From:56bob Electronic:hd56bob -A- yahoo.com
Subject:RE: Got a '55 hummer 165...need some advice/tips Date:Tue Sep 29 09:39:51 2009
Response to:13003


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Hello all,
My name is Joe. Im a welder/fabricator by trade. I build hot rods.

A friend of mine gave me his 1955 Hummer 165. He bought it new after returning home from service in the Coast Guard. He drove it year round, snow and all. Eventually the motor siezed, and he parked it in a barn. Years later his son attempted to restore it. He took out the motor and tranny and soaked them in a drum of kerosene. He finally freed up the engine, and tore it all down. He had all the parts on his bench ready for re-assembly. He bought the rebuild kit, and the decal kit for the bike. One night the barn that the parts were in burnt to the ground. Luckily the remnants of the bike were outside at the time of the fire.

Years later i was at my friend's shop sitting in his office talking about hotrods. Some how the topic strayed to motorcycles, and i mentioned that i've always wanted to build a post-war Harley or Indian. He rolls over to his desk, opens the center drawer, and pulls out the original operators manual for his bike. When i tried to make a deal for the bike he said that he wouldnt part with it, sentimental value and all.


Well....3 weeks go by and i get a phone call. "So when do you want to pick up the bike?" I was there that evening! He wouldnt take a dime, so now i HAVE to put this back togeather as a way of saying thanks. This is my first motorcycle, and my first motorcycle build. I posted a picture(i hope it works)

My questions are: What engines/transmissions can i swap into this bike? I am not really all that concerned about keeping the stock motor. Someone suggested a Triumph 175cc. Once again i do not know if that will work. I would like to keep the frame 100% original incase i find another 165cc.

I know someone who has what he thinks is a Hummer engine/trans. He bought it off of ebay in hopes to build a mini-chopper. When he recieved it he found it to be siezed. Now i may be able to get it cheap. The thing is now we are unsure if it really is a hummer engine. The casting # is 68ML4126. I called H-D in Millwaki, they really couldnt tell me to much about it. They did say it was a 125cc, but couldnt give me a year, or model.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Joe