1947 Knucklehead on EBay

[Jdiesel25]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/38760537761...Bk9SR8Df3oXkZA

[Jdiesel25]

Possible restamp? Hard to see from my phone

[JoJo357]

Possible restamp? Hard to see from my phone

Appears to be a real lousy botch.
s-l1600.jpg

*M.A.D.*

[KNUCK]

The number pad looks pretty good, but I started to look at the numbers and they seemed pretty decent until I got to the 2 and that is definitely not good. I looked at about five different knuckle engine case numbers to compare and none of them had a 2 like that. There should be a serif on the end of the 2

[JoJo357]

The number pad looks pretty good, but I started to look at the numbers and they seemed pretty decent until I got to the 2 and that is definitely not good. I looked at about five different knuckle engine case numbers to compare and none of them had a 2 like that. There should be a serif on the end of the 2

If you look closely Knuck, *(go to Max enlargement), you will see traces of ghost numbers and stamped over traces~at least i do. All in all, there is a title, and it's not really a bad pri$e.

*M.A.D.*

[Speeding Big Twin]

I agree something appears to be going on under the current SN characters and a close-up may reveal more about that.
I also agree the 2 should have a serif. And regardless of seriffed or sans serif the rest of that 2 doesn’t look like either of the types I’d expect for 47.
The 7 does not appear consistent with factory stamping for 47, partly because of its back.

Notice the 1 has its top serif at about forty-five degrees. For 47 model SNs at least two 1s were used and my photo collection indicates the first type had a horizontal top serif. For Knuckleheads that seems to have remained in use until just after SNs reached 10000 and therefore at 9142 I’d expect the top serif to be horizontal.
(The change to the 1 also occurred with Flathead SNs for 47 but at different stages of production, for obvious reasons.)
NB: for the benefit of anyone with Palmer’s 32–52 military book(s) you’ll notice mention of a change to the top serif of the 1. But both 32–52 editions are wrong about when the change occurred.

In both BNs the 9 has a straight back. Why? For 47 BNs I would normally expect a certain type of round-back 9. And I’d like a close-up of the ‘92’ in both BNs.
Eric

[KNUCK]

I see what you mean JoJo. Agreed not a bad price and I'm looking for a winter project ,still for sale......................

[KNUCK]

Chris Haynes take a look at this and send me a pm on what you think. I tried to send you a PM but your box is full.

[Speeding Big Twin]

Earlier I mentioned that for 47 model SNs at least two 1s were used as well as two 2s. Another character to change during the 47 model year was the E but the fake (and alleged) E on that ebay bike doesn’t look like either of the types I’ve seen. Why do I say alleged E? It’s because I’m wondering if it was formerly a fake F? In particular notice the lowest horizontal stroke. Was that lowest stroke added after all the other stuff had been done? I don’t know.

I can’t say for certain what type of E the factory used for extremely early 47s but the first type I’ve seen is shown below. I even have examples of it at 13++, 14++, 15++ and 17++ but this photo is better. In some photos first glance of what seems to be the first E for 47 may sometimes suggest that all three horizontal strokes are the same length as each other but better pictures indicate that the middle stroke is slightly shorter than the other two.







And that E seems to have continued for some time.










I also have a photo of 12+++ with the first E although it isn’t great so I’m reluctant to post it.

But while SNs were still in the 12000 range another E appeared. Notice the middle stroke is now shorter than before and it is now a bit higher than centre.
Eric

[knucklehead 61]

Speeding Big Twin, do you have a pic of a 41 Fl vin for comparison?

[Speeding Big Twin]

Speeding Big Twin, do you have a pic of a 41 Fl vin for comparison?

What are you trying to compare? As you may know for 41 Knuckles there were at least two types of SN boss and at least three left cases. There were also at least two Fs and my photo collection thus far indicates the first of them was the type shown below and that it continued into the 3000s. But at some stage before SNs reached 3400 the lower horizontal stroke of the F became shorter than this.
Eric