Engine Installation

[Steve Swan]

Who knows the easiest way to install the engine in to the frame ?

Answer - There is NO easy way!

However - There is a way by which one person can have the engine bolted into the frame in easily less than 30 minutes - by themselves ! This tactic may be no secret to anyone - but i doubt it.

The EASY way is to slip the bare frame OVER the engine. To prepare, protect the frame from scratches, however you desire. (I use 2 layers of paper towels, wrapped in duct tape.)

This procedure is VERY EASY when using two people. One person can hold the engine from moving. (Still best to block engine into position, even with two people.) I use wooden blocks of different sizes with terry cloth shop towels laid over the blocks.

Procedure as follows:

1. Lay a thick, yet firm, pad on a solid surface. (I use 2 folded towels & lay them on the concrete floor.)
2. Block up engine so it rests on it's RH side (on points cover) on soft pad, perpendicular to solid surface (best to use an old points cover).
3. Carefuly slip the frame over the engine & when all lugs are aligned, drop in the rear lower through bolt. Next, drop in the front lower through bolt. Last, drop in the top through bolt.
4. Carefully bring the engine/frame assembly to the upright position.
5. SMILE 

[736cc]

HUMPING A SANDCAST MOTOR INTO A FRAME W/ A BUDDY AND A 6-PACK ONE OF LIFES GREAT PAINS. ONE NIGHT WE PUT 2 MOTORS IN THE WRONG FRAMES DURING CONCOURS RESTOS. REASON IT HAPPENED IS PROBABLY BEFOREHAND I FIGURED IN THE BACK OF MY MIND IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO MAKE THAT MISTAKE SO I DIDN"T WORRY ABOUT IT HAPPENING WELL IT HAPPENED. MURPHYS LAW TRUE STORY. 

[chrisnoel]

Don't wory. we won't laugh at your expense. Snicker. Snicker. I'm currently kicking myself in the A$$ for throwing my original rolled edge rim in a dumpster that has long since been emptied. If I wasn't afraid of prosecution for use of the dumpster I would be asking if I could be shown the landfill to rumage through. I even spent an hour pulling a regular rim off another 750 that was partially pinned under a semi trailer in the junk yard. How the heck was I to know that mis-matched cheapo looking rim was original? I didn't find out till a month or so later when the discussion of rolled edge rims came up on the SOHC4 site what I had done. I'm at the point now in my resto where I wan't to work on the wheels. I think the original one needed more than just re-chroming, but something would be better than nothing to work with. Oh well I just have to sit tight on my savings till one pops up.

[736cc]

Rumour has it Werner at Sayonora Cycles in Germany has some rolled rear rims available. I ordered one and am awaiting its arrival now.

[elisent]

Chris, Don't feel bad. You've learned your first restoration rule. Throw nothing away and don't leave anything where you bought the bike.

Steve Swan will relate to this. In the late 80s I bought an Indian 4 ,a 36 Sport Scout and alot of Harley parts from a widows garage in a row house in Philadelphia. The 40 something son had never even seen these bikes run. All of the bike parts were mixed with car, electronic and plumbing parts. It was 100 degrees and the garage door didn't work. I remember leaving this bandaid looking box. Could'nt be Indian!!! Turns out it was a one year only 1940 tool box I left behind to be thrown away. I found one eventually and it cost me $300.00. I was so dumb,hot and in such a hurry I probably left more than that. I now take every bolt,nut or piece of trash left behind. Never again do I want to wipe jerkoff off my forehead. Eli

[kp]

Hey AM Humping a sandcast motor with ya mate! Hmmmm That's a first, and I thought the kiwis were sick little puppies. Yuz musta bin drinkin tooooo much fosters. I told ya about drinkin that fosters swill. Affects the mind
The correct way to put a motor back into a frame is to chop the top side bars off. Don't worry about scratchin the paint cos ya paint the frame after the motor is in. A bit of overspray I agree but that's nuthin to the trouble you have welding the tubes back in.
The thing you really have to watch is the oil filter. I broke 3 early round style filter housings trying to get the motor back into my frame. No worries though, I worked it out in the end. I cut the offending frame downtube and got the motor home eventually. Only thing I got to work out now is where I put that piece of downtube. 

[736cc]

KP, u don't wanna know where to put that downtube...