Four timing cover finish

[stan]

Does anybody know what the original finish was on the 36 four timing cover? I have seen painted, cad plated. Thanks for any info. stan

[partshunt]

Hi Stan: You kicked this question out in September or so and not a single reply from those helpfull four cylinder experts out there. They probably never vist this "Four " topic or they dont have clue. I know looking at restoered fours a lot of timming covers are nickled but we dont yet know if that is correct. So, I atuck my skinny nexk out and bought an old rusty timing cover on the bay for a decent 64 bucks. Its pretty rusty and chances are its original. I will see how it got plated, cad or nickle. When I get it I will post my findings. In the meanwhile, you probavbly obtained some info and done it up already. Let me know if you have found any info on the cover finish and your decition of choice there...Joe

[Greg H]

With respect, that cover you have may prove nothing as bikes could be ordered with any parts specified by customer in Chrome/nickle/cad

what you need is a period pic of a bike sitting on a showroom floor, then maybe hard to discern !

Heres 34 & 38 showroom pics

slide show along to 25/29 /full screen still hard to tell

http://www.slideshare.net/twredberg/...al&rel=2075530

[partshunt]

Well, I just recieved the Indian Four timing cover. It is very rusty, been outdoors way too many years. It still has old nickle on it about 50 60 percent left. It is nickled tho, I polished a section up and it come out vey shinny. Most of the nickle is flaking off and heavily pitted. As for the options, I only have 1929 brochures for intfo and I dont believe there were much for options then, possibly later but not 29-30 since Indian only made about 500 4 cyl. bikes a year in 29 to somewhere in the early thirtys. Everybody was recovering from the depression so this expensive model didnt sell too well except mostly police dept. Personally, in my opinion, I just cannot visualize Indian offering choice in engine parts regarding plateing choices. What would they offer, ? cad timing cover? cad or nickle barrels?, black or nickle carb? doent make any sense to me. As for headlamps, crash bars, handlebars, yes Like Harley, that was probably offered but I cant find anything for my 29 on it. However, engine parts and components could not be in that category of choice in my opinion, again, I just cant see it, not engine components. I must say tho, in some minor cases, Indian deviated from the norm once in a while and had different finished piece now and then but not offered. You just got the bike with the odd finished part possibly an error but they would choose not to discard the piece. I do have an example of that on my 29 four and its original so I kept it that way. I can elaborate on what that piece is if anyone is interested, its quite minor....Joe