Thanks for the photos. Casting number 112-322 as expected outside the left case. Casting number 112-32 outside the R-H case, also as expected.

I can’t see anything wrong with your belly numbers (BNs) and all characters appear normal factory types for 1932. Round-top 3 and sans serif 2 look okay. Hard to be sure from the photos but you may find the 3 and 2 line up neatly with each other and this may be due to them being applied with a tandem stamp. Notice the year 2 is different to the sequence 2 but that’s okay in this instance. Large gap between the two portions is fine and I see it a lot with 1932 BNs.

Sometimes an engine number is earlier than the BNs, sometimes it is the same year and sometimes it is later, as yours is. However, the engine number is not consistent with factory stamping for 1933 as I mentioned above. In engine numbers the 3 and 9 were the same for 1932–33 but I posted a 32 below because your cases are 1932. Compare your 3 and 9 with these.



And your characters appear shorter than the characters in my photo. I’m wondering if your cases began as a matched pair but with no engine number. Then the engine number was stamped later by persons unknown.

Something else that may be of interest is a Harley layout sheet for 1933 models. Notice no Model D, DL, DS or DLD.
Eric

 

Cheers Eric for your reply which is once again much appreciated.

The surface of the casting where the engine number is stamped, does not look like it has been ground or filed back.

The DDR registration document only shows only 2 owners - dates 1958 and 1962.

The model and engine number is recorded in the registration document on 15 September 1958, possibly indicating that the engine number dates back to at least pre 1939 prior to WW2, as there would have been little or no opportunities to acquire replacement cases during and after the war in East Germany.

Cheers,

Bob

 

I agree your number boss doesn’t look altered.

I’ve seen those two EL engine numbers before and I can’t see anything wrong with them. Obviously two different 3s were used and both of them are different again to the 3 in the 32R+ I posted.

In the 36, the 3s are a type that is sometimes referred to as a long-diagonal 3. The earliest I’ve seen it is on prototype Knuckleheads that had 1935 engine numbers. (At least four prototypes were produced.) That 3 is also found in engine numbers of production model Flatheads for 1935–early-37 and on production model Knuckleheads for 1936–early-37.Here it is below on an early-37 Knuckle. Also notice the seriffed L etc.



But during the 1937 model year H-D changed a lot of engine number characters as demonstrated by the 37EL19++ you posted.
Eric

 

Many thanks Eric for all your advice and help which is very much appreciated.

Kindest regards,

Bob