cast iron heads on 42 wla

[Mark Jennings]

I just picked up a 42 WLA and it has cast iron heads. A friend of mine has a 44 WLA with aluminum heads. I have looked at several other WLA`s and they all have aluminum heads as well. My question is how rare (if at all) are the cast iron heads and why did Harley change from cast to aluminum? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Jerry Wieland]

Mark Every WLA I believe came with aluminum heads. Cast iron heads typically were early bikes (pre 40) or were low compression solo bikes or Servi-Cars. Neither type of head is particularly rare but aluminum heads seem to bring more money.

Jerry

[Rubone]

US military contracts stipulated aluminum heads after 1940. No iron head WLAs were built with iron heads. Yours have been changed and never came that way.
Where did your bike come from? I put a set of iron heads on a WLA crate engine some years back after I stripped the NOS Aluminum heads for another project.

[Mark Jennings]

Thanks Jerry and Rubone for the information. Over the last 71 years who know who has been in this engine. The engine is stamped 42WLA and the font size looks correct. I am certain this bike started life as a WLA but was civilianized many years ago. It was found in a shed in Rome, New York. The last time is was on the road was in 1998.
Did the frames ever get a stamp number as well? If so where would that number be found? Thanks again. Mark.

[rwm]

Did the frames ever get a stamp number as well? .

no vin numbers on the frame from hd.