Flathead A place to talk about Flathead motors.

42 WLA marking question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Jan 26, 2014 | 09:51 PM
  #1  
twotonestepside's Avatar
twotonestepside
Thread Starter
|
Stage I
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
From: san carlos
Default 42 WLA marking question

Just bought a 42WLA engine and noticed a small wrench stamping just to the right of the eng number. Any thoughts on historical significance?
 
Reply
Old Jan 27, 2014 | 11:02 AM
  #2  
panz4ever's Avatar
panz4ever
Seasoned HDF Member
20 Year Member
Liked
Loved
Community Favorite
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 7,481
Likes: 3,677
From: Santa Klaus County, Cali
Default

How about a pic of what you are referring to?
 
Reply
Old Jan 27, 2014 | 11:45 AM
  #3  
johnjzjz's Avatar
johnjzjz
Seasoned HDF Member
15 Year Member
Top Answer: 3
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 12,878
Likes: 5,448
From: la la land jerzey
Default

if its an anchor < its a navy motor and ye ppp jackpot
 
Reply
Old Jan 29, 2014 | 05:27 AM
  #4  
Speeding Big Twin's Avatar
Speeding Big Twin
Road Captain
Photogenic
Photoriffic
Shutterbug
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 692
Likes: 390
From: Western Australia
Default

Does it look like the marking in the picture below? The example below is on a 1954 Panhead and I’ve also seen it on another 54 Pan, a 52 Pan and a 47 Knuckle. I do not know for sure what it means. Some say it may have been applied by a certain shop to indicate the engines were worked on there.
Eric

 
Reply
Related Topics
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
docman
Shovelhead
10
May 11, 2016 10:46 AM
Hddarts
General Harley Davidson Chat
46
Jan 30, 2015 07:42 PM
SoftailSlim
Panhead
0
Jan 25, 2010 03:56 PM
bayoubilly
Panhead
7
Dec 10, 2009 12:35 PM




All times are GMT -5. The time now is 06:40 AM.

story-0
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-1
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-2
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-3
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-4
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE
story-5
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's new RMCR concept revives the café racer formula with modern hardware-and it may be exactly the reset the company needs.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-04 12:23:37


VIEW MORE
story-6
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II

Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-02-24 18:19:44


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy

Slideshow: There is no shortage of great motorcycles to buy, but we would avoid these ten.

By Joe Kucinski | 2026-02-19 14:50:51


VIEW MORE
story-8
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-01-13 18:33:17


VIEW MORE
story-9
Southpaw Super Glide: A Left-Hand-Drive 1979 Harley FXE Built to Fit the Rider

Slideshow: Graeme Billington's left-hand-drive Shovelhead is as much about problem-solving as it is about classic Harley form.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2025-12-30 11:27:08


VIEW MORE