Repainted From The Factory??

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

I have a Factory Sportster gas tank that came with my current 'Drag Bike' Sportster project that's painted a Metallic Maroon color with the original 74 stripping decals. I'm considering using it as a Pattern or Buck to form my own fiberglass shell tank for the Drag Bike project. Anyway, apparently someone previous to me started to strip the Metallic Maroon paint and decals off, but stopped at the decal level. However, on the top of the tank there's a quarter sized patch of the Metallic Maroon paint that's been scraped down thru the primer and reveals that the tank was originally a Metallic Blue color also offered I think by H-D during that year. My question is; was this a common practise of the Harley Factory or Dealer? Could this have been a '73' tank? Anyone ever come upon a tank of any year that they know was definitly resprayed at the Factory?? Just Curios... ...Hrdly-Dangrs

[Tommo]

I'm sure they did

Dad imported direct from the H.D. factory a 1965 Electra-Glide and following his accident on it in 1967 the black and white finish was cracked and chipped to reveal a front mudguard that was initially painted "Hi-Fi Blue" and a rear mudguard that had been "Hi-Fi Red"
I feel sure that the mudguards on this bike were leftovers from 1964 that were oversprayed to suit the colour scheme that Dad ordered for his new bike.
We personally uncrated and assembled this motorcycle and know for sure that this was exactly as it left the factory,overpainted guards and all.
Is this any help
Regards, Tommo.

[Hrdly-Dangrs]

Interesting Tommo. Considering that the Decals of the period (at least on the non-emblem badged Sportster tank), would have left an imprint if they were to be resprayed. I'd doubt they would spend the money to pay their painters to sand down the first finish. Would that mean the Factory, at least during its final run of that years sheet metal, did not apply the decals and clear top coat until there was a confirmed order for that bike from a dealer? Was this an early practise of the now accepted 'Parts On Time' assembly line, or just the opposite? Did the Paint Department just spray their quota for the week?...or kept spraying to use up the batch of paint since they knew that an 'X' number amount of these Tanks/Fenders along with the same colors were going into the next Model years initial shipment to the Dealers? I believe that the Dealer's didn't get to choose their Colors on the initial stock shipment then and still don't today. If so I guess that says something about keeping your primary sheet metal the same from year to year. 'Evolution' I think Harley coined it. This stuff is always interesting to me for some reason. Go figure..... ....Hrdly-Dangrs