Year help on ironhead confused

[Taker73044]

Originally Posted by Iron Mike

Look on the bottom of the cases. Look for stamped numbers, not so much cast numbers.
Show us a larger pic of both sides of eng. As well as complete bike if you can.

Okay I have looked at the bottom side of the case halves from what I can see with engine in the frame there are no numbers I've attached The Links of the pictures you mentioned.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vot...w?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vrk...w?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1w76...w?usp=drivesdk

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1vuN...w?usp=drivesdk

[Whitewalls]

Looks to me like a 1970 XLCH with a later front end.

[Taker73044]

Originally Posted by Whitewalls

Looks to me like a 1970 XLCH with a later front end.

Judging by the cam cover it's at least a 67 or older after doing some research attached is a linked with information to what years what cam covers were used on. From what I understand 68 and up used a six rib cam cover that says a single rib which was used from 57 to 67. I can open the cover to get closer range by determining if it's got the oil separator. Attached is the link to the PDF. I would sticky this link as it might be useful to others.

https://www.harleykmodel.com/technic...able-52-71.pdf

[sungod]

Check to right side front down tube if its a 70 there will be a vin# there.

[Iron Mike]

It looks like a collection of parts gathered from various years.
67 was first for the elec start for the left case half.
Cool old bike as it sits, but from a restoration standpoint, you can’t get the numbers back. You could spend the time collecting the correct parts for whatever year you would like to represent it as, but it will never be “correct” for any year under scrutiny. Forks, wheels, brakes tank, controls ect are not for any 60’s era machine, so whatever you decide just have fun with it.
With the money it would take to buy some correct parts to make it a 67-70 50 yard correct machine, you could buy another machine much more correct with good #’s for more of a resto.

FWIW, if it were mine, I’d put a battery in it and proceed to remove that rear tire, ....one stoplight at a time!
Good luck with your decision

[Taker73044]

Thanks for your response Iron Mike I got the bike for free it doesn't have a title just a bill of sale. It's been sitting a very long time just trying to figure out what year I should title it as. The person I got it from said the bike has been sitting for over about 20 years. They swore it was a 68 so I'll just title it as a 68.

[brucstoudt]

the timing cover in your last pic was used from 1957-'67.'68 would have the later version.

[Taker73044]

For a free motorcycle I can't grape too much. With sat in the barn for 15 some odd years. Shockingly with a little bit of Ingenuity it fired up with one kick today for the first time. I was expecting a little bit more work. LOL I did the background check on it today and it is not stolen so I'm going to pull the engine and see what other numbers I can find between the frame and the engine and whatever year number I find on the parts that's the highest I will go with as it's year. So far I found a frame stamp underneath the seat that says the frame is a 57. And the swingarm is stamped 62. It's the only part that I found so far that is not 57

[Iron Mike]

You will find 57 cast in all over most of the parts on that bike. Most of those cast in 57’s represent introductory year for the individual parts. A lot of parts on Ironheads are carried through the years and did not necessarily change much. That is why you will see those cast numbers.
What you would be looking for to identify a particular bike/eng, would be a STAMPED number. Under the cases, on the seat casting ect. These would be numbers issued at the factory when the bike/eng was built.

[The Doctor71]

FYI, the engine belly # you're looking for looks something like this. (pic is taken from a 1971 motor). For 1971, left side, forward of kickstand.

Yours may or may not be in a similar location.