1930 v caes

[toddjg4036]

Can anyone tell me what a vin number of 30v1370c would mean what does the c stand for?

[vride5]

i think the C at the end stands for iron pistons

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Todd, yes it is iron pistons. Harley launched the VL in 1930 with magnesium pistons and had complaints these were too noisy, so went back to cast iron and aluminum. The C at the end of your engine number shows the bike was originally fitted with cast iron pistons. The flywheels are stamped on the edge with a C to show they were balanced for the iron pistons. Do not confuse with the VC model, which would have an engine number like 30VC1234. These were the detuned versions for commercial sidecar and package truck use, with smaller inlet nipples, a smaller manifold, the 1" carburetor from the small twin and low lift cams. You have a low engine number (they started at 1000), so the bike will have been made in 1929. Can we ride these on the Cannonball Run next year?

[toddjg4036]

Ok steve thank you for helping clear it up. I knew there is a vc model so the c at the end of vin threw me off. so this would be a single v 1930 model with cast iron pistons. this is just the case what heads number would go with this? 8.2? 9.3?10.5? or 12.5? I got your book cyliders would be 120-30?

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear Todd, yes you should have the regular 1930-33 T-manifold and 1 1/4 inch carburetor. The 1930 V models were fitted with the standard compression 12.5 heads. These are the unstamped ones with the larger lettering for the patent info on the top, and no letter 'H'. The cylinders are the earlier ones for the T-manifold with the short inlet stubs. As you have an early 1930 bike, the bike probably was originally fitted with the cylinders with no casting numbers and 7/16" x 20 tpi head bolt threads, later changed to 7/16" x 16 tpi. As we don't know when the 120-30 and 120-30A casting number cylinders were introduced, there's probably no deduction either way if you want to present the bike for AMCA judging.