Rumor and shadows

[c.o.]

http://www.36el.com/

[Chris Haynes]

Here is the list from issue fifteen of the '36 EL Registry from November - December 1994. Numbers 1004 and 1032 were mine.

[pete reeves]

The 36 at the Harley museum has a high engine number 36EL2749 it has the 36 frame without the 5th mount. Unfortunately we cannot use this bike as an example to draw any conclusions from, as I am almost certain that it was not a true production line machine. It appears to have been built from a mixture of early and late 36 parts, for example it has the small timing hole crankcases and an early gear case cover.

Pete Reeves 860

[Matt McManus]

A friend of mine updates this list everytime he sees another 36, I dont have pictures of any of the bikes or know if all of the VIN's are good but it has some pretty high numbers listed. I think he started with the last of the 36 registry list and has been adding to it for a while.


36 OHV Serial Numbers:

Under 2000
1002, 1004, 1005, 1006, 1013, 1020, 1023, 1027, 1032, 1034,1042, 1050, 1051, 1057, 1070, 1074, 1075, 1083, 1087, 1104,1108, 1112, 1117, 1137, 1141, 1142, 1144, 1153, 1160, 1166,1168, 1169, 1180, 1188, 1205, 1210, 1215, 1217, 1221, 1238,1256, 1288, 1302, 1361,1374, 1375, 1379, 1405, 1415, 1423,1435, 1438, 1439, 1451, 1453, 1462, 1472, 1480, 1536, 1539, 1546,1563, 1566, 1571, 1580, 1585, 1586, 1590, 1633, 1641, 1650,1652, 1655, 1656, 1665, 1674, 1175, 1676, 1685, 1700, 1701,1709, 1711, 1739, 1758, 1785, 1797, 1824, 1835, 1859, 1861,1863, 1881, 1936, 1965, 1972, 1974, 1980, 1985, 1996

Over 2000
2000, 2017, 2025, 2026, 2031, 2036, 2046, 2051, 2053, 2093, 20942106, 2151, 2152, 2153,2157, 2159, 2160, 2162, 2184, 2188,2191, 2205, 2228, 2239, 2278, 2304, 2320, 2334, 2355, 2356, 2357,2358, 2380, 2381, 2385, 2391, 2398, 2401, 2429, 2435, 2450, 2500,2510, 2520, 2529, 2533, 2545, 2547, 2563, 2565, 2624, 2625,2640, 2655, 2659, 2682, 2694, 2711, 2749, 2769, 2838, 2903.
.
New numbers this issue: 1423, Victoria, Australia; 2381, Cal.Total to date: 170

[Matt McManus]

Forgot to mention that list was last updated 9/09

[pete reeves]

Matt.
Thanks for posting the updated 36 serial number list, I have a copy of the first list and found it strange that the serial numbers seemed to be fairly evenly spaced up until around 2700, but after that there appears to be a shortage of examples if the highest production serial number is 2903 or higher.One would have expected that there would at least have been a VIN number over 2700 in the 35 additional numbers on this new list.

My question is why the shortage knuckles with numbers over 2700?
Pete Reeves. 860

[Matt McManus]

I agree with you Pete, Maybe the ones above 2800 or so are the ones that someone created their own VIN on. Who knows? I know people will go beyond what the believe that last production number is when they are making up a VIN to ensure they do not have the same VIN as someone else.

[LouieMCman]

Does the factory have Serial #1001?

[Chris Haynes]

Does the factory have Serial #1001?

Louie,
According to, 2nd generation Pasadena, CA former H-D dealer and manager of the west coast fleet for H-D, Bruce Chubbuck 36EL1001 with sidecar was in the MoCo's collection and dissapeared. It was at that time that the MoCo purchased the made up '36 that is in their collection now. but then again there are several 36's around with 1001 on them. None I have seen are genuine. BTW the first 36 EL would have been 1000. For the record I own 36LE1001, a sidecar.

