The South African
From time to time interesting queries arrive at the Society. This is an example of such a query, answered by a volunteer expert.
"I’m trying to find out more about the 1942 1200cc Side Valve V-twin Harley Davidson that was used by the South African Military Service and then absorbed into the civilian sector. I’m particularly enquiring about how the VIN numbers were created for these motorcycles as it is not the standard type of number allocated to motorcycles of that time".
Jolene
"I was asked to answer your query by the Military History Society. I worked as the Armoured curator at the then South African National Museum of Military History in Johannesburg from 1983 to my retirement in 2022.
"I now live in Sweden and unfortunately no longer have access to my Military Vehicle files I compiled but can remember some details which may help with your query.
"The Union Defence Forces (UDF) used mostly British motor-cycles. When the war started, Britain needed all war stores for herself and could not spare any for the UDF. So an order for 156 of the 1200cc model 10/12 with sidecars and 2 350 of the 750cc civilian model WL were ordered from Harley Davidson in Milwaukee in June 1940.
"This was before America entered WW2. I’m not sure how long it took for these to be delivered, but all were probably not delivered before the end of the war.
"The engine was stamped with the year 41, the model 10/12, and the serial number of 1 to 156 in the case of the 1200cc bikes. So the engine(Vin) no for example was 4110/120123 for no 123 of the 156 bikes ordered.
"The UDF were pleased with the performance and reliability of the Harley Davidson and ordered another 1 000 of the 1200cc and side car model 10/12 as well as 1 000 of the 750 cc model WL in April 1941.
"So these 1200cc bikes should have had engine numbers 4110/120865 for example for the 865th bike of the 1 000 ordered.
"It may be that some of the last of the 1 000 ordered were completed in early 1942 and then would have had the engine number for example 4210/120980 (the 980th bike of the 1000 ordered?
"I don’t think that this number stamped on the engine was at the time known as or officially recognised as the VIN number.
"An Internet search says that VIN numbers only started in 1954. Manufacturers still mostly used their own numbering system. In 1970 the VIN system became standard but Harley Davidson only fully complied with the VIN system for their bikes in 1981.
"The UDF was the main user of the 1200cc Model 10/12 motorcycle with side car. Apparently only an additional 200 of this model were manufactured for the American Navy".
Richard Henry
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