Correct Finish/Color on Brake Calipers

[Motorman55]

The pic below shows the original (to my knowledge, since my father bought the bike new in 1974) rear brake caliper on my 1974 FLH. The front brake caliper is the same also.

Notice its finish/color of caliper body.

Is this the correct finish? Its does not appear to be a spray on paint finish. Most calipers I've seen in photos or on brochures show them as being 'black'. I cannot ask my Father as he has passed some years ago.

Thanks for any info.

[ryan]

Boy that is a tough question as I have seen original 1974 flhs with both black and neutral color calipers, but mostly black and only a couple black. I did a search on 1974 original bikes and came up with the same results. I know this does not help you, but my 77 flh calipers are black as well as my friends original 1973.
I have also seen calipers where the paint was coming off in huge flakes.

[Rubone]

The calipers were anodized a sort of dark bronze. They often faded to a goldish color. The inside will still have the original finish for reference.

[ryan]

The calipers were anodized a sort of dark bronze. They often faded to a goldish color. The inside will still have the original finish for reference.

Was this just for 1974 that they were left annodized? When did Harley coat them black

I use to work for Nissin brake and we had both silver and goldish anodize lines for the aluminum calipers.
We also had a zinc line for iron. We were aloud, with permission of course, to send home project things through as long as it was our own, I still have several zinc balls that were used.

[Motorman55]

The calipers were anodized a sort of dark bronze. They often faded to a goldish color. The inside will still have the original finish for reference.

Yes, the inside is the same color. Anodize makes sense now. So I would be ok just leaving it as is in reference to any point deductions.

[vph-d]

Your caliper is the correct color for most banana style calipers. Some FXS type models wore a black wrinkle finish.
VPH-D

[Lyle Manheimer]

That is the color of the rear caliper on my OP 1978 FXS. The center not having the HD logo. Instead it has the bullseye.