Stephens knuckle head build

Draw-Tech · Nov 26, 2015

LOVE IT!!!

Jack

driller1432 · Dec 5, 2015

Naiveambition · Dec 6, 2015

I am very intrested in this motor and build thread. I hope to build this one also, and your thread is a great kickstart.

I have noticed in your photos that you are using belt drive inside the case. And was wandering if this was your choice or do the plans specify them.? The real motor is using an all gear drive so, Ease of assembly is the obvious choice,although I was under the impression the motor was scaled complete.

Great work and will be waiting for next weeks episode

10K Pete · Dec 6, 2015

Good grief those are some tiny little parts! Great looking stuff. Can't wait
for more.

Pete

Draw-Tech · Dec 6, 2015

Hi Stephen

I just want you to know how excited I am about your build of my motor. It has been a long time coming for me to see it become a reality. This shows the world how good a machinist you really are, I wish that more of the younger people would take up where us older guys left off as conventional machinists, They have to remember we made the first CNC with a good old stand behind Lathe, and Miller.
Again I want to thanks Steve for doing a great job this kind of talent you were borne into.

Jack
Draw-Tech

Draw-Tech · Dec 6, 2015

Naiveambition said:
I am very intrested in this motor and build thread. I hope to build this one also, and your thread is a great kickstart.

I have noticed in your photos that you are using belt drive inside the case. And was wandering if this was your choice or do the plans specify them.? The real motor is using an all gear drive so, Ease of assembly is the obvious choice,although I was under the impression the motor was scaled complete.

Great work and will be waiting for next weeks episode

Hi Naiveambition

The reason for the belts is for the starter motor, which once running, with the use of a knife switch it will turn into a 12 V generator. (Light a bulb or something.) This whole motor was designed from pictures,drawings,some actual dimensions from a real KH. Every part of this motor has to be made, oil line fittings, because could not find with the right threads, and tube size. The carburetor, total from scratch, so prepare to have a magnifier handy. It has a lot of Harley, and a little of me.

Jack
Draw-Tech

driller1432 · Dec 8, 2015

Naiveambition

Jack said it all, when you get into the build you will understand all the thought and design Jack put into the design of this engine, like how the oil from the top end drains back first down drain tubes on outside and also down pushrods tubes down to lifters
And lifter guides have small grooves to allow oil to pass through to crankcase thus oiling entire valve system. I don't know if Harley's work that way but it's little details like this that make Jacks plans great.
Steve

Rozlo · Dec 8, 2015

Doing a great job. Very good work.

Naiveambition · Dec 8, 2015

Thanks for the response. I hope that I didn't come off as rude concerning the plans. Was simply asking a question of why.

.

I am duly impressed with the plans and the build itself. So much so that my long term goal is to be able to trade this motor to a friend for a 69 olds cutlass. And I think that with him being a big Harley fan, he will be super impressed with this motor and might be enough to win him over.

Hopper · Dec 9, 2015

"This whole motor was designed from pictures,drawings,some actual dimensions from a real KH."

Surely the KH was a sidevalve (flathead) engine with four separate cams on four separate spindles each with its own gear? And the Knucklehead was designated EL and then FL?

Nonetheless, wonderful drawings and some wonderful workmanship on display here. I stand in awe at both.

Might have to steal some of your methods and build me a model of my 42 WLA Flathead Harley engine. No rocker gear to mess about with. But machining the cylinders in one piece including the ports could be a challenge to this non-CNC machinist. But certainly do-able.

Doh!!! I just realized you were using KH to refer to Knuckle Head!!! Doh. Got it confused with the HD factory model designations. (K was a 750 Flathead, KH was a 900 Flathead that morphed into todays XL Sportsters.)

driller1432 · Dec 9, 2015

Naiveambition
I didn't think you were rude, not one bit. Thanks for your participation that's what makes all this fun sharing ideas, opinions etc. I hope you are able to build it some day and to any one else that builds it I would love to share extra parts that I have left over i.e. O rings and other materials I had to buy in quantity . Thanks everyone
Steve

chrispare · Dec 9, 2015

The gears are they made or bought?

Rozlo · Dec 9, 2015

I've been riding and working on Harley's for about 25 years now and that is a work of Art. Jack you have done a great job at the design drawings I just down loaded them also and will start this project as soon as my shop is finished. Stephen you are doing fantastic job I can't wait until I start. I've build a lot full size motors in the past mostly high HP but this is the coolest thing out there today. I found a guy in Ohio that has build that V-twin that was in Popular Machinist way back in the day but its nothing compared to this build and design here. Thanks guys you have inspired me to get off my ass and getter-done.

driller1432 · Dec 9, 2015

Crispare
The gears are purchased with some slight modifications to hubs

jkohlbrecher · Dec 9, 2015

Hi...New to the Forum, been lurking in the shadows. But I couldn't let this go without comment. I worked at a local technical school for motorcycle repair for 18 yrs., the last 5 or so years in the Harley Early Model Program. We covered all the years from 1936 to 1999. To the point, aside from some internals, you really nailed this motor down. The heads alone would have scared me off if I were to try to duplicate them. I appreciate your work and I hope others well do so as well. Well done! You should be very proud...................Regards, jkohlbrecher

driller1432 · Dec 10, 2015

Jacks just awesome!

Hopper · Dec 11, 2015

Driller, where did you buy those tiny gears from for the cam drive?

Draw-Tech · Dec 11, 2015

Hi All
Thanks for all the nice remarks, Naiveambition as Steve said questions create progress. We all are a world family to help each other when we can. (keep up the remarks) jkohlbrecher, thank you, I only wish I had a real motor to reverse engineer, it would have been more accurate. What can I say about Steve, (Just look at his work) Hopper I believe it was from http://www.sdp-si.com/ great place. Here is a sample of the parts of my V 12 radiator.
Jack
draw-tech

driller1432 · Dec 11, 2015

Hopper
Jack is correct I purchased all gears belts and pulleys from Stock drive products If I remember right cost was about a $100.00 for all
Steve

Hopper · Dec 12, 2015

Thanks guys for the pointer to SDP on the gears. A treasure trove of useful bits to be sure!

Stephens knuckle head build

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