63-68 Hard Bags

[JSB55]

Hi, Guys

Refurbishing a set of hard bags for my 65 FLH, and have some questions I can't find answered in Palmer.

COLOR ... mine are Birch White. Were the white ones all Birch White, or some other shade? If so, which?

LOCKS ... the lock bodies I have are aluminum, and somewhat greyed. They work with a "42" key, so are probably original. I can't tell if they were painted at some point, or were originally polished or unpolished aluminum that has oxidized. Any info?

HARDWARE . the lock hardware and "hinge" hardware I have is steel, and also oxidized/greyed, but appears it was once shiny. Was it polished stainless steel, or perhaps chromed?

Amazed to find that the rivets and backing plates are still available from HD, so I have those.

Thanks for any info!

[vph-d]

I have an OP 65, the hinge/lock plates are stainless, the locks are chromed.
vph-d

[JSB55]

I have an OP 65, the hinge/lock plates are stainless, the locks are chromed.
vph-d

Thanks! I would never have guessed the locks I have were once chromed. They look like raw aluminum.

[Rubone]

Thanks! I would never have guessed the locks I have were once chromed. They look like raw aluminum.

They were chromed die-castings (potmetal) and if the chrome has flaked off they look like pewter.

[ryan]

You only went to year 68, but my 1969 has bags like this as well as my friends 69.

[vph-d]

The bags changed in 70.
vph-d

[T. Cotten]

The bags changed in 70.
vph-d

Don't forget the first years were hairy "glass mat" construction, Folks...

(My wife recently made me toss a trusty dehumidifier to the alley scrappers, and it had a glass mat tank. It was against my nature, but I did as I was told.)

....Cotten