Can We Save this Flooded Harley Flathead Sitting 10 Years?
2023 ж. 8 Жел.
116 749 Рет қаралды
Today we try to see if we can get this FLOODED out 1939 Harley running and back on the road for the first time in 10 years. Will it be a success or complete teardown?
Dale's Wheels Through Time Museum, located in Maggie Valley, NC, features over 375 American motorcycles, unique cars, and transportation history.
For more information about the museum, visit www.wheelsthroughtime.com
To purchase tickets for your chance to win our Annual Raffle Bike, visit www.wheelsthroughtime.com/win-...
Like these videos and want more exclusive content? Become a member of "Dale's Channel" at www.daleschannel.tv
Facebook.com/wheelsthroughtime
Instagram.com/wheels through time
I am dumbstruck, that you even attempted to run the engine with out even checking what crap/crud was in the bottom end, infact quite unbelievable
YEAH , HOW BOUT THAT ??????? WOW , WOW !!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS FOR POINTING OUT WHAT I WAS " HORRIFED " TO SEE TOO !!!!!!!!!! SURE BET THOSE CYL.'S & PISTONS LOOK SPORTY AFTER THAT DRY - START !!!!!!!!!!!!! MEANWHILE , BACK AT THE FARM , YA GOT ALL THESE " ASS - KISSERS " COMMENTING ON HOW MUCH THEY WANT TO BE HIM ( WHEN - THEY - GROW - UP ) !!!!!!! THE ICING ON THE CAKE , WAS THE OWNER , LETTING IT SIT 10 YEARS FULL OF WATER !!!!!!!!!!!! " CLASSIC- CASE " OF ADDING INSULT TO INJURY !!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH , BUT HE HAD HER SHINNY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A SUPREME JACK ASS OF THE HIGHEST CALIBER, NO LESS !!!!!!!!!!!!
Agreed.
I have have never nor will ever fire up a motor that's been sitting without changing ALL Fluids! Extremely unprofessional!
Exactly why would u attempt to start it with water in it. Dumbest idea ever
Considering the video that just came out... ouuuff f, the INSANE amount of rust and it required a FULL engine rebuild. Yowza
Come on man, that dude polished that bike for a month before you showed up.
Yeah seems pretty fishy to me.
He cleaned it up nicely after the flood, and kept it clean all these years, but had no idea the extent of damage inside the engine. Just goes to show that looks can be deceiving.
@@wheelsthroughtime....like you said about flood cars.........
@stevefavia, story doesn't flesh out... looks like the flood story was added to make a buying trip more interesting.
You know, it seems weird, but there are people who like bikes but have absolutely no brain for mechanical things. They keep their stuff clean and do inspections by the odometer but couldn't tell apart a clutch from an alternator. So they will keep a bike clean but are entirely reliant on a mechanic for even the smallest of issues.
Matt, I would personally like to thank you for everything you do and thank you for posting on KZhead. Cheers
Thanks you for watching!!!
It’s always interesting to see Matt’s going around the bike and pointing out vintage of different parts. Matt’s methodical way of going through the bike and systems is enjoyable to watch. There is no fooling the master!!
All that damage and the old girl still started on the 4th kick. That is engineering at its finest and I hope she gets to take to the road again 🏴
The way it started, I never would have thought there was a problem
What damage?
Hurricane special. Includes souvenir beach sand.
I'm jealous 😫 what a beautiful bike. If anybody can resurrect this bike we know it's you.
Matt, you know you were going to buy that pretty bike the first time you saw it. It's a disease, but a good one. Keep the good stuff coming guys.
You need a bore scope to look into the cylinders
Cant believe you would even start it when you know its been in a flood and damage it more.you better than that matt .
Pulled a 1920's Peugeot car from a basement on long Island, had been down there since the 50's only to wind up completely submerged in hurricane sandy. It still had water in the pan when i got it. Runs now, but would have been a lot nicer without the bath. Cant let the water win!
I'm surprised you started it without shining a torch through the sump plug hole; hubs will need sorting too. And the gearbox/primary?
So sad to see this machine having flood damage....If anyone can get her back into shape it will be Matt!!! Can't wait for the next episode!!! Thanks guys!! Y'all are the best!!!
If I had a flood damaged bike, I would of changed the oil at least. It would have been nice to start the bike back then before storing for 10 years with water.
my thoughts exactly absolutely foolish not to have immediately drained and changed the oil, let alone let it sit a decade.
