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I need to investigate the carriage bolt color on the horn grill, I suspect they should be parkerized but Im not sure.
The horn grill is an original steel painted part with some patina. The front shock is also oem, head light bracket etc.
Front brake is an aftermarket dual leading shoe so the brake actually does more than just make a rubbing sound. I have a restored oem assembly stashed away. I did the same to my 48.
Bars and wiring are next then I need to concentrate on the engine.
Hand grips are original used grips, front brake cable is NOS, Heathers Leathers did the seat (I chose the color correct or not I liked it), front bar wiring is oem, tin foot board mats are oem.
Headlight is oem, the paint kind of buried the guide script but it is visible from inside. The chrome bezel is correct for this 46 but the rivets that hold the tabs on should be parkerized but Im not going to lose sleep over that. The bezel is supposed to be chromed before the rivets are installed - thats a drag to do.
Tail light housing is oem, Harley script also buried by paint. The lenses are oem, the rubber gaskets are not but not sure how you could tell the difference. Maybe the joint?
Today I gave some thought about what to do with engine. The bike is an EL so its a 61" originally. I have internals for a 74", everything I need so I was tempted to do that. But that would mean either running 74" barrels or hog the near perfect oem 61" correct date coded 5 fin barrels out to a 74" bore - I wont do that. I have no 61" internals. So then I eyeballed the Motortechnic engine I had in the chopper in the background, it came as a package deal with some other parts I bought in the summer. So I thought use that and keep the original engine stashed away for safe keeping with no concerns about grenading a repop engine and I thought I was good with that idea but this afternoon I came to my senses. I'll stick with the original engine and now I need to find flywheels. pistons etc. I needed to go through the mental gymnastics to know what was best. Hard to ignore a pretty engine case ready for the internals I have sitting here.
Wanted some instant gratification so I finished the tanks and put them on. Installing the emblems and especially the stainless steel trim was stressful to say the least.
I like the seat regardless of "correct"
I thought this bike was destined to be "Cruiser Green" ?
( P.S. do you ever sleep ? )
Yes Cruiser Green was my initial choice but then I looked at the paint spray out card and its just not great. Black is hard to beat so I just went that route and Im glad I did especially with the rest of the blacked out parts, lack of chrome etc.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
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