Alright so here’s how I ended up messing around with this AMF Harley situation. Wanted to know if those bikes are actually worth messing with or just junk, y’know? Started out by huntin’ for a cheap project bike. Saw this 1977 FXE Hog sittin’ behind some guy’s barn lookin’ like a rust bucket trapped in spider webs. Tires were flat as pancakes and exhaust pipes looked like Swiss cheese. Thought to myself, “Man, this thing’s either gonna be gold or a dumpster fire.”
Get Your Hands Dirty Phase
Dragged that sad-looking beast home with my pickup truck. First thing I did? Stuck my head in the gas tank. Big mistake. Smelled like old varnish mixed with rotten eggs – pure gunk layer at the bottom. Pulled the petcock valve clean off and chunks of sludge followed. Could already feel my wallet screamin’.
The Ugly Truth Popping Up
Decided to turn the engine over by hand. Felt like somethin’ was fightin’ me – seized-up kinda feel. Pulled the plugs and poured Marvel Mystery Oil down the holes. Waited three days while it leaked onto my garage floor. Came back, whacked the pistons with a rubber mallet like I was tenderizing meat. Finally broke loose with this nasty grinding noise. That’s when I spotted the spark plug threads were stripped right out the cylinder head. Beautiful.
- Positive surprise: Opened the gearbox expecting cornflakes but actual gears looked half decent. Metal filings in oil though, obviously chewin’ itself up.
- Bad news hits back: Wiring harness crumbled like stale bread when I touched it. Whoever designed this electric system musta been blindfolded. Color codes? Forget it. Everything’s faded brown or crispy black.
- Shock suspension felt like pogo sticks made of concrete. Took ’em apart and found seals turned to dust. Springs were so rusty they painted my hands orange.
Making Sense Of This Mess
After two months of nights and weekends wrestling this iron pig, here’s the cold hard truth:
- Why They Suck: AMF cut corners like a kid with safety scissors. Cheap pot metal everywhere. Found paper gaskets thinner than toilet paper. Fuel leaks? Guaranteed. Every screw fought me like a angry badger.
- Why They Don’t Totally Suck: That Shovelhead engine underneath all the neglect? Solid as a rock once you de-gunk it. Frame wasn’t bent. Parts ain’t cheap but they exist online. Fix it proper and it’s pure old-school Harley thunder.
So yeah, got it running last Tuesday. Sounded like the sky was crackin’ open with a headache on wheels. But damned if I wasn’t grinnin’ like an idiot riding down my driveway belching blue smoke. Worth it? Only if you enjoy pain and glory mixed together with greasy hands. Would I do it again? Ask me after my knuckles heal.
