How to check engine No?
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From: Honah Lee
http://www.factoryfat.com/hdbikemodels.html OR Just type that number in google search
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Aug 23, 2018 at 01:11 PM.
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From: Wisconsin, USA
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 695
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From: Western Australia
Welcome to the forum.
41 indicates model year is 1941.
WL is model and indicates Flathead (sidevalve) 45ci V-twin.
Are you sure about 50327? Because 50327 tells me something is wrong. For 1941 models, serial numbers (SNs) for engines in this family (WL, WLA, G etc) began at 1000. The engines were mixed in together as far as SNs (sequence portion) are concerned but they may not have even reached 10000. Therefore 50327 is way too high to be authentic. Its possible someone added one character to the original sequence portionfor example, originally it may have been 5032 and someone added the 7. Another possibility could be that it was originally 5037 and someone added the 2. Or maybe the entire SN is a non-factory stamping. Can you post a photo of the whole SN please.
Also look underneath the crankcases. Stamped under each case near the outer edges and somewhat toward the front you may find belly numbers and they may be formatted similar to the following example: 41-1234. Please let us know what you find. Photos would help.
Pictures of both sides of the engine would also assist us because at this stage we dont really know if the engine is a 45ci model. The SN seems to indicate it is but sometimes we see SNs on engines they shouldnt be on. Anyway, if you post photos we should be able to sort it out. Thanks.
Eric
41 indicates model year is 1941.
WL is model and indicates Flathead (sidevalve) 45ci V-twin.
Are you sure about 50327? Because 50327 tells me something is wrong. For 1941 models, serial numbers (SNs) for engines in this family (WL, WLA, G etc) began at 1000. The engines were mixed in together as far as SNs (sequence portion) are concerned but they may not have even reached 10000. Therefore 50327 is way too high to be authentic. Its possible someone added one character to the original sequence portionfor example, originally it may have been 5032 and someone added the 7. Another possibility could be that it was originally 5037 and someone added the 2. Or maybe the entire SN is a non-factory stamping. Can you post a photo of the whole SN please.
Also look underneath the crankcases. Stamped under each case near the outer edges and somewhat toward the front you may find belly numbers and they may be formatted similar to the following example: 41-1234. Please let us know what you find. Photos would help.
Pictures of both sides of the engine would also assist us because at this stage we dont really know if the engine is a 45ci model. The SN seems to indicate it is but sometimes we see SNs on engines they shouldnt be on. Anyway, if you post photos we should be able to sort it out. Thanks.
Eric
Thread Starter
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Stage II
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
From: UK
Welcome to the forum.
41 indicates model year is 1941.
WL is model and indicates Flathead (sidevalve) 45ci V-twin.
Are you sure about 50327? Because 50327 tells me something is wrong. For 1941 models, serial numbers (SNs) for engines in this family (WL, WLA, G etc) began at 1000. The engines were mixed in together as far as SNs (sequence portion) are concerned but they may not have even reached 10000. Therefore 50327 is way too high to be authentic. Its possible someone added one character to the original sequence portionfor example, originally it may have been 5032 and someone added the 7. Another possibility could be that it was originally 5037 and someone added the 2. Or maybe the entire SN is a non-factory stamping. Can you post a photo of the whole SN please.
Also look underneath the crankcases. Stamped under each case near the outer edges and somewhat toward the front you may find belly numbers and they may be formatted similar to the following example: 41-1234. Please let us know what you find. Photos would help.
Pictures of both sides of the engine would also assist us because at this stage we dont really know if the engine is a 45ci model. The SN seems to indicate it is but sometimes we see SNs on engines they shouldnt be on. Anyway, if you post photos we should be able to sort it out. Thanks.
Eric
41 indicates model year is 1941.
WL is model and indicates Flathead (sidevalve) 45ci V-twin.
Are you sure about 50327? Because 50327 tells me something is wrong. For 1941 models, serial numbers (SNs) for engines in this family (WL, WLA, G etc) began at 1000. The engines were mixed in together as far as SNs (sequence portion) are concerned but they may not have even reached 10000. Therefore 50327 is way too high to be authentic. Its possible someone added one character to the original sequence portionfor example, originally it may have been 5032 and someone added the 7. Another possibility could be that it was originally 5037 and someone added the 2. Or maybe the entire SN is a non-factory stamping. Can you post a photo of the whole SN please.
Also look underneath the crankcases. Stamped under each case near the outer edges and somewhat toward the front you may find belly numbers and they may be formatted similar to the following example: 41-1234. Please let us know what you find. Photos would help.
Pictures of both sides of the engine would also assist us because at this stage we dont really know if the engine is a 45ci model. The SN seems to indicate it is but sometimes we see SNs on engines they shouldnt be on. Anyway, if you post photos we should be able to sort it out. Thanks.
Eric
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From: la la land jerzey
eric - I had some years back an un commissioned WLA that by palmers book was around 300 to the last one built - knowing it was not commissioned by the tompson was still real it came out of a surplus sale sitting in the back of a duce and 1/2 covered truck it was a 60,000 or 70,000 chassis don't remember exactly
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From: Long Island, New York
I agree that 5 digits after "WL" is too many numbers. A bunch of WLA unstamped cases still floating around, probably more by you. People seemed obligated to introduce their own numbers!?!?
I saw a set at a meet last month, claiming to be 1940 WLD, but the numbers where way too neat. Then I look at the casting number and it was 1945, the seller claimed ignorance. It happens, maybe your seller really doesn't know any better, maybe he is a thief. Hard to say, some of these shenanigans with numbers happened before we were born. Good luck, post pics for more help.
I saw a set at a meet last month, claiming to be 1940 WLD, but the numbers where way too neat. Then I look at the casting number and it was 1945, the seller claimed ignorance. It happens, maybe your seller really doesn't know any better, maybe he is a thief. Hard to say, some of these shenanigans with numbers happened before we were born. Good luck, post pics for more help.
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 695
Likes: 394
From: Western Australia
Nice bike John. In the late-70s and early-80s I bought and sold eight 42WLAs and a 43WLC although none were in military trim. The first one I bought had been chopped and it was the first bike I owned with a foot clutch.
Eric
Eric
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 49
Likes: 1
From: new mexico
I've never seen a WL 4 speed.