53K1001 Cases on Ebay

Thought somebody might be interested.

http://tinyurl.com/3z2hk7o

Mark

Cheap!

[Pa]

If they really be what they really are reported to be....that is cheap.

I don't like the couple thousand digit discrepancy between the belly numbers and case number! And not sure on the case stamping either. need to compare more examples, but 1001 is easy to fake as the characters don't have many identifying oddities!
JMHO
Robbie

I'd bet all the Titanium in my right knee that those #'s are real.

Robbie,

Did you note that the belly numbers are very high 1952s, which I would think would be perfectly fine 53K1001?

Mark

Did you note that the belly numbers are very high 1952s, which I would think would be perfectly fine 53K1001?

You're right Mark,
I was looking at them as 53. So they are likely OK. Still too much money in my world. But if someone already had a '53 K it would be a good project. But then it would end up in a static display somewhere and what's the point of that!
Robbie

Difference in color between the cases and the way too flat number pad...

Way too neatly stamped for the period...

I'll say it's a restamp...

Patrick

Patrick,

From my perspective, it seems pretty obvious that number pad has been cleaned more than the surrounding cases. Can't say about the number pad being too flat, but the fact that somebody might be extra careful with the numbers on the #1 job for a new model year does not seem surprising at all.

Mark

It seems everything on ebay is, was, stolen in the past!

... If you look carefully, you can see the remnants of a small 7 (???...) between the 5 and the 3, a second K underneath the K and another 7 at the end... RESTAMP...

Patrick

The number pad on my 53 appears to be sharper and cleaner but who knows, I've heard a story once that back in the day the factory offered '52 and '53 K owners the oppertunity to have their cases swaped out for the later trap door cases. Awful big on their part if it's a true story ..

As far as the factory offering trap door cases in exchange for the non-door cases--- I was working in a Harley shop in 1958 and on into the '60s. I had to race a poorboy KR, 'cause I couldn't afford a real KR. I worked alongside Roy Andres, Leonard's brother, and Brad's Uncle. I never heard of any thing like this exchange, and I am sure I would have. Leonard always said I needed to upgrade the tranny gears, but I don't remember anything about the cases. My race bike was a '52 K , with a whole bunch of work done inside, but no tranny door.

hi patrick , if there was a bunch of sevens like you say, then that number boss must have been ground down at least twice , because as far as im given to understand k models (except kr's) were only made between 52 and 56 , so it couldnt have been an original stamped 57K. i cannot see that thats been done as it would leave the boss looking very different to a standard one

You got my curiosity ramjet, how did that hot rod '52 K fair against the factory KR's ? It would be very interesting to hear some the old mods that were performed, we're always fortunate to hear from a racer from back in the day.. Tim

Tim 435, I sent you an email and it has info about the motor.

hi ramjet, would you mind sending me an email about info on the motor to please ,as im building a wl/kh regards jib

Didn't get anything ramjet, try e-mailing direct to racebike435@aol.com , thanks, Tim

Ramjet,

I too am very interested in your engine mods. Could you post them for us Vintage Racers to read? A pic or two of you and the bike "back in the day" would be a treat.

And thanks too all of you who share your experience and refernce material on this board. You have helped me many times and I appreciate your taking he time.

Cody

Hi Cody,
I'll try to get a couple of pictures up. Do you race the vintage stuff now ? I have friends that are running the KR bikes on AHRMA races. With the stuff that is available today I don't think anyone would want to build a racer the way I did back in the day. It started life as a stock K model, but it had lightened flywheels and drilled rods and needle bearings in the cam cover, and lightened pistons and KR heads and barrels, and some real wild cams. A Fairbanks mag supplied the fire. Great running bike and won many races.