[silentgreyfello]

Here is one that is not in the registry. Mine is 36E2617. My frame is a '37, but the bike was restored by the prior owner. No clue if it is original to this motor. I just assumed it had the wrong frame.

[HarleyCreation]

36EL frames & motor numbers

No clue here if 37EL style frame was introduced on late 36EL models.

But will say these bikes were often used very HARD (hillclimbs, TT, midnite mystery tours, enduros, river crossing, etc.) and the 36EL frame was easy to break. Mine (probably "36EL2320") had been factory repaired/numbered and then was broken again and rebrazed and rewelded and then junked for good. Probably upgrading 36EL to 37EL and later frames was common. Now of course they are ALL "original."

RE: 36EL motor numbers above "36EL2645"

From the 1936 Wis. MC Regs. I find the following:

Highest 36E/EL motor numbers recorded in Wis. in 1936:

36EL2632 Henry Reiman (Wis. Rapids) #2770
36EL2648 Alex Spaeth (West Bend) #2795
36EL2673 W. Wilson (Janesville) #2721
-----------------------
Total regs: 2841

These were all registered late in the year, as there were just 2841 motorcycle regs in total. These three came very near the end. Unfortunately they are not dated.

There are 61 OHVs in the '36 regs in every 100 block of numbers (i.e.: 1000-1099, 1100-1199, 1200-1299, etc.) up to and including the "2600" range, but NONE higher than "36EL2673." This closely corresponds to what Pete reported about "36EL2645" being the highest number case he's actually seen.

It's noteworthy that the regs drop off around "36EL2673" if higher numbers were actually being produced and sold. To bad we can't get a good look at those 36EL motor numbers in the 2700, 2800 & 2900 number ranges as reported in the Registry. Are they possibly spurious?

Also, I wonder if any higher number 36ELs show up in the early 1937 regs?

[BNSONS]

THE THREE 36's I SOLD AREN'T ON THE LIST YET. BUT I'LL LEAVE THAT TO THE NEW OWNERS TO ADD.

REGARDS DAVE

[Steve Little]

Does anyone have any MoCo literature that gives the start date of delivery for the first 1937 EL's to be delivered to dealers.

I guess we can laterally work at this issue..... Has anyone ever seen a low VIN 1937 EL in a 1936 style frame?

Orrr... what is the earliest 1937 Vin bike (Known History) to the AMCA or the readers of this forum....and what frame is it housed in.

Regards Steve

[pete reeves]

I am fairly convinced that the 2 listing in the parts book are reasonable proof that some of the last 36 production bikes had later style frames.
What we don’t know is what Vin numbers we should consider as being late 36 production. Assuming that the Wisconsin registration year was January to end December Herbert’s research would appear to back the theory that 36 production ended at around Vin number 2700.Herb suggested that the Vins on the list above 2700 could be spurious? He is correct in that at least one of the posted numbers.”2749”is the Museum bike it has been built from parts and has the wrong style of font used for some of its numbers. If this bike is removed from the list that only leaves 3 Vins 2769/2838/2903 to cover a block of nearly 200 numbers over 2711. I would love to see good photos of the numbers on the list over 2711.

Pete Reeves. 860.

[Chris Haynes]

Does anyone have any MoCo literature that gives the start date of delivery for the first 1937 EL's to be delivered to dealers.

I guess we can laterally work at this issue..... Has anyone ever seen a low VIN 1937 EL in a 1936 style frame?

Orrr... what is the earliest 1937 Vin bike (Known History) to the AMCA or the readers of this forum....and what frame is it housed in.

Regards Steve

Steve,
It is in the Presidents Report To The Stockholders that that delivery of the new 1937 models was delayed to give the dealers a chance to sell the 1936 VL's that had on hand. See "Inside Harley-Davidson" for details.

The factory photo of 37 EL1000 shows it in the 1937 style frame.