65 FLH King of the Highway fit and finish

[rbenash]

Getting close to being able to finally assemble and test ride my project.

It's still a few parts short of a "restoration", so I'll call it a "resurrection" for now, since it's in some ways like the Phoenix.

Just wanted to thank everyone who contributed information and suggestions. I'm sure I'll have a few more questions before the first ride, but not many.

Chris, Rooster, paps, "panz", flat-happy, Ray, and everyone else who pitched in... THANKS for the input. The end result will be 100% better than it started out to be, and/or is at the present stage several years earlier than I might have done alone.

Happy to have helped in any way. The price is that you have to post some pics of the completed project!

[flat-happy]

thank you for the mention---i like to help as much as i like to restore. difference is i can always afford to help. can't afford to restore much these days

[JSB55]

Getting close to being able to finally assemble and test ride my project.

It's still a few parts short of a "restoration", so I'll call it a "resurrection" for now, since it's in some ways like the Phoenix.

Just wanted to thank everyone who contributed information and suggestions. I'm sure I'll have a few more questions before the first ride, but not many.

Chris, Rooster, paps, "panz", flat-happy, Ray, and everyone else who pitched in... THANKS for the input. The end result will be 100% better than it started out to be, and/or is at the present stage several years earlier than I might have done alone.

[JSB55]

Gotcha. As you've already deduced, metallurgy is not my strong suit.

[Chris Haynes]

The engine and transmission cases are aluminum and can be and were left bare metal, Steel parts are either painted, Parkerized or plated because if you left them bare metal they would rust.

[JSB55]

Sorry for the confusion, guys, and thanks for all the help.

I'm still getting used to what aged cad plating looks like, and don't always pick up on the (to my eye) subtle differences between the various finishes when looking at black and white photos.

After massaging the foot peg bracket with a wire brush to remove the silver paint someone had previously applied, I couldn't tell if it had originally been plated, or was "natural" like the trans and motor cases.

At least the battery box support plate had black paint under the silver, and rust and/or some sort of red primer under that.

[Chris Haynes]

What is this "natural" finish you refer to?
The footpeg bracket is cadmium plated.

[panz4ever]

Sorry for the screw up ...was looking at the pic and thinking about the footrest support bracket. Footrest bracket is as you say either natural/cad? finish. The bracket off the top of the tranny cover to the battery box is black as is the small plate supporting the starter motor (on mine at least)

[JSB55]

Which bracket, Panz ?

My battery box support from the trans was probably black originally.

My right passenger footpeg support seems to have been natural, or maybe cad.

[panz4ever]

The bracket is cad plated on my 65. Bought the bike from the original owner in Oct of 70, a strawberry farmer in Aromas, CA. Can't imagine he would go out of his way to change the color of the bracket.

[rbenash]

Definitely not stock. I hate that stuff. Owner previous to my father loved it though, as you can tell. PIA when you want to get at something especially when it's old. Breaks off every 1/2 inch when trying to remove it.

[JSB55]

Please tell me that wasn't stock anywhere. The little bit of it I found on mine was so brittle that it crumbled to the touch.

[DaveSwanson]

65 Passenger footpegs were cadmium plated. Bracket was painted black.

Someone was really in love with that chrome wire wrap!

[JSB55]

Great. Thanks!

[rbenash]

What is the correct finish on the small bracket attached to the right side of the trans to provide support to the battery box?

Also the finish on the bracket for the right side passenger foot peg?

Mine are both trashed, but were at one time painted silver. I can't distinguish the correct finish in black and white photos.

My best guess after some coercion with a wire brush is that the trans to battery box bracket was black, and the footpeg bracket was natural.

Anybody?

65 Passenger footpegs were cadmium plated. Bracket was painted black.