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
Help with these head numbers and letters
-
- Inactive member
- Member
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 6:38 pm
- Bikes: 04 RDK
59 FLH - Has thanked: 3 times
Help with these head numbers and letters
- Attachments
-
- 20130817_103719_resized.jpg (109.6 KiB) Viewed 1435 times
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1261
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:29 am
- Bikes: H-D
- Location: Western Australia
- Has thanked: 31 times
- Been thanked: 310 times
Re: Help with these head numbers and letters
No, they ain’t telling you that. And the first two characters don’t constitute 11. The five characters combined are casting number 119 48 and it appeared on front heads for 1948–49 models.flatland wrote:Are they telling me November 9, 1949 ?
Thanks, Kenny
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
-
- Inactive member
- Member
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Sun Oct 30, 2011 6:38 pm
- Bikes: 04 RDK
59 FLH - Has thanked: 3 times
Re: Help with these head numbers and letters
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
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
- Attachments
-
- 20130820_113939_resized.jpg (35.68 KiB) Viewed 1390 times
-
- Former member
- Senior Member
- Posts: 2789
- Joined: Tue Dec 18, 2007 2:10 pm
- Bikes: 1941/59 EL
1952 FL
1977 FLH
1994 Fatboy - Has thanked: 22 times
- Been thanked: 110 times
Re: Help with these head numbers and letters
I think a previous owner may have added his own personalized stamp--- "Wally Loves Panheads".
-
- Junior Member
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Fri Dec 02, 2011 10:52 pm
- Bikes: 58FL
- Been thanked: 3 times
Re: Help with these head numbers and letters
Or maybe Wally loves P???? , just a thought. [img][/img]
Peace
Peace
-
- Senior Member
- Posts: 1261
- Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 2:29 am
- Bikes: H-D
- Location: Western Australia
- Has thanked: 31 times
- Been thanked: 310 times
Re: Help with these head numbers and letters
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
Eric