450 mark 3 with screw rocker adjusters

[machten]

Hi Graeme,

My 450 has a solitary "B" only. No other marks I can see.

Kev

[graeme]

2 74 springer cases with just B and 2 74 desmo cases with BF, I wonder why they were stamped like that when the DM450 and DM450D is already different?

[machten]

Even more than that, the Mark 3 is stamped DM450M3 on the left hand case.

Kev

[graeme]

Ive Never seen that before,,, interesting.

[machten]

That's always been standard behavior for the Mark 3 widecases as far as I know. My 68 250 Mark 3 desmo is the same, but it has "C20" stamped on the LHS case.

Kev

[LaceyDucati]

Hi,
Those type of stamped letters and numbers appear on heads, barrels and cases. As far as I can make out they are fairly random over the years and models, C20 appears a lot as does B and 8. A quick look around the workshop reveals C27, C32, C55, E5.... As the numbers don't get higher the newer the castings get, my guess is they are not casting batch numbers. I just presume they are inspection stamps during manufacture. Maybe they are the individual inspectors number. If that's true all we need to do is work out which inspector is responsible for passing the the poorly machined out of spec bits I've come across

Best Wishes Nigel

[graeme]

Hello Nigel,
Lots of C's on 450 heads, I figure Cynthia 50 did the bevel shims, Cheryl 55 did the rockers and Olive checked the lot. (she didn't get a number stamp, just an O.
Probably similar to a paint spot today.
Early 450 cases 69/70 didn't get any stamps that I can see.

Graeme

ps. sorry to sidetrack your rocker question Kev.