Help with these head numbers and letters

Information about the identification and numbering of frame, motor belly, transmission and other parts
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flatland
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Help with these head numbers and letters

#1

Post by flatland »

The pic is pretty shi**y but, the numbers are 11, 9, 48 and on a small pad cast in the head is L8 and both heads are marked the same. Are they telling me November 9, 1949 ?
I have a second pic but it's to large to post. It's a stamping on both heads just above the sparkplugs. There is a- W- then a heart followed with a- P

Thanks, Kenny
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Speeding Big Twin
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Re: Help with these head numbers and letters

#2

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

flatland wrote:Are they telling me November 9, 1949 ?

Thanks, Kenny
No, they ain’t telling you that. 8) And the first two characters don’t constitute 11. 8) The five characters combined are casting number 119 48 and it appeared on front heads for 1948–49 models.

L8 is a casting date code indicating the head was cast in either December 1948 or November 1948. The reason I’m not sure regarding the month is because a few years ago it was said that the letter I was not used for certain parts cast in 1948–49 due to confusion with the number 1. That meant the letter M was used for December and M has indeed appeared on certain items. However, I also have examples of the letter I on certain pieces from when it was apparently not supposed to have been used and one of those pieces is a Panhead rear head which appears to have date code I8. Therefore at this stage confusion still reigns.

You say both heads are marked the same but do you mean they have the same casting number as each other or do you just mean they both have L8? If you have two heads with casting number 119 48 then you have two front heads. If one head is a rear head it should have casting number 119 482 which was used for 1948–49 models. Look closely at the second casting number because the 2 in 119 482 may be partly compromised by a hole for a rocker cover screw.

Regarding the W, heart and P, I do not know what those markings indicate but they may be some sort of ID done by a former owner, mechanic or machinist. Can you reduce the picture size and post it?
Eric
flatland
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Re: Help with these head numbers and letters

#3

Post by flatland »

Eric,

The rear head does have the 2 after the 48 and it does have the cover bolt thru it and both heads have the L8. The attached picture is of the W heart P

Again thanks for you help, Kenny
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Bigincher
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Re: Help with these head numbers and letters

#4

Post by Bigincher »

I think a previous owner may have added his own personalized stamp--- "Wally Loves Panheads".
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Re: Help with these head numbers and letters

#5

Post by geareater »

Or maybe Wally loves P???? , just a thought. [img][/img]
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Re: Help with these head numbers and letters

#6

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

Kenny, thanks for posting the photo. I agree with Tom (Bigincher) in that it looks like some sort of personal stamping. Definitely not done by H-D.
Eric
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