Frame Serial Numbers

[wingnut]

Can anyone tell me if or where they put the serial number on a 1966 FL frame?

[mmoore]

H-D didnt use frame vin's till 69 or 70 if you find one by the neck something was changed some states like ia would attach a tag with a state assigned vin if we changed a moter or recnstructed with a different frame

[VPH-D]

Frame Serial Numbers

New Guy checking in...
I believe H-D stamped the left side of the frame neck with a number that was cross-indexed at the factory to the VIN and the small alpha numeric number stamped into the right front corner of the trans case. At some point, the lower tree was stamped with a number that was included in the mix. This is true of Sportsters and Big Twins. Most people have noticed the trans numbers on Big Twins, but the frame numbers are small and easily overlooked.

VP

[mmoore]

i cant find any numbers there on either one i have just a casting (part) number on the right (47594-56)

[VPH-D]

Frame Serial Numbers

Sorry,
I forgot some information in my mad dash to post my first reply.

I think the alpha numeric ID numbers started in '62, along with the even/odd serial number codes. The left side frame numbers were used thru 1969. The trans case and fork numbers were used at least thru the late '70s, maybe later. The frame numbers are small, nothing like right side VIN numbers. The stamp appears to be about 3/32, and is located above the safety guard boss.

VP

[mmoore]

ok. thanks, the one frame must be early xl. the other i think is late 60s i think i can see them but appear to have been painted heavy and im not going to scrape it (yet)

[hd36knuckl]

No need to scrape it. It won't tell ya anything and is not a VIN. it is just an anti theft number that can be tracked by John Law.

[Lonnie]

I was raised up with the belief that until 1970, no H-D Big Twin frame had VIN-type serial numbers on the frame. Considering the E-start Glides ran from '65 - '69, the frame is quite easy to recognize. Both the '68 I recently sold and the '65 I have now did not have serial numbers, only a somewhat faint raised casting number for the neck casting. However, these frames do have a stamped date code on the side of the top motor mount, consisting of two characters. First character is a letter designating the month, second is a number which is the last digit of the year. A '65 would have a number like "D5" for April 1965.

I have seen earlier rigid frames with a number (6 to 8 characters, I can't remember) stamped deeply in the top webbing of the casting at the seat post tube. I am not sure what that number represents, but have heard it is either a number stamped when the frame was supposedly sent to the Harley factory or dealer to be straightened or a "fleet number" for overseas sales (?). I would like to find out that answer if anyone happens to know.

Inquiring minds need to know.

Lonnie

[VPH-D]

The Pan, Shovel and Sportster swing arm frames thru 1969 do not have stamped VIN numbers. They have a very small number stamped into the left side of the neck which is cross indexed into the fork and trans numbers. [see prev. post]
The numbers are small, but they are there.
VPH-D

[hd36knuckl]

These "anti theft" numbers on the frame, triple clamp, and transmission case first appeared in about 1962

[Rub]

frame serial numbers

Lonnie, I have a late '47 knuckle I built years ago using a factory straightened frame. It was as shipped from H-D when I got it. It had a brass tag with the matching number to the one next to the seat post attached to it. When a frame was sent in the tag was stamped along with the frame and kept with the dealer info so that the frame went to the same dealer that sent it in after repair. The old dealer I got it from was the original sender.

[T. Cotten]

From atleast '64 on, there were production numbers on the left side of headstocks.

Although they were not VINs, they can be used to identify the original motor VIN, and are a felony to deface, by the strictest interpretation of the law.

Similar numbers were stamped into transmission cases.

....Cotten

[VPH-D]

I don't have an official source for when the cross reference numbering started. As posted earlier, I thought it was about '62
but maybe '60 makes more sense, along with the even/odd motor serial numbers. The neck and ignition lock key numbers were also noted on the "build sheet". If a fork turns up believed to be stolen,the police can call the factory and be told what VIN it was originally installed on.
VPH-D