My first panhead

[Speeding Big Twin]

I am finding some of these frame casting numbers but it sounds like they can't nail down a production year

Looks like the upper rear forging number is formatted as per the first example I mentioned: 476 45 58. And the same number may be on the outside of the other forging. That seems to have been the early style, having spaces between certain characters and no hyphen/dash. Therefore it helps suggest that your frame date code indicates Sept 57 as opposed to Sept 67.
Here’s the other style for comparison. Also notice the 6 is different.







R-H axle clip has the usual forging number. Also the usual forging hallmark which appears to be the letter Q with WF inside it but I don’t know what company it represents. Above the hallmark there is a forging die number but I can’t read it. Could it be 32 (upside down)?

Can you post a photo of the left axle clip please.

On top of Panhead crankcases H-D used at least two types of 7: seriffed; and sans serif. Seriffed is the only type I’ve seen so far for 1948 Panheads. For 1949 some Pans had a seriffed 7 while others had a sans serif 7 and the same thing happened with Pans for 1950 but at some point during the 1950 model year the sans serif 7 seems to have taken over completely.
Your 7 is seriffed and it has the type of back I’d expect. Therefore it suggests your R-H case is 48, 49 or 50.
And if your R-H case is 48, 49 or 50 then I imagine it does not have the cap demonstrated below? (It’s for an oil screen etc and it was introduced about mid/later-52.)
Eric

[echambers]

Eric thank you for some great information your knowledge about these things is amazing! The number on the right hand axle clip you are referring to is a inverted 32 as you suggested. The gear case looks as you described and I'm pretty sure the gear case cover not 50's era either. If I am learning anything from Palmer 66 to 69?. Thank you for your interest in this project. Ed.

[Speeding Big Twin]

You're welcome. Thanks for confirming the die number on the R-H axle clip is 32. That die number helps suggest the swingarm is approximately a 1965 model.
H7 on the left axle clip is a run number and it too helps suggest approximately a 65 model.
Inside the left clip you may find forging number 47614-58A which first appeared for 1963 models. And forging hallmark A which indicates the left clip was manufactured by AmForge, Chicago. There may also be a forging die number which may be approximately 8. Here’s an example.







Because your R-H case has no provision for a tappet oil screen the case is early-52 or earlier. And it’s likely to be a 48, 49 or 50 model because of the seriffed 7, as I mentioned above.
The oil screen was demonstrated in Shop Dope 330.





Your gear cover may be one of the 1940s types? In Palmer’s 37–64 second edition he mentions a long oil passage and a circle below the ribs. Yours appears to have the long oil passage and a circle but someone may have removed the ribs.

I’m not sure if your oil pump is H-D or AM? If H-D it’s 68 or later.

I’ve seen a brake pedal like yours before but I think it may be AM, judging by those raised circular pieces on top. Overall it’s similar to a type H-D introduced for 1970 E-Glides and I put the genuine type on my 99 FXST many years ago after I collided with a car and my original pedal got badly bent.

Master cylinder may be AM? Normally a Harley rear master cylinder of that style has Wagner Lockheed on the side.

Getting back to the 7 on your R-H case, in some books Palmer says the 7s are 1/2” tall but I disagree. On top of rear mounts I’ve seen hundreds of 7s, some seriffed and some sans serif, but none are 1/2” tall so I don’t know why Palmer says they are.
Eric

[echambers]

Thanks for all the hard work. It's obvious you guys love what you do, that's great! Have been reaching out to previous owner but without documentation anything he can add will just be another part of the story. I expect I will just have to go to the BMV and try to explain the situation and maybe end up with a old Johnny Cash panhead with a 2025 title. All comments are appreciated I will post the plan when I have one.