’48 Muffler hangers and clamps – painted black or parkerized?

[Chris Haynes]

Sorry .... I was just trying to put the exhaust clamp finishes in the same thread so all the Exhaust clamps would be in one place. I did find out that the exhaust port clamps on 48OHV are flat band stainless steel. there is a small spacer on the bolt .... Have not gotten a answer on the finish( Parkerized, Painted, Cadium) and type (1038)? of the bolt for these clamps..Thank You Standing By

'48's often have a mixture of CP 1035 and CP 1038. It all depended on what was on the shelf. They didn't change every bolt from 1035 to 1038 on a certain day.

[exeric]

Sorry .... I was just trying to put the exhaust clamp finishes in the same thread so all the Exhaust clamps would be in one place. I did find out that the exhaust port clamps on 48OHV are flat band stainless steel. there is a small spacer on the bolt .... Have not gotten a answer on the finish( Parkerized, Painted, Cadium) and type (1038)? of the bolt for these clamps..Thank You Standing By

You brought up an interesting observation, Patrick. From exhaustive old picture analysis of '48 BT ohv's I know you are right about the exhaust spigot clamps which are flat bands (early) without the re-enforcing rib that may have been a later '48 production change. I would like to know more about this, and if anyone has information about how, and when it was changed. I think it was a good change but would like to more about it. Thanks for bringing this up, Patrick.

[Chris Haynes]

As you can see in this factory photo the head pipe clamps are bright stainless.

[exeric]

Great picture, Chris. Thank you.

[jgbrown59]

Now that the finish of the muffler hanger and clamp have determined, is the black paint a flat or semi gloss finish? From the pictures of both the muffler and the hangers/clamps, they appear to be more on the glossy side. If so, any paint recommendations? I am also working on a 48.

[Rubone]

H-D used gloss on everything, they never used matte or semi-gloss paint. Also as a side note, often the finish on a part originally used in production and the same part as a replacement unit the finish may be different. I've seen lots of stuff come out of factory packaging with totally different finish than originally used.

[exeric]

As Robbie has stated, H-D painted everything gloss black and let nature take it's course. I had a N.O.S. VL muffler that I got from George Hopps who had been a Harley dealer from somewhere in the mid-West in the olden days. It was scratched, and shelf worn, but gloss black; not a high sheen but not flat. Heat turns gloss black to flat black. Note the right side gas tank fitting location, and the patch plug to it's left.

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