The oddball Har-Dav Serial Number thread!

[23JDCA 808]

I'd love to have a good clear photo of the serial number on 23-JDCA-808. It's a great example of an honest under "1000" number. Thanks!

Here is the vin. ...bill

[HarleyCreation]

Here is the vin. ...bill

That's a very cool under-1000 number. A little blurry tho. If your camera has a macro setting you can get close up and still be in focus. It's good to see those antique Harley numbers and letters crisp and sharp!

[HarleyCreation]

I've got a drive side crankcase half that has the number 6003 DG and a belly number of 6003 DG.
I'm having trouble getting a clear enough digital photo but as soon as I do get some good ones I will post them.
Is this of interest and what you want?

I missed this post. Sorry.

Try your camera's macro feature. That helps get sharp closeups. Try not to use the flash either. Taking good serial number photos is something of an art.

I love looking at old Harley serial numbers. They're almost mystical when you consider that every one of them has a unique story behind it from the time the parts were still hot from machining in the Harley factory to when the "bus" was finally parked for the last time. ("Bus" is another Uncle Frank or Hapism I believe.)

6003-DG should be a chain-drive single from either a 1914 model 10B or 10C (two-speed). It is a good example of the earlier numbering system without the model year in the serial number. And when motor and belly numbers still matched.

Thanks

[c.o.]

Courtesy of Slojo......

[Chris Haynes]

There are two bikes with the same number?

[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

[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/z...t=BILD0055.jpg

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

[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

[c.o.]

[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

[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/z...BILD0070-1.jpg
http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/z...BILD0071-1.jpg

http://s814.photobucket.com/albums/z...BILD0073-1.jpg

[Chris Haynes]

Looks like a former owner did some stamping.

[glaser 31]

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

[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]

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

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

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