47 Chief Front Shock Paint Finish

[jgbrown59]

From a AMCA judging perspective, and original specifications, can someone confirm the proper finish for the following 47 Chief front-end parts:

Shock absorber on the 47 Chief front-end?
Front fork coil springs?

I know the shock is painted black, but is it supposed to be a dull low luster finish or gloss black? I am working with an original shock that needs to be painted for a bike that will be judged.

I believe the coil springs are supposed to be a gloss black - please confirm.

Thanks for the help...

[larrymgibson]

I noticed it has been several months and I don't see any answers for your question. I also wondered about this. I have a broken spring which I will be replacing and I noticed that major suppliers offer black and chrome.
Just wondered what you did.
Thanks - Larry Gibson

[pisten-bully]

I noticed it has been several months and I don't see any answers for your question.

Right! Notice there are 300 views of this posting and still no answer, makes me wonder if that information is difficult to accurately document. My original shock was/is rust pitted satin black, my original springs were chrome, since painted black to match the fork and links. I am not saying this is correct by any means!

I do wonder what a judge would say, and how a judge would know this particular detail to be accurate.

An interesting feature of this Forum might be a new category called something like "Ask The Judges", and judges could be asked to review the questions once a week or more and answer them.

[larrymgibson]

I agree. I'm not that interested in having the bike judged, although some day I might, but I am curious about the finishes. I am painting all my black parts glossy. I have looked at many chiefs with various pieces chromed, and I like the look with chrome springs and everything else black. As I was re-painting my springs black after stripping and prepping them, one of them broke and fell off the hanger! That's when I started considering chrome springs. My next challenge is how to get the old springs separated from the upper and lower spring seats without tearing them up. Kiwi showed a tool in their parts list, but no price. I emailed and asked how to order it and they replied that it was on Mike's wish list but was never made; so it doesn't exist. Any ideas?

[Green Indian]

An interesting feature of this Forum might be a new category called something like "Ask The Judges", and judges could be asked to review the questions once a week or more and answer them.[/QUOTE]

That is an excellent suggestion!

[tfburke3]

I agree. I'm not that interested in having the bike judged, although some day I might, but I am curious about the finishes. I am painting all my black parts glossy. I have looked at many chiefs with various pieces chromed, and I like the look with chrome springs and everything else black. As I was re-painting my springs black after stripping and prepping them, one of them broke and fell off the hanger! That's when I started considering chrome springs. My next challenge is how to get the old springs separated from the upper and lower spring seats without tearing them up. Kiwi showed a tool in their parts list, but no price. I emailed and asked how to order it and they replied that it was on Mike's wish list but was never made; so it doesn't exist. Any ideas?

Springs were gloss black just like the girder and frame.I can think of no chrome spring of any kind on an Indian,but I have been wrong before.My 47 came with chrome girder,risers and bars that I believe were done by the dealer.Srings are painted.
No special tool needed to service springs..Anchor the spring seat and drive the spring off with a drift slightly smaller than spring o.d.,lining it up like its a continuation of the spring coil,best with a second set of hands turning at the same time,it will unscrew.
To install take any burrs off the spring ends and clean the grooves of any dings with around file and you can screw on by hand.
Don't forget the rubber dampening hose inside the springs.
Tom

[OldMCRider]

Chrome plating causes hydrogen embrittlement. This will cause parts to crack and break. The hydrogen needs to be baked out. A 400 degree oven for 8 to 20 hours will remove the hydrogen. Some plating shops will skip this process.

[Rubone]

I can't speak for what Indian did on their chassis parts. But if they behaved as every other manufacturer of the time did they used one shade of paint on everything ancillary, period. H-D painted everything gloss black. Variations in that are caused by heat and time. There was no thought of a specific aesthetic, merely production costs and ease of assembly.

[larrymgibson]

Springs were gloss black just like the girder and frame.I can think of no chrome spring of any kind on an Indian,but I have been wrong before.My 47 came with chrome girder,risers and bars that I believe were done by the dealer.Srings are painted.
No special tool needed to service springs..Anchor the spring seat and drive the spring off with a drift slightly smaller than spring o.d.,lining it up like its a continuation of the spring coil,best with a second set of hands turning at the same time,it will unscrew.
To install take any burrs off the spring ends and clean the grooves of any dings with around file and you can screw on by hand.
Don't forget the rubber dampening hose inside the springs.
Tom

I did exactly what you said and it worked perfectly! Thanks. I guess I didn't want to damage the spring seat by clamping it in a vise. It hardly made a mark - tough stuff.

[jgbrown59]

I would like to thank all of you for the replies. You are correct that no one had replied even though a lot of people had viewed these questions. I also posted this to the Judging section and received 1792 views (plus 726 in this section) with no replies there as well. I emailed Chief Judge Don Dzurick tonight to see if he can get me an answer. In the mean time I was at Davenport and checked several Chiefs and all had the shock painted the same as the springs, gloss black. I still have not painted the shock, but did paint the springs gloss black. None of those bikes were as close to show room condition as mine so I am still not sure what to do. I have had this bike judged three times and am only doing it one more time since I am tired of not riding it.

I am now wondering about the rubber dampening hose and what finish it should have. Does anyone know if it is painted or just natural dull black? I will add this to my questions for Don.

Another reason I am concerned about these finishes is I have been dinged due to the glossy finish on the generator body.

I will post back to this thread when I get some answers. Thanks again!