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Shovelhead is the name of the Harley-Davidson engine used from 1966-1985. The shovel engine has rocker boxes, not covers, and rocker arms pivoting on shafts leading to castings on the heads. The whole thing resembles the back of a coal shovel.
The "shovel" cylinder head represented an offshoot of the panhead design it replaced in
1966 but featured a slightly different look. The name was derived from the appearance of the rocker box covers. Because these covers bring to mind the head of coal shovels when inverted, the name shovelhead was a natural progression. The shovel engines powered Harleys up until the introduction of the Evolution engine in 1984, ending the reign of the "shovel" as enthusiasts frequently call these engines. The shovel engine does not have covers, per se, but rocker boxes and rocker arms which pivot on shafts. The design provided more than a unique look; it produced 10% more horsepower than the panhead engine which it replaced. |
