Hi, newbie here.
Just bought a nice 1967 spitfire but concern about engine number as its on a raised pad which i
thought came in later. Matched frame and engine numbers only 3 numbers after a65sa .
Could it be replacement crankcases from blown engine ? And would this effect its value drastically or not.
Cheers guys
just googled 1967 spitfire all look to be on the cases, but 1967 lightning has both case and raised pad.
The raised plinth came in late 1969.
If a dealer replaced a damage crankcase with a new unstamped one then the original number was stamped on the new case. That was normal service practice back then.
You may find that other parts of your engine are later to go with the later crankcase. The 1970 clutch mechanism, for example, being different to the earlier.
So its still genuine even if its had a crankcase change. Frame number is on a flat cast plate 6 inch up from front engine mount on lhs stamped a65sa10# same as engine number
possibly the threads in the cases were BSC upto 1967 later ones may be UNF as for the American market. My A50 1969 has a high flat area for frame number wheras my old 67 thunderbolt had stamped on the tubing higher up.
I would expect the frame number to be stamped on the left front engine mounting lug.
My 66 Spitfire has its engine no stamped on a raised pad (with all the little BSA stamping behind it so it is correct) I was told the bike threw a rod (surprise!) in 1970 and had new cases fitted that were either stamped by the factory or the dealer. So that is what has probably happened here.
John.