cam swap he has to get one for a shovel and not an EVO? Most cams fit 84 to 99 but if his 85 has a shovel bottom then that won't work will it?

 

Hmmm...I have -85 FLHT and cylinders have -84 stamps.
Wonder do I have Shovel bottom?
How I identify is it Evo or Shovel?
Just bought Andrews EV-27 cam to Evo engine.Hope it fit.
EDIT;
Just came back from carage.
My friend have -82 FLT with shovel and engine bottom looks just same like my EVO?
I think I have early evo then???

 

you might want to check your pistons on your 85. some were built without the tops of the pistons notched for the valve clearence. if the motor has an evo top on it, it's an evo.

 

the only real differance is the way the heads and cylinders are held on, the pistons, cams, lifters............. damm different motor, DUH!!!! a shovel is a shovel and a evo is a evo, i bet the same *** also thinks the 66-69 shovels were pan-shovels, early evos didnt have valve reliefs, but that was changed mid '85, anyone that know shovels and evo knows that the shovel had domed pistons and the evo has flat top pistons with vavle notches