Harley Oldschool Bobber
Life's a bitch... Thank God there's Harleys...
A Harley Oldschool Bobber is not built in a factory. She's built in a shed or in a garage, next to the house. By ordinary people, like us.
This is the story of two guys who share a love for Harley Davidson motorcycles. They both own Harley Davidson Evolution motorcycles, which look great, run great, and sound great. But I guess "great" was just not enough...
After lots of get togethers, lots of talking shop, lots of checking out greasy V2 magazines, and after all the options to improve and personalize their Evo's had been taken out (and after just as many boxes of beer...) the decision was taken: They wanted something really awesome!
So the idea was born. They were going to create their own mean street machine. It had to be an Oldschool or a Bobber, or something in between. Like an Oldschool Bobber.
And the V-twin engine had to be the one with the roughest toughest jawbreakin' loudest and meanest sound of all:
So after some looking around, and with just a little help from their friends, in April 2008 L&T found right what they needed: an unrestored 1973 Harley XLH Ironhead Sportster, with the right frame, the right engine, in a reasonable state, at the right price, and ready for restoration and rebuilding.
Our Harley Ironhead Old School Bobber Project
Below you will find a brief report on the status and history of our HD restoration and conversion project. Check out the menu at the right for the detailed reports on the various stages of stripping, cleaning and rebuilding of our Harley Sportster Bobber motorcycle.
July 2010:
License Plate Holder and Rear Light - With Jack Daniels Storage Facilities...
Check out how we made a custom license plate holder to which we fixed our Rockabilly style Bobber rear light,
and which at the back has a special space to store two bottles of Jack Daniels Old No. 7.
16 February 2010:
100,000 VISITORS !!! (in the first 22 months!!!)
On February 16th, 2010 we had the pleasure to welcome our 100,000th visitor!
That's ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND people in the first twenty two months since we started this site. And we know that many of these bikers, wrenches, Harley fans and friends are returning visitors who follow our progress and return here on a regular basis.
Thank you all for checking us out!
And we are not ready yet, so please come back soon!
November 2009:
Fire Extinguisher Bobber Oiltank Arrived!
This week the custom oil tank that L&T made from a blank fire extinguisher came back from
the Saval Fire Extinguisher factory in their hometown, Breda, the Netherlands.
The guys at Saval did a...
September 2009:
L&T's Own Oldschool Saddlebag Design
While a True Bobber doesn't go with anything that does not really contribute to speed or performance, every once in a while L&T
feel the urge to carry a six-pack somewhere...
August 2009:
Not Much Going On?
To the contrary, a lot's been going on during the months of June thru August 2009! It's just that we've come into a phase where the type of work we've been doing on the bike takes a bit longer to finish or is not really suitable for showing on a webpage. Like the design development of the oil tank, for example.
Please don't worry, we'll show you new stuff as soon as we can!
July 2009:
Fire Extinguisher Oiltank Conversion
One of the things that kept L & T busy over the last couple of months was the design and fabrication of the oiltank.
22 July 2009:
50,000 VISITORS !!! (in the first 15 months!!!)
While we reached 25,000 visitors on 15 March 2009, only four months later, on Wednesday 22 July 2009, we had the pleasure to welcome the 50,000th unique visitor to the Harley Oldschool Bobber website!
That's FIFTY THOUSAND bikers, wrenches, motor enthusiasts and friends in the first fifteen months since we started this site. And we know that many of you are returning visitors who check us out regularly!
This feels great. The Harley Oldschool Bobber Team would like to thank you all for looking at what we're doing!
May 2009:
Our Favourite Oldschool Classic Harley Tank Emblem
In our minds, the choice of Harley tank logo plays an important role in the overall impression that we aim to create.
May 2009:
We fixed the valve push rods and rocker boxes onto our 1973 Harley Sportster Ironhead engine!
April 2009:
It took a while, but we've got our cylinders bored, and we've got a new set of oversize pistons to match.
Our overhauled 1973 Harley Davidson Ironhead Sportster engine is starting to take shape!
April 2009:
Before we reassembled the rocker box units we checked all parts and cleaned and polished the rocker boxes so they now look like new.
April 2009:
For a more extreme Bobber look, L&T wanted the Sportster gas tank to sit higher on the frame.
March 2009:
Our super duper Nash Midget Gimps arrived! Although we like the regular Nash Gimp Hangers a lot, their Midget Gimps have the narrow design that fits our dreams of a slim and narrow bobber.
March 2009:
L&T made a new battery support out of angle bar and old leather straps.
15 March 2009:
25,000 VISITORS !!! (in the first 11 months!!!)
On Sunday 15 March 2009, we had the pleasure to welcome the 25,000th unique visitor to the Harley Oldschool Bobber website!
January 2009:
LnT bought a new Harley oilseal and a new gasket for the oilseal housing.
On this photograph all parts are ready for installation onto the main shaft of the Sportster tranny.
December 2008:
Here's how the rear wheel looks with a tire. This may not be the final choice of tire, but gives a good impression.
L&T's family and friends are all keen to support the Harley Oldschool Bobber project.
Here's L&T together with Mrs. Finet de Graaff-Versteegh, who sponsored the purchase of a super duper welding system.
Finet is T's mother-in-law, and at 81 she's still very young at heart!
L's father-in-law Piet is our lacing specialist.
Here the 81 years young man is showing the original 1973 HD Sportster brake hub laced into the new oldschool style 21" front wheel rim.
And ain't that a wheel!
November 2008:
In November 2008 we had our Primary Cover powder coated in this classic blue-grey colour.
To offset this oldschool colour, we replaced all nuts and bolts with the more pronounced chrome cap style nuts by
Colony Machine.
Early November the startmotor was back in place after it had been completely disassembled for cleaning and inspection.
October 2008:
By the end of October 2008, LnT had the primary side of the lower end of the 1973 Ironhead engine back in place.
4 October 2008: This Saturday morning L&T took delivery of their new stainless steel laces.
And they also found out what the new front wheel lacing arrangement should look like!
September 2008:
September 2008: Harley oil pump back in place, Harley cam gears lined up correctly, tappets being fixed in position,
almost ready to install the cam cover.
After the 2008 summer vacations we started the rebuilding of the lower end of our Ironhead engine.
Here's the left side motor case after cleaning and painting.
June 2008:
In June 2008 our partswasher arrived so we could start to thoroughly clean our Harley Ironhead engine parts
prior to restoration and rebuilding.
May 2008:
During the month of May 2008 we continued stripping the Sportster frame and the
Ironhead engine.
April 2008:
On 16 April 2008 we started to strip our 1973 Harley XLH. Here you see it reduced to a rolling frame.
35 years old 1973 Harley XLH Sportster Ironhead prior to stripping, cleaning, overhauling, restoration and rebuilding.
Toys for Boys... This photo was taken in April 2008 when L&T had just bought their 1973 Harley Davidson XLH 1000cc Ironhead Sportster for their Oldschool Bobber project.
Jan's 1976 Zundapp GTS50 Moped
Frans and his 1970 Jaguar XJ 4.2