46 Knuckle Production Numbers

[46EL]

Someone just asked me how many 46 Knuckles were built. My number is 46EL60xx. Anybody out there have or know of a higher number than that? 46EL

[jwl]

46EL7215 here.

[duffeycycles]

there is a data book with that info but talking to Bruce Palmer he said to not take it serious.the woman who originally compiled this data at HD did things like count production in january for a given year and multiply by 12--not even close.this book also shows things like '40 45" as having a 4 speed trans.very cool but wrong

[Robert Luland]

All one can say is that they were doing so well that they could get away with that kind of accounting. Wish I could.

[sirhrmechanic]

46el7735

I wondered why the number was so much higher than the production quantities! This is why I love this place.

Cheers,

Sirhr

[Chris Haynes]

The way the factory numbers were compiled were calendar year numbers obtained from the presidents report to the shareholders. For example the 1946 numbers contained the last half of the 1946 production and the first half of the 1947 production. From January 1, 1946- December 31, 1946.

[c.o.]

The book "Harley-Davidson All the Motorcycles" by Matthias Gerst published in 2009 has production numbers. How accurate it is I cannot possibly say.

E and El - 2098
ES - 244
F and FS - 418
FL - 3986

For a total of 6746.

U - 670
US - 1052
UL - 1800

For a total of 3522

WL - 4410

Total for 1946 would be 14678, (provided the counting started at the correct time for this data) so a number higher than the 7000 range for a Knucklehead could be possible. That is if I'm running along a correct line of reasoning where numbers aren't necessarily run in an orderly model sequence.

[Chris Haynes]

You have to remember that numbering started at 1000 so 46EL60XX would only be the 50XXth Knucklehead built.

[c.o.]

You have to remember that numbering started at 1000 so 46EL60XX would only be the 50XXth Knucklehead built.

Certainly, it has got me wondering what the highest number Knuckle is though for curiousity sake.