Guys, so I stumbled into this issue....yeah again vin# question.....So here is the deal. The bike is a 1971 FLH, the frame stickers shows the vin number 2AxxxxxH1 that is correct for a 1971 FLH, the sticker manufacturing date is 7/70 (I guess July 1970), now the frame looks like a 1969 frame w/o square spot for the vin boss, the vin is stamped on the right side of the steering neck (weird) and the motor vin matches the frame but I am reluctant to see small indentation where the vin is stamped (grind, grind??). The motor vin is stamped on the nose cone (right side) but has boss plate like pre 1970 bikes on the left side......

The font of the vin looks like factory too. Since it would be very difficult to reproduce frame aluminum sticker with the vin and the bike is produced right after the AMF took it from HD hands I am keen to believe that bike is legit, vin# are original, genuine factory but I need someone to ensure me that is the case. Anyone has seen such scenario before and can help??? or it is a total flap....













Belly Numbers seem to match





Weird it has a vin boss on the left side of the motor........



I would have assumed that the AMF wanted to use a surplus of 1969 frames in 1970/71 bikes. A replacement frame would have been later and in par with all the markings that I am accustomed in later 1970's frames. I have never seen vin stamped like that on the frame but I have barely seen any 1970/1971 FLH bikes as well.

In addition when enlarged the motor vin looks legit as I can see foundry coarse marks around the vin. If ground off and re-stamped metal around the vin would have been very smooth.

 

That is a puzzler. The VIN are the correct style. The label looks legit and as you said hard to fake. The frame is puzzle though. I've seen late 69 models with a blank number boss but I've never seen a 70 and later without one. Check the frame date on the rear tank mount. It's on one side and consists of a letter and a number. The letter is month the number is year. For yours it shouldn't be any later than G 0 ( July 1970).
Another thing is that Dealerships in the early 70's could re-stamp VIN's on replacement cases and frames.
Now that I think about it, on another forum several years ago a member had a 1971 FX that also had the number on the neck. It may have been a common practice.

 

the shops 71 has the vin just like you posted

 

johnjzjz, thank you for your input!!

 

biczeq, someone who may be able to help is Pete Simet at H-D Customer Service via 414-343-4056.

I do not know if the frame VIN is authentic but I have seen a VIN in that position before on a Harley said to be a 1971 model. The VIN was 2A10+++H1 so it was in a similar number range to yours. The story is unconfirmed but it went like this: during early-1971 production H-D experimented with location of the frame VIN.

The date code on the frame was F0 indicating it was made in June 1970. However, the VIN area had been machined flat and that sounds similar to a reply post I read in your discussion on the CAImag forum.

In your photos I can’t see anything wrong with the VIN characters on the frame or the engine and they all appear to be usual H-D types for 1971.

On the right-hand case there appears to be another marking and I've shown it below in the red rectangle:



Is that marking a Harley bar and shield? If it is then you may also find the same logo at the other end of that belly number. I can’t see any logos near the belly numbers on the left case but have a close look. I have seen the H-D logos on Sportster cases and on cases for a 1973 Shovel. The bar and shield logos are said to indicate the second set of belly numbers were applied by H-D. And that may also indicate that the first set of belly numbers were lined-through by Harley.

The unstamped number boss on the left case is part of the original casting for some alternator Shovelhead engines. I have seen the boss on some 1970–71 model Shovel left cases and apparently the same applies for some 1972 models.

Stamped on the lower triple clamp there appears to be an additional original component identifying number and it may consist of one letter followed by either three or four numbers. I don’t need to know the numbers but if the letter is M, N, P or R then the triple clamp may be a 1971 model. However, M was also used for 1970, as were K and L, while P and R were also used for 1972. But please note that the info I have regarding the additional ID is not always accurate; instead it’s used more as a guide than as a definite means of identification as far as model year is concerned.
Eric

 

Hello Speeding Big Twin, yes the other half has also the bar and shield logo.......The stampings on the lower triple tree is M4352. As stated the frame sticker shows production date as 7/70, the vin is already stamped for a 1971 model. Therefore it all makes sense, I have a good feeling the bike is legit and the story is that it was in one family from new. Father bought it in 1971 and later passed on to his son. The son has painted it goofy at first, rode like that for about 10 years and then he re-did the bike to black and chrome. Thank you so much for your input.