H block?

[kartjockey]

How is this an H block with 12 hole side cover and no place for a rotary valve?  Am I nuts?  Plus it is stamped at the bottom like an M.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Crank-Case-Simplex-Servi-Cycle-Motor-Cycle-Rat-Rod-Hard-to-find-Part-/251239702406?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a7f0d9f86&vxp=mtr

[Mike Sal]

That is definitely a late model crankcase for use with a phelon magneto.  I wonder if this was a special order replacement motor where the dealer had the factory stamp the same number as what the customer's old motor had?  Or is it possible a replacement crankcase would not have had the same number stamped on it as a complete motor? 

A nice mystery for sure.....
Mike Sal

[admin]

Did you guys notice the other engine with the WM number? I think I heard something about that from someone, maybe Bob Kerr, but I can't remember what it meant.

[Mike Sal]

I'm surprised Wayne didn't scoop up all these blocks.  Did he buy so many that he couldn't justify them all?

I wonder if the W at the front of that motor indicated a block that had been salvaged (requiring an oversize crank for example.  If a dealer requested a replacement part, the factory would know that it required oversize mating parts.  Just a guess of course.
Mike Sal

[admin]

Wayne had plenty of blocks I think.  He did get cylinders and flywheels. I just bought a Wico flywheel from him; $175, I think that was the most expensive part I ever bought from him with the exception of a dual pipe exhaust.

Did you notice the crack on the WM block?  It might not be bad, but I can't tell from the picture.

[kartjockey]

Maybe it was once a Wayne Mahaffey (WM) rebuild. And all the numbers were peened down. When I used to grind cranks I used to put a marking on them when I was done. Never did it on resto jobs though.  It took 20 years but one finally cycled back around to me.