Long vs. Short rib cases

[Americanrider]

Trying to settle a dispute here. I found by reading the forum and talking to various AMCA members that 1941 was the first year of Long Rib cases. They may show up on other earlier year bikes because of dealer replacements of cracked short rib cases.

The person I am trying to convince has a book with photos of 38, 39 40 & up barn bikes with the long rib cases. He swears that since Harley Davidson either published the book, wrote or authorized this gospel of photos he is right and a real original 1940 bike can have long rib cases.

PLEASE HELP SET THIS STRAIGHT

[Jerry Wieland]

I do not know exactly when the change occurred but I have never seen an original numbered 41 OHV with the long ribs or a 42 OHV with the short ribs. The last couple of years there has been a 41 at Oley that was into the 5100 serial number range and still had the short ribs. There is a 41 EL near here with a 51xx serial number with short ribs. These bikes had to have been assembled on the last few days of 1941 production. I have also seen 42EL104x with long ribs.

Jerry

[Sargehere]

I rooted around in my VIN photos. I agree with Jerry Wieland that 1942 was the first year for the long rib Knuckle cases. Here are some examples from that era:

Short:


Short:


Bogus as a $3 bill. This is a post-war, or at least, a long rib case, restamped with a 1940 number, a dead giveaway to an expert:

The number stamps aren't even correct.

Short:


Long. A very, very low production number (#181 for the year) of a wartime Knucklehead in 1943. Notice that the open-topped number "4" was introduced in 1943:


And #210 for 1944:

[Chris Haynes]

I have seen many 1941 long ribbed cases.

[Lonnie]

41EL44XX has short ribs and 42FL18XX has long ribs. I have heard of (and seen thanks to Chris' photo) that the 41FL's had long ribs while the 41EL's continued on with the short ribs. If true, could that have been due to the availability of molds at the foundry limiting the number of long rib cases such that the factory used those only for the higher stressed FL's?

[Speeding Big Twin]

Americanrider, there are other ways to identify cases as well as judging by the difference in the upper ribs. Can you post photos from that book, showing as much as possible of the left cases in question? And are the serial numbers visible in any of the photos?

And please provide the name of the book and the name of the author. Maybe one of us has that book and can check the photos the person is referring to.
Eric

[Rollo]

case ribs

I have 2- 41 knuckles both EL's and one has short ribs and one has long ribs but the long rib case is a factory replacement one and obviously later that 41. Both are low vin #'s. I can't dispute Chris's photo of an early 41 with long ribs but as someone mentioned it might be an EL/FL thing. I also know I have seen later than 5,000 vin numbers with short ribs and they were good vin numbers not restamps.

Tom (Rollo) Hardy AMCA #12766

[LJH]

Hi,
Here is a photo of 41EL5343 left case, with short ribs
My vote is 41 short, 42 long. Regards Lee

[dommi7]

I have a 41EL 3xxx and 41FL 19xx both sporting short rib cases.
Chris - that's the first time I've seen a long rib case with the early number boss - thanks for posting it.
Looks like the short rib casting pattern was modified to give longer ribs. Its interesting that it is such a low serial number. Any chance you have the date code from it?

[DANPATCH]

I owned the set of cases that Chris posted the pictures. If you notice they have the early vin boss. The casting dates on the inside of both cases were 1940. I sent the pictures to Bruce Palmer . He stated he had never seen another set like these . With the mixture of early vin boss, 1940 cast dates and long ribs that they were a early release for testing.

[Chris Haynes]

The late Armando Magri told me that in 1939 he was an employee of the Sacramento, CA H-D dealership that he later owned. While working there he was servicing two 1939 OHV 74" machines that were being tested by the CHP. They were in short rib cases.

[dommi7]

I owned the set of cases that Chris posted the pictures. If you notice they have the early vin boss. The casting dates on the inside of both cases were 1940. I sent the pictures to Bruce Palmer . He stated he had never seen another set like these . With the mixture of early vin boss, 1940 cast dates and long ribs that they were a early release for testing.

Danpatch - any chance those cases are still around so we can see some better pics?

[Matt McManus]

I have seen EL and FL with 5000 and higher VIN's that still have short ribs. I have never seen a 41 with long ribs that had good numbers. The one that Dan owned and Chris posted a pic of is an oddball case and I dont really count that becasue no one has ever seen another case with long ribs and an early style VIN boss. 42 and later= long rib in my opinion.

[Chris Haynes]

I have seen and owned long ribbed '41 FL's.

[Lonnie]

Going back to what I said earlier in this thread, is it possible or perhaps probable, that the long rib cases were phased in for the 74's while the 61's stayed with the short rib cases until the supply was depleted?

Thanks...and a Happy New Year to one and all.