Ironhead Worth fixing?

[doodah man]

As long as you are good with the idea that you will likely never get back the amount of money that you put into it… she’ll be a keeper and something you’ll be very proud of in the end.

[Ferrous Head]

Originally Posted by Ironmanrides

Lying on its right side, sans carb, with the left side cover off.

OK. That's seriously bad. Laying on it's right side with the primary cover off means rain will have collected in the primary cavity. Water will have entered the gearbox cavity and the crankcase cavity. The oil transfer valve was still there in 75.
If that's what's happened the bike is worth no more than any of the bikes that went under in the floods.

[rokytnji]

free 1975 Ironhead

Well. He said it still turns over. No pictures to go by. Kinda hard to make final judgements.

I would change friends also. Treatment does not sound too friendly to me.
I kept a shovel head basket case for over a year for a supposed customer.
No contact. Gave the jail excuse.
I treated his gear better and charged him nothing for storage to just get rid of him.

[ferretface]

Originally Posted by Ferrous Head

Your not really at the stage of life where you should be doing these things. Sell the bike and spend the money on buying chocolate and flowers for your wife. It will pay much bigger dividends.

+1

It's a well-known fact that wives keep a [long] list of things you did/do to annoy them. Best to stockpile some marital favors in advance of their bringing those annoyances all up at once.

[Ironmanrides]

Originally Posted by ferretface

+1

It's a well-known fact that wives keep a [long] list of things you did/do to annoy them. Best to stockpile some marital favors in advance of their bringing those annoyances all up at once.

Lol. I've got a few favors stockpiled. I typically don't spend a lot of money unless it's on her. In fact, when I told her I wanted to cram a bunch of bike parts in the spare room all she asked for In return was a puppy, since our current dog is getting up in years.
Ferrous Head, by bad do you mean gonna have to split the cases and completely rebuild the motor bad?

[Ferrous Head]

errous Head, by bad do you mean gonna have to split the cases and completely rebuild the motor bad?

Your going to have to assume it was rained on and water has entered the engine.

My approach would be to pull the gearbox first. (Well, you'd have to anyway) and make an assessment from that. But if it's been sitting like that for a year my guess would be the job's not worth doing. I've opened up engines that went underwater in floods and it damages nearly everything.
This one clearly isn't quite as bad as the engine still turns over. If the pistons rust to the bores you can't split the cases until you free them. Freeing them can be "problematical".

Look, "What man has made Man can make again." But really that only applies if your an experienced toolmaker with access to a full workshop.

Many many years ago I built a couple of bikes while living in an apartment. But there was a garage attached to the apartment. I also built several bikes inside internal laundries. Very cramped spaces. And did it mostly with basic hand tools.

Part of the danger of taking this job on is the high chance of failure. Which could well color XL's attitude to Ironheads (and maybe all bikes) forever.

As a learning experience this is probably a gold mine. Experience is always the best teacher. But she is VERY expensive.

Probably a good bike to learn on in one respect. It's not like it's some extremely rare version of an MV Agusta Race bike.

[GaryanOdinson]

First thing I would want to know ..do you have title..or leagle bill of sale..any free Bike I would be running the numbers through Registar of Motor Vehicals. If it were my project and i had the ok on legalality . I would not be so quick to tear down..and at that point i would have already made the commitment to keep and invest.. I would dump whatever oil .get a gallon of WD 40 fill the oil tank 2 -3 quarts and start kicking letting the oil pump push the wd through all the oil galleries... 50 kicks a day three days..then i start doing all measuerment i coulld take while still togeather cyclinder PSI..end play if compression off chek and adjust push rods re check cyclinder compression.. keeping a record, Jornal of everything. take lot of pictures....

[Triple Disc]

Tear it down, clean it up, put it back together and fire her up!

[80HDXLS]

Nothing new hear as far as special insights. Without seeing pictures it is hard to judge, but it sounds like you have a looooong haul ahead of you in getting this bike in working order. Its not that it cannot be done, but you need to be realistic. The question is: Do you have the resources (time, parts, space, patience, money, commitment)? I think if you can answer "yes" to those 6 areas, then go for it! It was fun, and frustrating, getting my 1980 XLS running so it is a dependable bike. But my bike had minor issues compared to what you are describing. If you decide to give it a try and can make it work, it will definitely be something you can be proud of.

[Iron Mike]

http://xlforum.net/forums/showthread.php?t=2077677