So true. There is so much that I'd like to play with on my bike right now but the thing I dread most is that I won't be able to ride it between tinkerings!

 

Two Harley's...ah yes. I think that's a great idea. My wife doesn't. At least not yet. <sigh>

Going with all Black and using the Harley wrinkle black engine paint. As you may recall from earlier in the thread I tried using it on one of the side cases and it didn't turn out too well. I put it on way too thick and it ran. So with that experience under my belt I'm hoping it turns out better this time. The cylinders don't need much, just a few places mainly on the front cylinder that need covering. I'll spray the whole thing to ensure a consistent appearance. The only chrome I'm leaving are the push rod covers, and as it stands right now the stainless bolt heads. I pulled the old crappy ones from the covers at the bottom of the push rods and replaced them with the new ss. Took one out at a time and replaced it...hoping that didn't screw up the gasket and cause a leak. Covered them with the little rubber bolt caps. Here's a pic of the difference between the two.



Yesterday I got everything taped off and it's ready to paint.






It's all ready to go, we just have to hang it from the ceiling and I couldn't do that alone. Oz is building a bracket to bolt to the cylinders where the coil bracket goes and we'll suspend it from there. I don't know if we're going to be able to get to it this weekend due to some other things that have come up.

 

I can't really speak to the details because we haven't discussed his repair/build in detail and I'm so wrapped up in mine. But ya, I think it's a Vulcan and due to the crash last summer he had to replace the entire front end, including the wheel. He got the parts online and I'm not sure if that's a rear wheel or a different front. But it's got a drum brake and I think he plans to get that working. Can't swear to it though.

Me too, man. Thanks.

 

It'll be a long time before I pull this one apart again. It's gonna be 75 degrees and sunny tomorrow and pushing 80 later in the week.

 

I see in your latest pics the gold color in some is just the lighting. I've never hung an engine, only painted a Honda black a long time back, and just did it in two stages, rolling it over. Hung smaller parts, a good way to go for those really odd shaped things... like an engine. The newer style integrated Harley engine/transmissions are a lot heavier than some of the early models when you had separate eng/trans pieces; I can remember picking one up easily by myself; doubt if I could do that with any built today.

 

It's looking good. You've got one helluva son in law. Those are some clean welds.

 

Thanks GM. Yup, he is good.

 

I'm guessing the engine weighs between 150 and 200lbs. I can move it around easily on the bench but not without scraping it pretty good on the contact points. I'm afraid if I tried to paint it in stages on the bench some of the paint would inevitably get scraped off in the process. That, and trying to marry up the wrinkle paint from one session to the next would be difficult. Hanging it will allow me to get it done in one session with (hopefully) no visible seams in the paint.

 

Got the engine hoisted last night and decided to take some time off from work to get going on the painting. I ended up using the HD texture black paint and not the wrinkle black. I realized after reading Joker3000's thread of the same name that the texture paint is what I wanted, not the wrinkle finish. Texture is what comes on the engine from the factory and I wanted to match that, albeit blacked out instead of grey. I don't know how I got on the wrinkle finish kick...I think, not knowing any better, I just assumed the wrinkle finish is what came from the factory...I didn't know there were two different kinds of HD engine paint.

Anyway, I got a good solid coat on it and used a propane heater to help cure it. Despite my diligence I missed a few spots, some of the nooks and cranies need some more coverage, so I'll let this cure for a couple of days and go back on Thursday after work and hit it again. All in all I am pleased with the look. It is actually much blacker than the pics make it seem.






I also shot the derby cover and the timing cover. I never really liked the timing cover I got off of ebay...I think the USMC emblem will look better subdued. And I think the flat black texture paint will look good against the gloss black side cases once I get them powdercoated. If not it's easy enough to blast them and repaint, or do something different.



Like I said, they look much blacker than the pics indicate. It really is black paint and not grey. I'll have more to report on Friday. Oz is making great progress on the frame and I expect to make the last run to the powder coater on Monday.

 

That is looking really great. Are you a retired Marine? I am an Army Gulf War Vet.