Data base using engine #

[Modaf]

New AMCA member from southern Wisconsin with 1941 UL. Is there a web site I can access using engine #? I’d like to know if this was originally built as a solo or as a side car bike. An earlier owner claims this was always a side car bike but I want to verify, thanks. Mike

[vph-d]

There is no way to find this info. If the bike has a 3 speed and reverse trans, that might indicate a side car bike, but the trans could have changed any time after the bike left the factory.
VPH-D

[ragsflh]

i agree,if it was a sidehack bike should see where mounts were on.

[Steve Slocombe]

The Harley book 'The Legend Begins' gives production numbers by year, with some double counting of military bikes. For 1941 it shows 884 U models, 1888 US models and 715 UL models. The US models may be the military sidecar bikes going to South Africa, with more in 1942. The S in the engine number, presumably for sidecar, was very rarely stamped, but these bikes would have had low compression heads and small drive sprockets. Exports to other countries, surely not many, would tend to be U models because of poorer quality gas. For the US market some solo riders, and Police, liked the U bikes as solos, while some sidecar riders would take the UL with a tad more power. So we don't really know, and the factory records were supposedly dumped in the AMF years. Maybe Bruce Palmer's 'How to Restore Your Military Harley-Davidson' would give you the South African engine number range. Check if your bike is a U or a UL, count the teeth on the drive sprocket, and shine a torch under the cylinder heads to see if you have two cast bars (high compression), one for medium, or none for low compression heads.

[chuckthebeatertruck]

There is no way to find this info. If the bike has a 3 speed and reverse trans, that might indicate a side car bike, but the trans could have changed any time after the bike left the factory.
VPH-D

I'd tend to agree with assessment -- but thankfully there were enough minor changes to help you narrow down what you have or do not have. These are well outlined in Palmers How to Restore your 1936-64 HD.

An inaccurate, though indicative, way to figure out if your trans is original to the bike or at least close to it is to examine the foundry marks. In theory, the original transmission would carry a 1940 or 41 date stamp -- but nothing later. If it were say a '46 transmission -- that would tell you it's been replaced at some point in time.

I got super lucky with my '46 pieces parts bike. I bought a transmission off a buddy that I knew to be pre-1950(ish). Once I cleaned up the bottom I found an H-46 date code (August 1946). Go figure.

There was a bit more to the UL/ULH than just higher compression . . .not much, but a bit.

[Rubone]

August '46 is a '47 model year gearbox....

[chuckthebeatertruck]

August '46 is a '47 model year gearbox....

Shhh, don't tell anyone :-)

Seriously, thanks for making sure this was accurate.

And to be clear; the stamp is H-6; not H-46; I'm typing too much "junk" today. I was just happy to have date stamps near one another (motor is F6) as there is no intention of passing this machine off as "restored" and certainly no intention to ever represent it as "correct."

I'll go back to my corner now.

[Rubone]

No worries, my 46UL is a mixed bag as well. I'm not even trying to get close with it. Doing it a a race bike hauler like a dealer may have built out of the junk in his back lot..

[kitabel]

There was a bit more to the UL/ULH than just higher compression . . .not much, but a bit.
Specifically?

[Flathead fathead]

Welcome to the AMCA. I have a '41 UL too. Believe or not it's my dream bike.

[Chris Haynes]

[QUOTE=chuckthebeatertruck; These are well outlined in Palmers How to Restore your 1936-64 HD.[/QUOTE]

Palmer's book covers 1937-1964. He is currently working on the third edition which will go into 1965.

[T. Cotten]

Palmer's book covers 1937-1964. He is currently working on the third edition which will go into 1965.

An impossible task!

....Cotten

[Chris Haynes]

An impossible task!

....Cotten

Only for people that lack perseverance.