Thinking about Upgrading my 2001 RK 88ci to an old school 80ci or maybe a 74ci, The original Knucklehead displaced 61 cubic inches, but a 74-inch version was added for 1941. Has anyone tried this upgrade ? I cant find a harley kit for this, BTW my bike has a carb so I'm half way there. any advice would be appreciated.

 

Yank that twin cam poser mill out and put in a panhead. Of course you'll have to go with a kick start so you better start working out.

 

Doesn't S&S make older style engines that fit in the twin cam frames?

 

I'd call that change a mod, but not sure I'd refer to it as an "upgrade".

 

Ummmmm, maybe its because HD/MoCo stopped making them in 1947?

 

Sure would run cooler.

 

I saw a builder at a show who had variations of Panhead/Knucklehead/Shovelhead motors in different frames. What I mean is; motors with one Panhead jug and one Knucklehead jug kind of combinations. Kind freaky. So I suppose putting a complete Knucklehead motor and tranny in a 2001 frame shouldn't be all that difficult. Just a little bit of torching here and there. A little welding here and there. Align a few things and you're off to a real conversation piece.

 

There was a guy who made the bike show circuit back in the late 70's who had hand built a running 3 cylinder harley engine . It had a shovel , a pan , and 3rd a Knucklehead poking out the front . It ran and he was around the midwest for a while with that thing .

 

You can shoe-horn anything OHC from EVO back into any big twin frame from the same period. It may take a little seat post stretch, but it can be done. I'm not sure how you'd go about using a TC frame for the separate engine trans mounts for the earlier bikes, or why you'd want to try for that matter. Good luck.

 

Man a good supply of beer , Jack Daniels , and a decently tooled shop anything is possible just watch a what bunch of tweakers can do a home garage sometime .