1938 Chief Frame

[Inchief]

I have what I believe is a 1938 Chief Frame. I have it sandblasted down to bare steel and i cannot see any evidence of a shifter tube below the neck casting. I thought the '38 had this tube for the shifter. The rest of the frame seems to be '38 and the serial number starts with 338 ?

38 frame head1.jpg38 frame head2.JPG

[D.A.Bagin]

338 is for SURE a 38 frame.

[Inchief]

Yes I do think that this is a '38 frame but all I find on a "38 frame says it should have the tube for the shifter linkage on the lower neck casting, this one does not.

[D.A.Bagin]

The number 338 tells all. Many frames and complete motorcycles, after all their years on and off the road, have some modifications to keep them riding down the hi-way.

[tfburke3]

The number 338 tells all. Many frames and complete motorcycles, after all their years on and off the road, have some modifications to keep them riding down the hi-way.

Unfortunalely the numbers do not always tell the story as they are so easily altered.I have a 38 and the shifter tube is part of the neck casting.
My guess is I you have a 36 frame,first year for full casting in the neck,no webs,and no shifter tube.
Tom

[Inchief]

Yes I was thinking that this is an earlier frame but what is odd is that the neck casting has the dash mount at the top. I believe that dash started in '38.

[tfburke3]

Yes I was thinking that this is an earlier frame but what is odd is that the neck casting has the dash mount at the top. I believe that dash started in '38.

Good point.38 is first year for flattened tube top to accomodate speedo mounting.
I looked at my 35 frame and the lower frame tube casting ,no shifter tube ,is rounder than yours with a mold seem,parting line, lateral to tube.
So my new guess is you have 38 frame that someone ground off the shifter casting.
Be interesting to see a pic of numbers.
Tom

[Inchief]

Upon closer inspection I have come up with the opinion that someone has removed the shifter tube at the bottom of the neck casting. I looked at a '41 frame I have that someone has done a bad job of removing the tube and there seems to be enough material around the frame tubes to leave what I got. Someone has done a nice job of it which made me think it was cast like that but I don't think it came from the factory like that. Thanks for the comments on this.

[D.A.Bagin]

I had no idea we were talking about re-stamped frames. In that case anything could be anything. Guess it could be one of the Polaris frames too.