Dent in case above serial number 65 FLH and 65FL

[panz4ever]

Have that dimple on my 65 pan, late production (five numbers, no tappet screen)

[BigLakeBob]

My 62FL & 69FL both have the dimple and are 5 digit. Bob AMCA#6738

[T. Cotten]

This thread has found its way to another forum (one cotton is not allowed on) and some pictures of other years besides 65 have shown the same surface defect.

Underdoggie!

They are discussing this on The Horse?,
Or "Hawg's All Harley Tech Forum"?

.....Cotten

[motorman]

My '63 FL has the same dents. Funny, I've owned the bike for almost 25 years but never noticed the dents until they were mentioned here.

Paul

[cdndewey]

My '63 FL has the same dents. Funny, I've owned the bike for almost 25 years but never noticed the dents until they were mentioned here.

Paul

My 62's the same and I've owned it for 31 years and never noticed either....interesting.

[Sargehere]

Underdoggie!

They are discussing this on The Horse?,
Or "Hawg's All Harley Tech Forum"?

.....Cotten

I think you're referring to a forum that Cotten's not banned from,but voluntarily excused himself from over a misunderstanding years ago. He's welcome back there in a minit, and none of the "censorship" or text modification he complained of takes place there. It was one incident of an over-eager and inexperienced moderator getting carried away, and the owner of the forum failing to take proper notice, and action, at the time, I believe.

[T. Cotten]

A relatively un-molested very low-VIN '63, reputedly Pittsburg Police machine, (older repaint, with '62 tanks and badges) came in today,
and I had to scratch a thick layer of gummy aluminum paint away with my fingernail to reveal the dent.

I hope the owner forgives me.

.....Cotten
PS: Its funny when somebody knows more about me than I do.

[portagepan]

So the question is: Do ALL the panheads of a certain number of years have the dent? Other than that, it is just an oddity. Mike

[Sargehere]

I think we established in this thread, and the one that spawned it, that one of the patterns used to cast left engine cases in those years, early 1960s to '65 and the last Panheads, had that defect, that was never attended to (repaired). It's just a curiosity. Even figuring out exactly the percentage of motors displaying that identical, cast in blemish, would only establish "how many different patterns were in use in those years." It's an oddity. Perhaps a way to ferret out counterfeits if numbered cases that don't fall within the span appear with that exact blemish, nothing more, AFAIC.

COME POST BACK ON CAIMag, Cotten. Things are settled down, no one complains of censorship or any nonsense, at all, and a lot of good things are talked about over there.

[pete reeves]

I have looked at my collection of motor serial number pictures. The earliest example of the dent I could find was 61FLH 91##, the last example I have found was 69FLH3###.The dent is visible in ALL of the pictures of good numbers I have within this range. (Except for two pictures of 1962 numbers which could be explained by mixing of new and old stock)
I have also noticed that there is a dent/chip in the bottom outer edge of the timing plug boss that started in 1955 and continued up to 1969.
I am no expert on foundry production but if the marks are damage it appears to me as if there was only one master.
Has anybody got a clear picture of a number boss without the dent above or the chip in the bottom of the timing plug base?
Chris. From your post it appears you have pictures of five 1965 cases that don’t have the dent can you post them here?
Pete Reeves 860

[T. Cotten]

Pete!

The blemish that I see in the timing boss appears to be a stake-mark, as if from the end of a very small screwdriver.

The mystery that arises is: why is that cast surface not machined true along with the hole and threads!

Aside from the Underdoggie Dimple and its satellite blemishes, I noticed that there is another such dent below the 9 o'clock case rib on both of my '65s. (The previously mentioned '64 im my shop has too much precious wiring loom asphalt drooled in that region to be certain.)

....Cotten
PS:
I am happy to support this web community inspite of some of my feelings about its internal politics.
I am also happy to support http://www.hydra-glide.net/, http://knucklenutz.com/tech/index.php, and other forums dedicated in earnest to vintage motorcycling.

But I draw the line at lining the pockets of an American publisher who distains the very same Freedom who's teat he nurses upon.

[pete reeves]

Tom. The mark at the bottom of the timing hole boss, looks to me like it is in the casting. The point I was trying to make is this mark is visible in every one of the 50 plus pictures I have of good numbers between mid 1955 and late 1969.The dents are also visible in all of the 1962 to 1969 pictures that I have. If this was the only information that I had it should lead me to think that only one master was used to make the moulds. However Chris has pictures of 1965 cases without the marks so if the pictures he has are of genuine numbers it would blow this theory( based only on the pictures I have) out of the water. This is why I was asking for pictures in this number range without the marks.
Pete Reeves 860

[Chris Haynes]

There are several 1960-1969 case numbers pictured on my web site. I see the dent on most of the 1962-1966 cases.
http://vintageamericanmotorcycles.co...ers/?g2_page=5

[SFMike]

Rode this one 35 years.
FL 3380-same mark
Got one in basement to check.

[Bluze101]

I have 65FL9949, mfr date 3/6/65 - I'll have to check for the dents.