i emailed hih and he says it isnt possible to do a bolt on a 81 because of the frame design.

 

He is correct, the later iron heads have a different frame design, your best option would be to find a swap meet frame with paper & save your original. you can do anything you want, as long as you hold on to the paper. i have built several, all you need is some know how & a welder, or a good friend who can weld!!!! build what you want, to your specs. Theres no such thing as "you cant do that"... All things are possible with a welder & torch !!!!

 

Ditto that ^. A sawzall and angle grinder will help to.

 

Oh lordy Mick, i bet you'd kick my *** if you knew how many ironhead frames I've cut up and welded back together.

 

Big guy.
can you share photos of your conversion, i have an 81 and dont want to cot the frame, i want to be able to put her back to original if i so desire, if you have photos to share and want to send them to me i will give you an e-mail

Neal in Texas

 

Mine is a weld-on. The bike had been bounced before I bought it so, it needed some work anyway. I like it, and it looks good if you take the time.

 

I talked with the guys at The Hammer in Hand, it was about a similar bike a 81 sportster, not to plug anyone with complements but they appear to be very knowlegable about the set-up, they told me that the frame on the 81 has a long tail compared to 79 and earlier, so a bolt on would look very strange, on that model the best way is to cut the frame, it was recomended to me to get a basket case with frame from a previous model or a Paughco frame and bolt everything up to it. any mistakes on whats written here should go to me and my not understanding of what i was told.

Neal In Houston

 

i would go with a paugho frame..you can find them pretty cheap on ebay or??you dont ruin your origenal frame and end up with a much nicer looking and riding bike..i had a paugho ridged ironhead once,and still miss it..

 

that is a good choice. one thing about Paugho frames, does anyone know how many things are direct bolt on, in other words, will all the stock items bolt on to it? i know that the battery, oil tank, and seat dont look like it will make it but is there anything else.

Neal

 

i had a paucho for years,from what i can remember i think the rear caliper, oil tank, battery box,seat,are different, the frame i had the gas tank,front end was a direct bolt on,not sure on wheel spacers or fuses and breakers