The oddball Har-Dav Serial Number thread!

[23JDCA 808]

“An experienced "stamper" (beery or not) would have done it right in his sleep.”
I’m told that the old pin-stripers could have a bucket of beer with lunch, and still pull a straight line the length of Cadillac or open touring. …bill

[HarleyCreation]

Notice the error on motor number 4366E cylinders only. Originally both cylinders (not the engine cases) were stamped 4567E. Pay close attention to the hardware on the 4366E motor it never has been apart the hardware is crisp as new. The cylinders were obviously stamped after plating. Herb how do you like these photos?
Joe

Joe, I'm loving these photos!

Very interesting how they restamped "4366E".

I'm seeing that BOTH "1544E" and "4366E" fall under one of these two models:

Mod. 9E, Twin Chain, solo (two-wheeler)
Mod. 9G, Twin Chain, "three-wheel truck or forecar"

[HarleyCreation]

Not much help

I bought this case some years ago,I was told it was from 1917.
it has the belly number B-111
anyone knows if it is form 17..?

http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/zz69/glaser31/?action=view&current=BILD0055.jpg

http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/z...t=BILD0057.jpg

Is the number just "21366" and nothing else? No letter?

If so, it doesn't match available H-D info.

After plain #10,000 (mid-1911), numbers should also have a letter. I don't see one here.

1917 singles should be marked "17S" "followed by the sequential motor number.

The belly number "B-111" tells us a little more. 1917 singles were belly marked "A7-1" and up thru alphabet. They still made singles in 1918 but I don't have the belly number data for that year. Can't say it's an 1918, but the belly number on yours suggests maybe not 1917.

[HarleyCreation]

Same bike, some 14's and all thirteen's had each cylinder and case stamped this way. I know of another 13 that is stamped in error like this case. I mentioned previously that the stamp guy must have been dyslexic.
Joe

Thanks for the info on the 1913-14 double stamped jobs. I made a note on that.

[HarleyCreation]

Courtesy of Slojo......

I see that I have some catching up to do. That eight-valve stuff has been warping my brain and absorbing all my time.

Like Pete said, this shows that errors were made. The "too-much-Milwaukee-beer" theory is a good one, altho those guys knew how to drink, or put another way, beer was like a food to them.

An experienced "stamper" (beery or not) would have done it right in his sleep. More likely someone illiterate or maybe the "kid" or "new guy" from the way those numbers are reversed. Put the new guy on a simple job but you can bet somebody checked his work and chewed him out for making dumb mistakes like this. Some guys started working there at age 16.

Or maybe a blind guy? That's a joke, altho they did have a blind woman on the job who inspected bearing smoothness by touch.

[glaser 31]

http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo...0&d=1263846883

http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo...1&d=1263847093

http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo...2&d=1263847121

[glaser 31]

Chirs I dont think its homemade,I looked on some of my others hd engines
from 1917-28.Some of them has also letters stamped into the generator foot,
they are stamped one with A one with Q and one with D.
I also read a thread that tommo posted about letters stamped on the cyl foot,
on the left side.
http://www.antiquemotorcycle.org/bbo...3&d=1263847209

[glaser 31]

you think its home made..? to protect agianst thief..

[Chris Haynes]

Looks like a former owner did some stamping.

[glaser 31]

I have got this engine,it has the letters FOY stamped on the generator foot.
and the letters YO on the crankcase,and also stamped YOY on the gear case.
and then Y on both cyl, and D 1 stamped on the flywheels ...? any knows what this means.

http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/zz69/glaser31/?action=view&current=BILD0070-1.jpg

http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/zz69/glaser31/?action=view&current=BILD0071-1.jpg

http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/zz69/glaser31/?action=view&current=BILD0073-1.jpg

[Slojo]

Notice the error on motor number 4366E cylinders only. Originally both cylinders (not the engine cases) were stamped 4567E. Pay close attention to the hardware on the 4366E motor it never has been apart the hardware is crisp as new. The cylinders were obviously stamped after plating. Herb how do you like these photos?
Joe

[c.o.]

[Slojo]

There are two bikes with the same number?

Same bike, some 14's and all thirteen's had each cylinder and case stamped this way. I know of another 13 that is stamped in error like this case. I mentioned previously that the stamp guy must have been dyslexic.
Joe

[glaser 31]

I bought this case some years ago,I was told it was from 1917.
it has the belly number B-111
anyone knows if it is form 17..?

http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/zz69/glaser31/?action=view&current=BILD0055.jpg

http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/zz69/glaser31/?action=view&current=BILD0057.jpg

[pete reeves]

It’s one bike with two sets of numbers, one under the front cylinder the other under the rear,(Correct for 1913).what these pictures show is that mistakes could be made at the factory ,possibly by workers who could not read or write or more likely by a worker who got more than his share of the free beer issue.
Pete reeves 860