'32 VL - New Family Member

[RichO]

Did you say Northern PA next summer? You need to sign up and join us at the Wellsboro, PA.National road run in June. Three days of riding great country back roads with like minded people and their old two wheeled wonders.

[PaulCDF]

But what's the "bag"?

Cotten:

USE A PLASTIC BAG TO MOUNT A TIRE - Old Cars Weekly

[Speeding Big Twin]

I recently had a recommended mechanic of vintage machines tell me the belly-number-year stamp should absolutely match the year-stamp on the engine embossing (VIN). I realized Harley Davidson's batch style manufacturing processes might create an overflow of minor proportions from year-to-year. So I didn't argue the point with the mechanic. Harley Davidson wouldn't just throw away extra cases that had already been paired and stamped.

BNs are often the same year as the SN but sometimes the BN is earlier and on occasion the BN can be a later year than the SN. Perhaps you could ask the ‘recommended mechanic of vintage machines’ you mentioned to read this thread.

Judging by the few photo examples I’ve collected thus far there may have been hundreds of 1932 V-series engines with 1931 BNs. And I would guess your 31 BNs are in the 7000s or 8000s?

But, and with no offence meant, are your numbers factory-stamped? Have you had them checked for authenticity?
Eric

[loch]

Hi Eric,

I have not had them checked. Who does this, authenticating VINs? As far as I can tell they're real. Using the example in Steve Slocombe's text. According to Steve there's some kind of VL registry. He comments in his book about one of the cycles in a picture is "the highest number on the registry..."(24-9). I'm interested to know if the registry is all currently known VLs. Or is like a the registry of historic homes - just those that are classified as museum quality or something like that.

-Loch

[loch]

Did you say Northern PA next summer? You need to sign up and join us at the Wellsboro, PA.National road run in June. Three days of riding great country back roads with like minded people and their old two wheeled wonders.

Sign up where, with who, Rich?

[Speeding Big Twin]

Hi Eric,

I have not had them checked. Who does this, authenticating VINs? As far as I can tell they're real. Using the example in Steve Slocombe's text. According to Steve there's some kind of VL registry. He comments in his book about one of the cycles in a picture is "the highest number on the registry..."(24-9). I'm interested to know if the registry is all currently known VLs. Or is like a the registry of historic homes - just those that are classified as museum quality or something like that.

-Loch

You could post a photo of your SN although you may get more than one opinion of it. But Steve’s book has some good pictures. My copy is the revised fourth edition and it has 32VL4874 which is a good example for comparison with yours.

And here’s a partial example of a 31 BN.







I don’t know if the VL Register is still going but it used to contain SNs regardless of complete machine (restored, being restored, basket case, project) or just the engine cases.
Eric

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, Rob Veitch in Australia is custodian of the VL Register and his Email address is on my Website at www.vlheaven.com. It contains all engine numbers submitted, from left crankcases seen at the swap meets to complete running bikes. The 1300 numbers collected in 25 years represents about 3% survival of the production. There are no owner details recorded so feel free to add your engine number.

[loch]

Here is the SN. Open 4, closed 4. Steve's pic shows open 4 for 1932. Close 4 for 34. Not sure if this is definitive or not. The embossing does not show any of the signs shown in the bad numbers. But again this may not be definitive. The 32 in picture looks exactly like the 32 in Steve's example of the same year. The 4-digit SN itself is suspicious just because it's comprised of only two numbers; 4 and 1. But again, this alone does not mean it's a bad number.




VLSN.jpg

[loch]

Loch;
AMCA Library has: "Spare Part for Harley-Davidson Motorcycles and Sidecars 1928-1932 Models Inclusive"
Might be a place to start.

Hi Paul,

Where is the AMCA library? On this site or the regular AMCA site? -Found it!


-Loch

[RichO]

Loch, The information on the road run will be posted on this website or in the Club magazine. Stay tuned!

[Speeding Big Twin]

Here is the SN. Open 4, closed 4. Steve's pic shows open 4 for 1932. Close 4 for 34. Not sure if this is definitive or not. The embossing does not show any of the signs shown in the bad numbers. But again this may not be definitive. The 32 in picture looks exactly like the 32 in Steve's example of the same year. The 4-digit SN itself is suspicious just because it's comprised of only two numbers; 4 and 1. But again, this alone does not mean it's a bad number.

Open 4? In your SN I see two closed 4s but no open 4. In Steve’s picture of 32VL4874 both 4s are closed. Where’s the open 4 for 1932? Which SN are you referring to?

I can’t see anything wrong with your SN and all characters appear consistent with factory stamping for 1932. As for the sequence portion consisting only of 4s and 1s, that isn’t a problem on this occasion and obviously a similar thing will occur with many other engine numbers. I even have a photo of a Sportster engine number with five 4s in the sequence portion but I can’t see anything wrong with it.
Eric

[loch]

Have you ever been looking at something for the first time, and even though it's the first time you've ever seen that particular thing, you just know something isn't right with the way it looks?


Does anybody happen to know the part number for what I'm fairly certain is supposed to be a plug that goes on top of the transmission?

I looked at the parts manual I downloaded from the library. It's not very specific with this particular plug or bolt.

- Loch

TransmissionPlug.jpg