Shovelhead ‘Star’ Motor Case

[wideglide38]

A buddy has a ’83 FLHS with the 17 digit VIN (left case)and four stars stamped on the right case where the older ’70-’80 VINs were previously stamped. Several friends were discussing the change and one friend piped up and said the ‘star’ motors were rare and special, close tolerance machined cases that were originally stored by the MoCo and somehow got into production.

I figured the ‘stars’ were stamped to eliminate re-stamping cases for older machines and that they are not rare cases.

Is there any truth the rareness story or was it a feature to eliminate re-stamping?

Thanks,
William

[Jerry Wieland]

When they moved the VIN to the left case they put stars on the right case until they rounded off that area. Late Shovelheads and early Evo's are such.

Jerry

[wideglide38]

When they moved the VIN to the left case they put stars on the right case until they rounded off that area. Late Shovelheads and early Evo's are such.

Jerry

Thanks Jerry. What I still trying to determine is if my assumption is right about the purpose of the stars (discouraging re-stamping)?

William

[Jerry Wieland]

Thanks Jerry. What I still trying to determine is if my assumption is right about the purpose of the stars (discouraging re-stamping)?

William

I would think that that was the idea. Jerry