Yep, figured that would get your attention. I posting this thread for those of you who know your way around a machine shop and appreciate one off creations. As you all know I now have a Harley Davidson Servi car. I noticed when I first got the bike home the manifold was aftermarket and secured with stainless steel bands, the OEM set up secures with large nuts and copper bushings that tighten down on threaded nipples in the intake on each cylinder. I thought I would convert it back to stock and bought an OEM manifold and all of the hardware figuring the aftermarket system was an early kit to run a newer style Mikuni carb and easily replaceable. When I pulled it apart I found cylinder inserts that had replaced the stock nipples and the bands secured rubber o rings that hold the inserts and manifold together. Guess what, nobody in the world of Harley Davidson has ever seen this set up before, and I have checked with a lot of gurus. Most say it is probably a one off system that was made maybe as a pro- to-type by someone who knew how to machine metal. Like stock nipples the intake inserts are secured with pinged rivets that are a true nightmare to replace. Rather than drill out rivets and pull the inserts I am leaning to putting it all back together with new o rings and stainless steel bands, test for leaks, and go on with life. What talent to create something like this from scratch, I am ecstatic when I make a bracket out of aluminum.......
