Harley-Davidson Panhead Restoration - Tapa blanda

The joy of getting a book like this is, it gives me a good excuse to go out, buy a Panhaed and restore it...except, of course, it dosen't work like that. What it does do, thoguh, is provide loads of reference material and masses of stripped engine/gearbox/ chassis photographs, taken mainly by the author, which ensures that each picture illustrates the point as needed. There's plenty of other useful stuff, like the speciality tools that make life easier, and how to fabricate said tools if you haven't got them to hand, as well as simple checks for frame alignment, spotting component wear, and lots and lots of measuring. which can be recinciled to Appendix A, where all the relevent information has been picked out for quick reference. That's all well and good if you have a genuine Panhead - which is going to limit it's market somewhat over here - but it does have an appeal to genuine classic petrol heads in that you can read it as a book in it's own rigth and get some insight into how Harley engines are put together. Some sections will have direct relevence to Shovelhead and Evo owners but even those running Twin Cams will get something out of it: much of the technology may have moved on, but the concepts are the same and are at the heart of understanding your bike. The biggest reassurance in terms of American-V's rifing ethos is that this is not about how to do a concourse restoration but a sympathetic one, and there is an undying sense that the restored bike will be ridden rather that tucked away for posterity. Consequently, it concentrates moe on measuring for tolerance rather than getting bogged down in a frenzy of rivit-counting, and in doing so it outlines the mechanical evolution of the model that spanned Harley's progress from the year of the Springer forks, through Hydra Glide, into Duo Glides and into the first year of the Electra Glide. An interesting book with a broader appeal than its title suggests. --American-V, December, 2009

Among all the older Harley-Davidson models, none holds the allure of the Panhead. Manufactured from 1948 to 1965, the Panhead might be called the first modern Harley. Rick Schunk starts the discussion of Panhead restoration with a brief history lesson, followed by a list of things to look for, and avoid, when shopping for a Panhead. Before starting on a restoration, you have to assess both the machine’s needs and your own abilities. The next section is dedicated to the bike’s chassis, like the rest of the book, this part is made up of photo sequences that explain exactly how to disassemble the chassis, repair the fork, and lace the wire wheels. Other chapters cover paint, engines and transmissions including the overhaul of both an engine and a transmission. Related components like the carburetor, primary drive, clutch and electrical components are covered as well. While there are other restoration guides, there are no how-to restoration books that provide extensive, start-to-finish photo sequences explaining each major operation necessary to the restoration of a Harley-Davidson Panhead.