1950s Big Twin (Lark) electric start

[frankr]

quote mgsolakis:

I’m struggling to find the year but the model number is 50852. I don’t think it has a generator. So I assume I just tape off the blue and yellow. (your right the white wire is in fact a yellow wire). Does the red wire in the motor connect to the starter?

As a general rule, small red wire goes to choke solenoid.

[opposedtwin]

1957-1959 schematic

[mgsolakis]

Mine is the first picture

[frankr]

First wiring picture or first motor picture? If first motor picture, it is a 6 Volt system and nothing you said matches. If first wiring picture, you have a 1958 because 1957 did not have ignition switch wires, and 1959 had a fiberglass hood. HOWEVER, 1958 LARK had a lift-off squared-off hood made of aluminum, not a clamshell. 1958 BIG TWIN ELECTRIC did have an ignition switch and clamshell hood.

[mgsolakis]

Ok I do not know how to post pictures here but what I have is the Lark or maybe it’s a big twin with the clam shell hood. The reason I thought it was a Lark is because it has a chrome bit on the cowl. I have another big twin that is non-electric start that does not have the chrome on the cowel. It has a starter with no generator. I hooked it up as best I could and sparks were flying. So something is off for sure. It has symplix controls and a pull starter switch.

[opposedtwin]

can you email me pictures? I can post them for you. sabraaten@hotmail.com

[opposedtwin]

looks like you have a 1957 due to the wiring harness attachment. your other motor looks to be a 1957 big twin. do you have a solenoid/j-box for it? the wiring should be the same for both motors if it is a 1957. frank will know more and can help you with the wiring.

[1946zephyr]

Wires were cut?? There’s a huge red flag.
that typically spells. S. T. O. L. E. N

[frankr]

Well, the hood is a badly mistreated ’57 Lark. The electric starter and bracket are from a newer motor. Starter bracket does not have the support for the silencer (which is missing), nor does it have a hood mount. Hard to tell about the external cable. Something is wrong there. But I can tell you that ’57 cable is different than ’58-up, due to the addition of kill wires in ’58. ’58-up has more pins in the plug for that reason. A ’58-up cable will plug into a ’57 motor, but you can’t plug a ’57 cable into a ’58-up motor.

Bottom line is that motor has had parts substitutions over the years. I suppose you can make it whatever you want it to be.

[mgsolakis]

Thanks for the information. And thanks Scott for posting those pictures. I don’t think the motor was stolen (why would someone choose this beater) the gentlemen I bought it from was a club member and I don’t think he was in the business of stealing motors and then selling them. Also he pretty much gave me the motors. Maybe it was stolen a long time ago-who knows. As for the changed over parts I’m not too concerned as long as I can get it running. I could even transfer over the e-start parts to the Big Twin which does look in better shape to begin with. Is the solenoid a circular looking object on the side opposite the shifter?

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