harleyKmodel

The top trees don't have a casting number to look at. What I look at is where the fork stem hole meets the back edge. The early top tree that goes with the lower -52 tree has the hole meet the edges close to the top of the circle (see picture). The later top tree fork stem hole meets the back edges more in the center of the hole. I contend the change happened from the early to the later trees at VIN 2250 in 54, there is a good chance I am wrong with this assumption.

Finally HD with it's moto of we don't throw anything away reworked the early top and bottom trees to use them when they went to the later configuration. The following picture shows an early -52 casting bottom tree that has been cut, bent and welded. You can see where this rework took place at the red arrows. I think I forgot to point out with the earlier post that if you set the early and later trees flat on a table the difference in them is quite noticeable. The early tree with the bottom front flat on the table has the stem angling forward quite noticeable. The later bottom tree set on the table has the fork stem standing vertically. I have an early top tree that was reworked by HD to be used as the later. Unfortunately I don't have it at my location right now to take pictures. It's welds are really noticeable since it required a significant amount of rework. One final caution, the early and later trees can't be intermixed, the fork tubes won't line up.

Since we're this far into it, another difference in the top trees, the early has all four protruding bosses tapped to accommodate the early speedo design and switch brackets. The later top tree has two of the four bosses tapped and two that are not to accommodate the newer rubber mount speedo design.

In my last post I contended that the trees changed at VIN 2250 in 54. I also believe that is when the change was made to the rubber mount speedo and to the newer style top tin with the slightly larger speedo hole and notch cut out closest to the gas tank. I am basing this belief pretty much solely on my reading of the parts book. If you think I have this wrong please tell me.
Thanks,
JerryR

These are -52 and the upper is iron. Definitely the earlier stuff.

do u have a price in mind?