Any reason why I can't put my '50 Pan engine and tranny in my '76 Shovel frame while I make up my mind what to do with my Shovel engine?
I'm not aware of any reason not to, but could be overlooking something.
It really sucks when all three bikes are down...
Got a new belt coming today (supposedly) for the Wide Glide. I took it apart yesterday, and found a very clear imprint of a threaded bolt on one of the teeth of the rear pulley, probably the reason why the belt broke.
The '76 used a tab on the outer primary for the rear footboard mount. As mine was an FX originally, it has the mid controls. Any reason why I couldn't weld a tab to the bottom frame rail while the engine is out, and install footboards?

 

Tabs on the frame or lack of and maybe the pipes depending what style your running . Then there's the little thing of the local popo getting the linen all in a nit over the numbers thing , don't about your hood but they get stupid about it out here worst part is not very many really know the rules .

Might want to look around for a decent used pulley at the local indies if a bolt ran through yours the teeth will be distorted and chew on the belt , slowly but it will happen . I have brand new 70t chrome 5 spoke fancy one for 2000 & later I was shipped by mistake ( long story ) believe it's a BDL , can be had cheap PM if interested .

 

I don't think the numbers will be a problem, as I have titles/registration for both the shovel frame and the pan motor.
I have a set of drags for the pan motor that I can cut and weld if necessary.
I smoothed out the gouged tooth on the rear pulley with a Dremel, I think it will be okay. Mine is a 1996. I don't know what the difference is between that and a 2000, but am pretty sure there is one. I appreciate the offer, though.
Biggest problem of the moment is the new belt. It's a Falcon SPC, came from Mid-USA, and looks like a reject. A number of the teeth got chewed up on one side in the cutting-to-width operation. I trimmed it as best I could with wire cutters, but it's not tracking worth a damn. I'm going to pull it back off and reverse it, to see what happens. If it wasn't a holiday weekend, and I hadn't paid $56 to have it overnighted, I would have returned it...

 

There's a difference the later models have a larger lip around the bearing hole , most after market sprockets are convertible anyway they come with adapters . I converted the old shovel to rear belt years ago , I'm doing a dance with pulley's to reduce the overall outside diameter of the belt to clear the starter shaft a bit better and bump my ratio's up a bit more for top end & highway , have plenty of horsepower to play with on low end anyway

. Unusual to get bogus stuff from Mid-Usa I bought wholesale from them for years and don't think I ever got any crap from them . Bummer man .

Thing with the numbers if they hit you for it they will want you to turn in both titles and issue a blue tag on the bike and you get one special construction title back for that frame /motor combo , and that's a lose /lose with those bikes , at least that's how they play out here like I said real ******** .

 

I've got a pal that has a 1975 frame with a 1952 Pan engine and it all fit together relatively easy. Hope this helps!

 

My 52 pan/shovel has been in a 1974 shovel frame since 1978 Strange that this frames neck had no numbers ? It did come out of Chicago!@##@

 

Is it a factory frame? If so, maybe it "fell off the truck" before getting to the assembly department...

Finally got the belt on the WG moved away from the (oversize) rear tire. Had to shim the rear pulley out some. Of course, the local H-D dealer didn't have any factory shims, so I used some hardened .125" thick washers, with one of the original steel shims against the aluminum pulley, and am going to try it, to see if anything changes as the belt seats to the pulleys. If it works well, I'll pull it back off and make a proper spacer.

 

Hit a couple indy shops they will be more likely to have shims on hands , dealers are about useless for anything that isn't bone stock and on a diagram somewhere .

 

Or obsolete, in this case. I have to say, I got a parts guy I had never dealt with before, and he really tried to come up with something for me. He searched other models, and various places, before telling me he had struck out, but was sure he had some in his storage shed at home, and would dig them out later, AND give them to me at no charge, if I wanted to come back the next day.
That's unusual service nowdays.

Thing is, I want to move the pulley out a bit more, and it's barely centering on the hub as is. Assuming I don't change my mind and do something totally different, my plan is to bore the center of the pulley a little, and make an aluminum spacer with a brass center that will just slip on the hub, and press fit into the pulley. I'm also considering brass bushings in the bolt holes of the pulley, but don't know if that is necessary. Just using some bolts with shoulders, instead of the factory thread to the head bolts might be adequate.

Edited to add: TwiZted, PM sent.