1908 hd engine

[Eric]

1908 harley engine on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...m=190358035250
Happy and expensive bid!

[c.o.]

Holy Smokes.......

[jurassic]

wow,another strap tank engine is discovered.this is interesting .for the longest time i had thought that strap tank engines did not have belly numbers,because all the ones i have seen do not.but this engine number 2221 is one of the latest engine numbers out there.the latest number known is 2278,the bike that resides in the ford museum.so this must be a late 1908,maybe one of the first harley's to have belly numbers.what a killer find,time to mortgage the house.

[HarleyCreation]

This is a great update to our knowledge when belly crankcase numbers were first applied. Would be nice to know where this motor was found. Thanks for posting!

[c.o.]

what a killer find,time to mortgage the house.

That's exactly what I was thinking!

Would be nice to know where this motor was found. Thanks for posting!

The stories about the finds are one of the best parts of the old bike world..... at least for me anyway.......

[silentgreyfello]

Fins don't jive w/ serial numbers

Counting fins on known original motors.

2037 Bonger/Cole 17 Fins
2042 Calidona/Chandler/ 17 fins
2130 HD Factory 17 Fins
2177 Ohrt/Parham 14 Fins
2194 HD Factory 14 fins
2221 ebay motor 17 Fins w/ belly #'s
2238 Johnson 14 fins
2278 Ford Museum 14 fins

I see a pattern until this motor comes up.

I don't know if any of the other orig motors have belly numbers... I have calls into a couple of guys to find out.

[flthead]

so what do the experts think on the going price

[flat-happy]

i'd just like to know the history on where it's been and who won it

[exeric]

so what do the experts think on the going price

Holy jumping butterballs !

[HarleyCreation]

Counting fins on known original motors.

2037 Bonger/Cole 17 Fins
2042 Calidona/Chandler/ 17 fins
2130 HD Factory 17 Fins
2177 Ohrt/Parham 14 Fins
2194 HD Factory 14 fins
2221 ebay motor 17 Fins w/ belly #'s
2238 Johnson 14 fins
2278 Ford Museum 14 fins

I see a pattern until this motor comes up.

I don't know if any of the other orig motors have belly numbers... I have calls into a couple of guys to find out.

Would be interesting to know if 2238 & 2278 have belly numbers. You'd think they would...but???

[HarleyCreation]

Holy jumping butterballs !

Yeah, and no returns either! But of course, if you got that kind of bucks, who'd return it?

[c.o.]

Yeah, and no returns either! But of course, if you got that kind of bucks, who'd return it?

I surely wouldn't return it but then again I can't imagine having a spare $62 500 to justify on that piece of history. It would be nice though.

[rwm]

was something wrong with the exuast spigot on that 1908?

[c.o.]

Yep!

[silentgreyfello]

Would be interesting to know if 2238 & 2278 have belly numbers. You'd think they would...but???

2238 does have belly numbers. Don't know about 2278. 2177 does not have belly numbers.

The thing that strikes me as odd, again, is that the number of fins just don't compute to the vin #. My theory... real motor, mismatched earlier cylinder that has been restamped to match. Just my theory without any proof to back it up.