1948 Frame stamping.

Identification information of frames and transmissions
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flatboy1950
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1948 Frame stamping.

#1

Post by flatboy1950 »

This '48 BT frame has the letter J stamped on the RH side of the front eng. mt.
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flatboy1950
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Posts: 536
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Bikes: 1948 Pan 61
1942 sv 74 x 4
1948 sv 74 x 1
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Re: 1948 Frame stamping.

#2

Post by flatboy1950 »

This 1948 Pan frame has a Z stamped on it.
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58flh
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Re: 1948 Frame stamping.

#3

Post by 58flh »

Shoot a PM to SPEEDING BIG TWIN//He will know & has a compilation of stuff like this.---Respectfully---Richie
Bigincher
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Re: 1948 Frame stamping.

#4

Post by Bigincher »

I have seen any number of various stampings on multiple frames. Not just the right side, also the left side. Multiple years, from knuck frames all through the panhead years.
I help Wasco part time, so I see a lot of frames.

I have seen not only almost every letter of the alphabet, I've also seen symbols.

Here's a cross. It may be an X with what a would could an "open" font, or 'bold-stroke'..................

frame-x.jpg


And here's a C within a C, or possible an "open" font like above, or you could call it a 'bold-stroke' C.............

frame-cc.jpg


And my all-time favorite, PacMan:

frame-c.jpg


What do the stampings mean? Who knows. Maybe Eric knows. We've discussed the subject before, and generally agree it may be an inspector's stamp.
Wasco and I always joke about it, if the symbol is a B, then we joke that 'Bob' was the inspector that day. Or if it's an H, old 'Hank' was on the job that day.
But how do you explain the symbols I have seen, and shown here....?


Additionally, sometimes owners stamp their frame with their initials so they will always be able to recognize it.
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Speeding Big Twin
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Re: 1948 Frame stamping.

#5

Post by Speeding Big Twin »

flatboy, as Tom mentioned, markings in these areas were discussed recently but I’m no closer now to solving the mystery so at this stage the best guess is still that they may have been applied by inspectors.

If you run across the letter P on a 1949 model Panhead frame then please let us know because there are rumours from three sources that P was on some frames for 1949 models to be fitted with a springer as original. One person said it could be on the left front or the right-hand front but the problem is that it would seem odd to place a P there to indicate a springer when that same position was also used for other letters for whatever reason. The second person indicated that it may be on the frame tab that accommodates the stud for the rear of the left footboard. Bruce Palmer says in his new book that P is stamped into the frame but he does not say where.
Eric
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