Note to self. Never start a flooded bike without pulling the cam cover first.
These vlogs are so awesome, the set up, the production and style is so viewer friendly. You know more about Harleys than Harley does themselves. If I didn't live on the other side of the earth I'd be hanging around annoying you in bulk! Cheers from Australia.
Yeah mate I'm with you, Rj in NSW
I have a 1989 Flhtcu that's still on the road , it's not a 1930's classic but still a cool EVO motorcycle. I want to ride it to the museum next year. Have not been on a road trip in a while.
Best thing you can do is check everything from top to the bottom, front to the rear, oil tires, fuel tank. Everything. I have a 1993 FLHS. I also plan on riding down to The Wheel's Through Time this coming Summer of 2024 (I'm only 3hours from there). Hope to see you there.
That's a beautiful bike. If the rebuild works out, she might be a keeper.
Enthusiasm and expertise. Fascinating.
I'm not a Harley guy, but when this popped up on here I had to watch it... I can appreciate how rare and amazing that bike really is. You also gotta love that workshop -= Polished floorboards!!! I could also listen to your explanations of the parts and accessories on the bike all day - makes understanding the history of the bike a lot easier for a non harley Aussie.
Seeing Matt work then talk about his dad like he is right there with him is suttin special ...
Man I wish I was there just sitting beside you guys learning how to do all this stuff. These old bikes, fascinate me.
Man thats a beauty rig!
man that bike is a beautiful machine !!!!!!
Hi, I miss your dad he seems like he was a good man. Great show
I figured it be full of sand . I have work on a couple cars from Florida floods . It’s amazing what that stuff will get in to
Great content Matt, thanks for sharing it.
Such a beautiful bike, it will be a shame not to get it running again.
Your a legend Matt, youll get it goin man... Always a thumbs up guys, love what you all do.
Excellent, i love this stuff and appreciate everything you bring to us, thanks
At least it is now in the masters hands and will be saved from more damage. They definitely called the right person for the job at any cost. Dale is watching and proud 😊
I would imagine a complete tear down is in order. Bearings just marinated in sand , milky oil . It amazes me how something can look so pristine on the outside and be a disaster inside. Like you said, looks can be deceiving.
And this is why I don't understand _getting it to run_ is such a big deal. Unless the engine is 100%, _getting it to run_ is very likely to cause damage.
I was thinking the same thing. Why would you just start this thing up without flushing this engine out first?? If he flushed out the motor first this probably wouldn't have happened. I would've put oil in the cylinders, removed the case covers and flushed everything out with gas, my pressure washer and then blew it all off with my compressor, so instead he basically circulated all the crap in there throughout the entire engine. I never seen anyone handle a flooded out engine like this before, this could've easily been avoided 😮
suely the first thing to do after flood damage is to check and or change fluids, common sense...
Me, personally, I wouldn't even think about turning this thing over until after it's been completely stripped down. What if there's been water in the bores and the rings are corroded and seized and when you turn it over the rings break and score the bores... oh my... but then again, I don't know anything about Harleys so maybe that doesn't apply 😅@@JoeBilello1969
Can't wait to see the teardown
Should have checked the lower area before starting it...
Matt it's great to see your show. I didn't know you were on KZhead. I watched the show when I had Dish, but couldn't find it now that I'm streaming. I love the show. Hope your Dad is well.
Looking forward to winning the beautiful bike,that is being raffled,in 2024. Planning a ride to the museum next year. Beautiful bike in the video.
Thank you for your support!!
I would've been hesitant to start it knowing it was in 2 floods. Glad to see its getting completely overhauled
Got my popcorn ready.
The Prince of this world restored that wonderful motorcycle
You know when and were a hurricane 🌀 is going for a week and the bike just sits on low ground 🤷♂️🤔,sad😢
I've had a few engines through storms here in North Carolina, back in the eighties. You either get them right off or you deal with substantial corrosion. I spent seven years in Kaneohe Hawaii, in the Marines through hurricanes, and we lost lots of high tech equipment to water intrusion, very expensive. If you decide against, I'd be pleased to make an offer on the bike.
I've never been a fan of red on anything, but damn it to hell that's a beautiful bike, especially with the sidecar, Rj in Oz
I think u should fire up a reality show going around getting old harleys running again that would be awesome...
It's a gorgeous bike, that red is super nice. If nothing else works, need to track down a new motor for it.
I was hoping it wouldn't have that issue, but it does. Maybe it'll be running right in the next video of it.
