Cant a guy restamp better thanthis?

[Speeding Big Twin]

To me the "H" looks tall compared to the rest of the characters. I am not saying this is a restamp. I am just trying to learn. Was the letter H taller during certain years?

The H appears taller than the other two letters but it's hard to be sure from that eBay photo. A few other examples I have are similar although I found nothing definite relating to any year(s) in particular. Also notice the crossbar on the H appears to be higher than halfway and that is something I've seen before but not always.

The H in the photo below looks taller than the accompanying L and F but if it really is then I'd have to say it's a rare occurrence given the rest of the examples I have.



Incidentally, the 62 photo once caused a certain forum member to say the numbers in it looked funky. But when I asked him to explain his comment there was no reply, just silence.

Harley used at least four different Hs from the early years through 1980. The couple of examples I have of pre-1920 and also of 1929 have an H with horizontal serifs at the top and bottom of each vertical stroke. The overall height is about the same as other letters and the crossbar is located about halfway up.

Some 1936 VLHs have a seriffed H but it seems to have changed to a sans serif H before the end of the 1936 model year, possibly somewhere after number 32++ but before number 42++.

The 1937-41 UH and ULH also seem to have the sans serif H.

My few examples of the 1950 WLH also bear the sans serif H but it could be that two different types were used because sometimes the crossbar appears to be about halfway up and sometimes it seems to be higher, as per the 59FLH on eBay. And a similar two-H scenario may also apply for the 1954-later KH and some other K-series machines, as well as the mid-1955-69 FLH and applicable Sportsters through 1969.

On some small Harleys such as the Sprint in the 1960s another type of H appeared and although it was sans serif it was wider than previous Hs.

It looks like the wider H was then introduced on engines for Big Twins, Sportsters and Servi-Cars as of the 1970 models and I've seen it mostly in the eighth position as the manufacturer code for 1970-79---for example, 2A12345H0. However, some Hs in that eighth position still appear to be a narrower style. And I've seen both types of H used in the second position as part of the model designator.
Eric

[Speeding Big Twin]

Thanks for the info, Eric. I'm thinking of starting a vin id file so I can sort all this out. Lot to keep in mind

You're welcome, Brian. I agree there is a lot to keep in mind. Learning about serial numbers and/or VINs is an ongoing process---for example, it may be that something unusual happened at times with some 1965 models and it's one of several things I continue to look for.

If you have Palmer's 37-64 book please use it as a guide only because there are other serial number errors in it apart from the 1962 reference I mentioned earlier. And his 32-52 military book also contains problems relating to serial numbers.
Eric