I've been staring at the flat head photo last posted. So simple & elegant that the Old guy was mentally transported to the late fifties & a simpler time. The sights and sounds of '49 & '50's Fords and Mercs "dragging Main street on saturday nights glass packs, Smitty's and "lake pipes" singing a most pleasant melody.
I was at the time modifying a badly worn & 'wanked out Cushman 8 hp scooter, flat head of course. Thirteen years young and into the need for speed. Bartel's machine shop align bored the jug .030 over size, decked it, smoothed and matched the ports milled the head to boost compression (I'd already spent many hours polishing to a mirror finish by hand), balanced the rotating assembly, shaved the flywheel & cooked it in the acid bath...all for $30.!! I installed (under the watchful eye of a fine mechanic) the "full race" Isky regrind cam shaft. The cam core was returned to Isky for a $5. rebate) and springs, Jahns piston and Grant rings installed; all these Cushman speed parts were purchased through the southern California speed shop Honest Charley's and selected from one of their mail order catalogs... along with a Dellorto round slide carb scavanged from a small foreign bike found in a salvage yard? Of course the baffle was pulled and the sound was similar to the burble pop of a one tube Harley flat head. Ran great & only the big 4 speed Mustang scooters could deal with it in a race. All these good memories were brought back to life through sharing your excellent flat head build with old guys like me and encouraging everyone of all ages to dream and build. Rick C.