What to correctly paint on '32 VL?

[Lippy]

I've collected pictures of VL's from the internet for reference, so I have to first apologize to the owner of this picture of a 1932 VL. I hope that I've not offended that owner by copying the picture nor by reposting it. I'm using this picture to help clarify my question.

On the bottom of my 32 V frame, under the black paint, is evidence of the original paint which is Vermilion Red. Besides the frame, tanks and fenders how much of the motorcycle would have been painted Vermilion? The picture below shows most of the remaining sheet metal parts to be painted the same as the main body color. Is this correct? Wouldn't the primary and rear chain guards have been painted black before hand and then just bolted on during assembly? What about the rear stand, battery and tool box? Again, apologies to the owner of this picture.

Lippy

[Peter Cooke]

I believe that's a Steve Slocombe, VL Heaven, built bike in which case it will be correct. Where it has blue you would have red. There's a photo of the H-D Archive 32VL in Steve's book and it has olive green everywhere that photo has blue.

[Steve Slocombe]

Yup, John Cullere in NJ built that bike for me and it's now sold and in the Winners Circle for the new owner. The paint scheme was copied from an original paint 32RL once owned by Connie Schlemmer and with photos of it in my VL book. It's in Delft Blue and Turquoise with the swirl tank pattern. Undoubtedly most bikes were in the standard Olive Green, but DuPont had bought Indian in 1930, and Harley was trying to compete on colour schemes at a time of much reduced demand in the Depression. Remember the first 'Five Standard Color Schemes' came out for the 1933 Harley model year around July 1932. There are optional paint scheme brochures for 1930/31 with samples, reproduced in Johnny Sells' book on the 1929-36 Harley 45 small twins. Vermilion with gold striping, black and vermilion, and olive green and vermilion are amongst these options, so check if you have a secondary colour. I've tried to extrapolate how the optional schemes would look in my VL book which you should have. Poring over 1928/9 Shop Dopes on pricing for optional paint jobs also helps. I believe the 1933 vermilion/black paint scheme used in the main picture of the 1933 brochure may have been a carryover of a 1932 scheme with a solid red panel in the middle of both mudguards. Almost no 1930-32 original paint bikes exist in optional paint schemes, so hit the books, do the research, and you should get there.