Chief

I've been working on a `47 Indian Chief for an older fellow. Due to a busy schedule and sickness, it has taken me about a year an a half. I've built everything 45 ci and up in Harleys (excluding Knuckles-my next project)and have experience as an automotive machinist previous to `82when I went full time on bikes.
I just got this thing running yesterday and put about twenty miles on it. I took it over to the 76 year old man that owns it and let him have a ride. He started it three times. This is a man that has to wag oxygen around with him.
I'm totally impressed with how easy these things start. This has KIWI wheels,rods and pistons to make it an 80" engine and its a one kicker the first day it runs!
I balanced it just like I do HD's, I used .001 for roller bng clearance, and set the end plays by the book, and this puppy is smooth. I reduced the piston/cyl wall clearance by .001 from recommended, but built torque plates, and had the piston skirts tefloned. I also had the cylinders powdercoated outside and the combustion chamber area, and ports ceramic (thermal barrier) coated. I had the valve stems, pushrods,cam gears, valve lifts,and one oil pump gear tefloned. This puppy runs quiet! It doesn't seem to get as hot as it did previously.
I guess all the hours of hand fitting, lapping, welding, filing, and all the studying I had to do to to learn the secrets of the Indian as well as the phone calls to the folks at KIWI and others paid off.
Now it might be time to drag my `47 Chief out and start on it....and figure out some way of getting th throttle on the right side!

Good job! Care to share which companies you used for teflon, ceramics, etc? What other mods did you make in the cykinder area?

Thanx

I understand how you are shocked.

I'm still surprised after all of these years every time a fresh motor starts like it never cooled down!

Guy, I've got a friend here in Tulsa that does high performance coatings. These were all done as a test with the owner's consent. If they continue to work as well as they seem to be , and I can do some comparisons to other Indians once it is broken in. Then I will offer them as a service to anyone intrested. The coatings aren't that expensive.
This bike wasn't ported, but my motor will be. I am planning an 84" for my chief, as I can't leave things alone. I got the timing set with a light last night, and today when I rode it, it about ran out from under me in second. On this bike I don't know if it is the 80" displacement increase, or the cams I had ground for it. It sure has a lot of torque.

I think the ceramic thermal barriers are a great idea. It should help the engine efficiency, and also make it run cooler by keeping the heat in the chamber and not in the heads.
What did you do with the cams? My old girl could use a little more grunt.

I sent them out and had them reground. I didn't get the specs, but he was able to save them and they are torque makers. By the shape of the lobes, they are less duration than the stock cams, but appear to have more lift. I don't think they would be optimum for highway use, but for around town they seem to be good. I think KIWI has bonneville cams, depending on your combination

I just noticed in the 2002 'Flathead Restoration' catalog from Vtwin: Savannah Cams by Sifton, to be used withstock lifters, 36-47 and 48-53. .415 lift, 285 duration. Spesive at $460 a set.

HOOT

Hoot I thought Sifton was out of business?, are these leftovers, has anyone run them?

Tedd basically bought the name.
I ordered a set of hydraulic units last week and they arrived with a Sifton label. Funny thing is,.. they were Dixies!

Boogs 'n' Cotton
I guess whatever Sifton is is now what Tedd's is I guess. Me, I never chased the Sifton market. I guess they've gone 3rd generation then. As far as Dixie is concerned, thru the years, I've looked at the machine marks and fits of every different manufacturers parts and they seem to distribute a much higher quality than most of the megabuck outfits. I do prefer a better part wrapped in a 'Dewine's Inoculator Field-Pak for Soy Beans' bag or a 'Piggly Wiggly' bag any day. Definitely seen alot of cross polination between the taiwan market pieces. And whatever Tedd's sales, in black and white, is what you can only hope is what it is supposed to be.

HOOT

Just to add on: "Sifton" cam sets for 45, 45WLDR, WR, UL-ULH, WR flat shoe tappet/lifter kit with matching blocks from Tedd's new flathead catalog

[This message has been edited by HOOTER (edited 10 January 2002).]

I sent these cams to Web Cam in CA. I couldn't tell about the heat treat after they ground them because they coated them with a dry film lube. I don't remember off the top of my head, but I think it was in the neighborhood of $150.00. If they hold up they will sure be worth that, but only time will tell. My nephew has used them for cams for his Japenese road racer with no problem.

[Admin]

Hi HOOT,

Those "Sifton" W and U cams from Tedd sounds very much like European made to me....??

Haven't seen the new catalog yet, anything for a KH? G

valves, guides, springs, spring covers, collars, shafts, pins. Sounds old hat to me. No cams.

HOOT

Same old crap. G