I'm (was?) a football coach who has been given the (dubious?) distinction of having a reputation for thinking "outside the box".

My experience with motorcycles has got me wondering. My UL had a manual advance ignition and I would retard ONLY to start it. Otherwise a spring held it in full advance as per what all the "old guys" told me.
Later, running an ironhead, my mechanic buddy told me to static time and use brass ferrules to limit the degrees of adjustment in the Sportster centrifugal advance.
Both bikes would start everytime on the first lit kick after three full choke primer kicks (great drama when starting in front of an audience)

So I'm wondering;

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?p=58299

 

https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/...athead.573893/

 

Will it run with fixed timing? Sure. Will it run well, not overheat? Not likely. Just to run it on the stand you don't need anything.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of a model A or T, manual adjustable timing...use some sort of manual choke cable to adjust the advance.

I know that it's not right, but I have fooled around enough with straight pipes, aftermarket air cleaners and other foo-foo type gadgets to know that carbs n' vacuum advance curves are just compromised solutions to ignition science.

This load-o-matic thing sounds like what happens when you buy a new chromed foo-foo air cleaner and wonder why she's backfiring...

I kinda trust my ears more than I trust the vacuum created by a .080 drilled air passage in a 70 year old carb.

I'm just wondering...and as you reminded me, I'm kinda far from 4 wheels at this juncture.

BUT, unless I get EVERYTHING back to stock, I'm not loving the load-o-matic concept...gimme some weights!!!

 

A guy on Ford Barn/HAMB who is very respected (John Lawton) ran dyno tests on an 8BA with stock (blueprinted) Loadamatic distributor and compared it to results with a converted Chevy distributor. The Loadamatic did as well as the Chevy for power. The improvement the Chev distributor gives is on the street where load is constantly changing, and the vacuum and mechanical advance can be fine-tuned for optimal economy. If you run multiple carbs, you have no choice, you have to use a non-stock distributor.

Model T's ran at almost constant speed, had 4:1 compression ratio, and most people probably saw 30 mph max on a good road. Not much of a goal to aspire to.

As an aside, I have to wonder when you're going to decide what vehicle to get? What if it already has an engine, complete? If you want to use the H or G engines, with the T5, you have narrowed your possibilities quite a bit, unless you are going to do a lot of frame fabrication. The T5 will definitely require a fair amount of fab work no matter what. What are your thoughts on vehicles?

 

There were aftermarket kits that enabled timing adjustment from the driver seat. I have not seen such device in a long time. Search might turn up something.

 

We seem to have a different vision of the same reality.
I love flathead engines, I chose Ford because I can't have Harley.
My flatty would run nicely with fixed timing and air cooling.
It would certainly outrun a model T, A, G, H, and I guess most stock flathead 8's.

The ironhead was also fixed for all intents and purposes. I had the ironhead together for 25 years until I stupidly sold it.

Neither bike was stock.

I'm guessing that a light enough 4 wheel version of those cycles with a good H and a decent drive train would outrun a T 4banger and most stock V8 restorations too.

I cannot imagine myself running to swap meets to find NOS parts to restore anything.

The vehicle in mind is currently nothing, I don't know enough to choose. But the goal is turn key operation.

I do have an '08 F150 (had a '99 too), I like Ford trucks, and love Ford (all) flatheads.

I dunno if either engine will ever sit in a chassis, but if one of them ever does get back out there, it will work.
And it won't be a restored concours winner...might even have a few Chevy parts!
(I had a C-10 with an inline 6)

 

OT... but you mentioned it. What year and model of Sportster do you have? The reason I asked is I have a '62 XLCH... Just lost the shop I was using for my tear down and never finish the rebuild (friend had to move because of family emergency... I think someone might shoot me if I try to rebuild it in my living room. So it sits in my storage unit until I find another shop to move into and rebuild. Any Pics





We will now return you to your normal post!! LOL

 

Another instance of Sportster blues...I HAD a '73 XLH, button start. I traded for a kicker set-up because all sportsters should be kickers. I built in on the front screen porch while my pregnant wife complained about my lack of attentiveness to her condition (she seemed fine to me)
Most sporty owners (at the time, mid 80's) were looked down upon for lack of cubic inches and lack of funds. I was oblivious to the Shovelhead mystique, I had that flathead previously and knew that those shovels weren't much better, but Sportys were (dare I say it?) HOT RODS!
I once got a ticket for "no inspection", but the bike was also missing front brakes, horn, turn signals, mufflers, speedo, and whatever else I could unbolt and still have it run. I guess that describes my style of motor vehicle, no matter the number of wheels.
You photo is a little fuzzy...but I think I see a magneto peeking out from under that aircleaner? that must mean Tillotson? no float bowl? good luck with that...what year is the front end? single brake caliper looks like a dual set up, tho' it might be the 1974-75
Keep up the battle, watch out for worn kicker gear teeth!
I will look for some pics.
Use cigarette paper to check the static timing, and if you have the stock mag, I believe you have manual advance? (some set-ups, like Joe Hunt, were fixed timing...This bike should also outrun a Model T )

 

PS, if that horseshoe oil tank is OEM, it's a keeper! I just sold one on ebay, pits, dings and all, for $260.
The dipstick on a stocker is worth $50...

 

good eye Ricardo. That is a Mag under the cover. Kick only. I don't remember what front end is on it, I want a girder for the front... I was going to cut the frame and make it a ridge, but the frame was in-molested so I couldn't. I bought all new sheet metal and a friend sprayed it for me.


And it's a chrome horseshoe.

 

loud and dangerous...
my little pony and my last hurrah [before I hit the deer]
30 years of 4 cam bikes [no pics of the UL], all gone