Damn....thoughts and prayers!!!!!!!
That bike is gorgeous
Matt is a walking motorcycle history encyclopedia.
What a nasty deal but thanks Matt & Chris 👍 Old F-4 Shoe🇺🇸
Damn, that sucks. Well at least it's in the right hands
You said it: by the time I rebuild it, it might be something I want to buy.” Go for it!
It's crazy what gets in to a sealed engine from a flood. The 2023 raffle bike was the perfect motorcycle for me unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. I already have tickets for a shot at 2024 bike. It looks like it stepped right out of 1936 such a beautiful build you guys should be proud your passion shines through. But that 2023 bike was perfect its going to haunt me forever.
Good luck in 2024! Thanks for your support!
engines are not sealed the crankcase has to breath, therefore water can enter.
The wheele bearings are proly shot
It's a testiment that even with water damage that it even ran!! These bikes in the Great war were designed to survive the environment!! Long live the WLA Flaty!!
My favorite Motorcycle
Having plenty of bikes, a proper workshop, but haven’t got around to drain the bikes from flood water immediately after the incident? That smells more then fishy to me!
Yeah and its his favorite bike too.
I learned a long time ago the sooner you drain the oil out of the engine and transmission the better. After water has been inside the engine case for awhile it'll require a complete overhaul of both engine and transmission. Bearing contaminated is where the biggest damage will be found. Just like those Cam were corroded so will the main bearing. Best thing is, it is all fixable.
Sometimes we neglect things we shouldn’t. 🤷♂️
Heartbreaking for sure. That water has been in there for years.
That's just heartbreaking. Hopefully it didn't get sand to the crank and rod bearings. So now he'll know to go though the servi car engine before even kicking it. It sucks, but what are you gonna do. I went though a Ford 351 that was under Missouri river flood water for 5 days. The finest silt you can imagine got into every passageway in it. It seemed like the more you cleaned and blew out with air and pressure washer, the more came out. But it did finally get clean.
Sounds like a big job!!
no one mentioning Stan's awesome garage, or the 4 antique phones...
Hate it that you have to go thru the trouble of splittin the cases. I know what you mean about workin on bikes or cars in your regular space and how you have spots set up for certain jobs. All of my case and cam side lapping arbors are actually right next to me on the bottom shelf of the coffee table. Sounds strange I know but it’s climate controlled and a comfortable spot that isn’t out in the shop where I get aggravated at projects and walk away from them till too much time passes and end up forgetting measurements or how much clearance I had planned to run. Also it’s right by the stack of notebooks I make up and keep notes in for every bike. On another not so crazy sounding note, opportunity fell into my lap a couple of days ago. Ex brother in law hit me up about the possibility of selling one of his prized possessions. But the bullet yesterday and took him the cash for a 54 KH model that I got running for him in 2004. Someone in the comments called it a disease but it’s more of an addiction. Good luck on the rebuild of the flatty, I hope it doesn’t doesn’t involve cam and drive side pins. Either way starting with a complete engine is a good starting point, built some that started with just a left case and though it can be done it’s not ideal. Again, good luck with the rebuild and best wishes to y’all for the upcoming holidays. 👍
It's like Roseanne Rossannadanna used to say - If it ain't one thing, it's another thing!
First thing I would do is drain the motor & trans & (and the carb) before even kicking it over.
Hey ...Everyone bitching on him for not sorting the bike out after the flood, has obviously not had something brand new be destroyed just after they got it. I had a boat, sold my business to buy it, effing thing got flooded out about 3 months after I got it. I couldn't look at the thing. I know I had to do shit though it was fuqoed, it took me a while to be able to clear it out. Also had a Mini Cooper...it took 2000 hrs to finish.....2 years later I crashed into a lake...That stood for 12 years before I restored it again. Don't jump to conclusions.... Am super surprised that Matt tried to start it without checking it for sand...
If the engine is that bad the transmission and primary will be too. I hope you can restore it to running again
Wizard !
Hi, i am looking to buy a WLA and ride it from one ocean to the other. My project is to buy a WLA around Vancouver and bring it back to the atlantic ocean crossing the Canada. I would like to know if my project is possible. I plan to ride around 6-8 hour a day for around 20-25 days. I have rebuld modern motorcycle and have good mechanical skills. I plan to buy a old, not fully restored WLA for around 15 000 to 20 000 to do the trip. Any insight is welcome, I know it wont be easy, i know i will have to fix things along the ride. What is the level of crazyness of this idea from one to ten? And is there any chance of sucess? Thanks in advance for your reply.
