I am wondering if there is a way to determine if the transmission is original to the motorcycle ? A 1981 FXS to be exact.

 

I'm wondering why anybody would want to but no, you can't. Unless, like me, you have a post 80 bike with a pre-79 tranny in it.

 

Look under the trans case for a casting number to see if it’s consistent with a 1981 model. Your casting number may be 34709 80? Near the casting number you may or may not find a date code but there was more than one type. Some indicate the month, day and year the case was cast while others only indicate month and year.

Stamped on the back of the trans you may find an additional original component identifying number, aka security code, aka anti-theft number, aka supplemental number. For example this case has BN7+++. For a 1981 model trans the letters could also be BL or BM?





The trans case additional ID would have been recorded at the factory. Similar, but not identical, ID may be stamped on the lower triple clamp. Maybe on the padlock plate or the R-H fork stop?
Contact H-D Customer Service (Customer Care?) and/or the H-D Museum and tell them your frame number, engine number, trans ID number and the number on the lower triple clamp. If all these numbers are original to the one bike they may be able to tell you and you could ask them to send you a letter of confirmation. But if the ID number on the trans isn’t original to the bike they won’t tell you what it should be. And the same goes for the ID number on the lower triple clamp.
NB: if at first they say they can’t help you then ring again later and speak to a different person than before.

Here’s a link to a thread I started on the Panhead and Flathead forum in 2019 regarding additional original component identifying numbers.
Eric


https://www.hydra-glide.net/phpBB3/v...ic.php?t=18752

 

Hi Ken ,
When i called Customer Care , (414-343-4056) with my Vin number they gave me the Original Colour, Dealer who took delivery & date, Crank Case #'s, Fork serial #, Trans. serial # & total production #'s for my model for that year ! Don't pay any attention to the owners who have Frankenstein Bikes & don't understand why any one would care about Matching Numbers, they don't have a clue !

Your doing the right thing putting her back to stock ! from your photos you posted your almost there ! Ride On !

 

When I called customer care they did not have a lot on my bike, build date, model and where it was delivered to. Mine is a Feb. 6th 1981 build and is still an AMF bike. She said that they did not have much on those bikes. So far frame, engine and model match and by the looks and condition of the bike I would imagine everything else will too. As I learn how and as I go along I will check things out.

 

Proud to be AMF !

 

 

I need one of those stickers!

 

In canada they have seances for weeks after seeing that sticker

the wailing can be heard for miles across the ice

it’s frightening i tell you its frightening

 

Ya, AMF ! I wanted an AMF bike and they say that this is the pinnacle of them this late in their history. It's an oldy...goldy like me.