Basket Case Shovelhead Transformed into Slick Machine

Matching Project

Selling a running bike in order to buy a basket case might seem like a step backward, but not for Dan Carballo of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the time, Carballo had a working Shovelhead, but could not justify cutting the bike apart to build a chopper. Finding a basket case 1972 FLH with matching numbers was all the incentive he needed to get his project started. 

Photos courtesy of DV8Sport.

Parts Assembly

Fortunately, a friend of Carballo was looking for a ready-to-ride machine and a deal was struck for his old Shovelhead. Apart from the numbers, the basket case FLH had something else he wanted—a 74 cubic-inch cone motor with a magneto. Carballo started his basket build in early 2015. Over the course of the following year, he gathered parts before launching into the assembly.

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Quality Plates

A rigid rear end was a must for the soon-to-be Big Twin chopper. Carballo opted for a Haifley Brothers hardtail kit. The rigid rear section can be installed without a jig, and best of all retains the stock numbers. Built-in the USA, the hardtail kit uses quality axle plates from Hardtail Chopper Inc., located in Vancouver, Washington.

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Custom Problems

After about eighteen months of sourcing parts, fabrication, and wrenching, Carballo's new ride was ready for a shake-down run. The bike ran, but not well, and there were numerous small issues to resolve. Most of the problems involved after-market parts that were not machined properly, or had to be altered for the custom build. Getting the charging system to work was another issue.

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Rewarding End

While the Shovelhead would start and run, the lights did not work. Building up a bike from parts is a learning process. Carballo had accidentally purchased the wrong regulator and his spark plug cables were not suited to a magneto. He stated in hindsight that while frustrating, overcoming unexpected problems was rewarding and worth it in the end.

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Expected Consultation

One of the biggest issues was the belt drive. Despite having extra teeth, the aftermarket unit was too tight to fit on the bike. Getting it to work required milling the transmission plate for more back and forth movement. The clutch also was not performing as expected, and after much consultation, Carballo ended up using the OEM clutch hub with new rollers.

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Comments List

Carballo is particularly fond of the handlebars. With a vision in mind, he contacted Regatta Garage in Salt Lake City, Utah. Happy to do custom work, the shop custom bent up a set of 12-inch tall bars based on one of their existing products. Carballo said that the bars get a lot of comments, but by far the Morris magneto is at the top of the list of his favorite items.

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Change Plan

To get the stance right, the rigid frame is planted on a 21'' front wheel and an 18'' rear, clad with an Avon Speedmaster and a Dunlop K70 tire respectively. Overall, the build came out pretty much as Carballo planned—a straightforward chopper with some cool parts. When asked about the next modification, he answered, “The only thing I really plan on changing is the oil.”

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