Shovelhead - adjustable transmission mounting plate

ScrapMetal

Active User
Registered
Joined
Apr 6, 2011
Messages
2,082
Just finished this up today...

trannyplate01.JPG

trannyplate02.JPG

I wanted something more corrosion resistant that what was on the market already. Hopefully this will do it. It's made from a 4" x 0.5" 303 Stainless steel plate and I made the "sliders" from 464 "Naval" brass.

Here's where it's installed on the bike...

trannyplate03.JPG

and a pics of the larger project...

shovelbuild102.jpg

Hope you like it.

-Ron

trannyplate01.JPG

trannyplate01.JPG

trannyplate02.JPG

trannyplate02.JPG

trannyplate03.JPG

trannyplate03.JPG

shovelbuild102.jpg

shovelbuild102.jpg
 
Yes, that's a heavy duty tranny plate for sure! Good job!

Nice looking FL. You'll dig that late model caliper up front and that GMA on the rear is a good choice as well. Good 5/8" bore master cylinders are kinda hard to find these days though. Are you going to source that from GMA as well? I ask because it looks like a late model m/c on your late model floorboard brackets and they don't play so well together.

Nice stance. Looks kinda Pro-Streetish. Keep us posted.
 
Yes, that's a heavy duty tranny plate for sure! Good job!

Nice looking FL. You'll dig that late model caliper up front and that GMA on the rear is a good choice as well. Good 5/8" bore master cylinders are kinda hard to find these days though. Are you going to source that from GMA as well? I ask because it looks like a late model m/c on your late model floorboard brackets and they don't play so well together.

Nice stance. Looks kinda Pro-Streetish. Keep us posted.

This thing is a hodgepodge of parts. This started as a "build American" project wherein I would only use parts I could source, and verify, that were made in the U.S., even down to the bolts that hold it together. The engine is 100% USA but has very few "Harley" parts in it as they have sourced a lot of their stuff out since the '60s. A couple of glaring failures to follow this "creed" are the front sliders (Showa) and the genuine "Harley" cast wheels which were made in Australia. With that being the case, and in the interest of getting this project moving, I decided to back off a bit, use quality parts as I can find them, and replace them in the future if any U.S. parts of equal or better quality became available.

So what I have here is a '79 FXE frame with matching motor (VINs match), front end that is a mixture of '90s parts with '60s cowl and various parts, wheels from the late '80s, brand spanking new tranny (6 in a 4 Baker with kicker) putting power to the rear wheel with a BDL belt drive. Also, new Paugcho true duals with baffles, no mufflers (not sure how well that will work yet noise-wise) for the exhaust. Handlebar controls are 2006 Harley stock take-offs with the right master cylinder for the twin front brakes whereas the foot control/brakes are from roughly the same year Softail Classic (I have adapters made to fit the newer style controls on the old frame mounts). The sheet metal is a grab bag as well even though they are all "Harley". The rear fender is a '71 hinged fender off an old FLH, the tanks are from the early '70s and have the original screw mounts for the emblems built in to the tank but somewhere in the past they've had newer "screw in" gas cap mounts welded on instead of the old bayonet type, and the front fender is off a 2000-something Fat Boy softail (for which I'm making some custom adapters for).

It has a slightly different stance than a "normal" FLH would have because I've used some +3 degree bearing cups from Vulcan Engineering for the front end to push that wheel out a bit.

Here are a couple of pics of when I purchased it as a "basket case" a few years ago...

shovelbuild05.jpg

The engine build is a whole 'nother story unto itself...

shovelbuild12.jpg

It's been quite the "project" so far. :eek:

Sorry for the "TMI" (too much info ;))

-Ron

shovelbuild05.jpg

shovelbuild05.jpg

shovelbuild12.jpg

shovelbuild12.jpg
 
Good job on the project!!! Wow that motor sure came along way LOL. The trans plate looks great!! Good idea on the brass sliders. I'm sure thats going to work perfect. I'm doing a '79 FXE that was drowned in hurricane Sandy. Nice work your doing. Do you frequent any Shovelhead Facebook sites?
 
Although @ScrapMetal last posted to this thread in 2014, he is still active here.

That adjustable transmission plate should outlive us all.

Sorry for the "TMI" (too much info ;))

No such thing as "too much information".
We love to see crank cases on kitchen tables!

-brino
 
Back
Top