You said it had a fat, blue spark, that was bad, but you did not explain the spark you wanted, and why big fat blue is bad. I can never have enough deep details from you. Thanks.
sand....natures lapping compound
Did he ever answer you, when you asked how high the water it sat in got?
This should be a giveaway bike !
The carburetor whisperer
Hey Matt!! Future raffle bike??? 👍🏼👍🏼 Please!?
You never know. Thanks for watching!
Tbf shouldn’t of kicked it over, let alone run it before inspecting everything
Well he probably should have done something with it shortly after it was flooded instead of waiting so long. You might not have all that rust.
The red pan head will be back up in running in no time
Good day. Those look like stock Harley flywheels. I do not think they are stroker. Smitty
Well its been under water and wasnt flushed out. Might look pretty on the outside but there's going to be build up and corrosion on the inside. If flod water got into the engine, how about the wheels? Maybe check out the brakes and bearings?
Trade the Servi-car with bad trans for the rebuild on the '39?
See you got a good wrench wart out of it Matt - Lefty
MATT, COMMON SENSE, TWO FLOODS TWO TEAR DOWNS..... BUT YOU KNOW THIS......BIKE IS NICE... STARRY EYED MONSTERS FROM DOWN SOUTH...
Oh man what a bummer , could say more but won't
Well that sucks. Give him a price for repairs and buy it and fix it up on your schedule.
🤔
Guy has a shop like that, and let it sit 10 yrs??? Im not buying this. There is NOOO way i would even ATTEMPT to do anything other than rip it apart to clean up EVERYTHING. Wish it was mine.
It runs..just needs some tlc.
Oh so pretty
That insurance asessor had probably seen this all before ,Writing it off as a bad lot but of course it's too nice for that ,Sandy silt is the worst ,it should have been stripped and fixed straight away. that's not a nice job and hope running it has not caused any real problems but as you say they are tough old steeds. good luck it seems you need it.
Had it for 10 years and didn't do anything after the flood .....
My heart hurt when we pulled that cam cover off…
Wow I wonder if you can find a beard in your shop lol.
I'm a millennial age 38. I have a good paying job. Between my mortgage the kids and other bills there's no way to afford a Harley. Even if I could what makes a road glide cost as much as a small SUV. I would not pay that much for something I can't use all year or bring home my groceries. Don't get me wrong I love Harley's and would love to have a new one. My Harley was totaled a year ago and I decided to rebuild it rather than get a new one based solely on price.
Must of been fresh water
Itshould have been pulled apart after the first flood. Can't take expensive chances
Engine rebuild time.
love sidecars mybe becouse i rife one (1986 BMW K100) not amarican shhh
I'm a bit skeptical and I'm thinking he's a scammer here. Soooo, he basically admitted to collecting insurance on this bike TWICE and almost slipped about how much money he made from it, so he should just give him a price for it "as is" and let it go to a better home instead of using these guys to fix it so he could get even more for it.......that's where my cynical mind went immediately and people always hang themselves if you listen to them talkin'. I knew so many people who bought motorcycles without knowing a thing about how to fix or work on them. He probably made 1-1/2 what he paid, so he's already ahead but he's looking for more🤑 If he made all his money back or possibly even made money off the insurance company from it, he should be a decent human being and donate it to the museum instead of being greedy. They better find out if it was totaled or has a salvage title now, which is a possibility and thats why he hasn't done anything with it, an insurance company will total something and just let you keep it, I had that happen with a couple of my cars. I'm sorry, but I immediately think the worst of people and am more often right than wrong😢
Those were my thoughts exactly 30 seconds into the vid, what not even pull plugs and sqiirt some marvel oil in to loosen up the rings? Anyone that would let a beautiful classic piece of iron like that sit should be kicked in the nutz!!! Damn, i would have been draining EVERYTHING 10 min after getting it to high ground!!! LONG before bothering to call the ins co. Greedy scammer more woried about MONEY than saving a piece of HISTORY. DISGUSTING
😱😱😱😱
There are 2 different types of flood vechicles. Salt water v fresh water.
I guess Stan should have spent a little time changing oil instead of decorating his walls with cheesy rebel flags ?
It's going to cost a good few $/ pounds .to rebuild the bike .if the owner sell it ( hopefully not )
If you have a nice bike like that and live in a flood area, jeez man keep it on a bike lift dude 😮