I am also rebuilding an 81 XLH 1000 and it has been setting outside for 8 yrs. There are so many things to look at and as I was a Harley dealer several years ago up the Texas panhandle, I have been working on bikes, not all Harleys for a while. If you want to email me with your concerns, I would be happy to walk you thru any part you want to tackle. My email is ......dhipp@suddenlink.net