55 KHK - chrome vs. cad vs. powder coat

[Mike]

What's the opinions on brake and cross-over - cad or chrome? I see them for sale... some chrome, some black (maybe power coated) and others appear to look cad. Same question for motor mounts and spacers, I was planning to powder coat back but see chrome out there too. Thanks, Mike

[EKHKHK56]

Mounts front all black, cad hardware. Top mount cad. Brake stuff cad.

[hennesse]

What's the opinions on brake and cross-over - cad or chrome? I see them for sale... some chrome, some black (maybe power coated) and others appear to look cad. Same question for motor mounts and spacers, I was planning to powder coat back but see chrome out there too. Thanks, Mike

Lots of stuff got chromed over the years that shouldn't have. You remember the old Hot Rodder motto: "If it don't go, chrome it".

This is a good opportunity to start a compendium of what should have what finish (chrome/cadmium/parkerized/painted) for all the parts on a K/KH!
So this is a Request For Comments!

Chrome - 1952-1956 K and KH (except 1953 Standard Group)

Headlight
Handlebars and switch covers
Fork panel, front
Fork sliders
Horn trumpet
Gas cap
Oil cap
Shock covers on 1954-1956
Rear Fender supports
Exhaust pipes and clamps
Muffler and bracket
Taillight cover or ring
Wheel rims
Safety bars

The Season Order Blanks say:
Chrome fork panels (3), but aren't the two side panels stainless steel?
Chrome fork tube covers (2) on 1952-1953, but aren't they stainless steel?
Chrome horn cover, but isn't it stainless steel?


Polished Aluminum - 1952-1956 K and KH (except 1953 Standard Group)

Front and rear brake backing plates
Steering damper knob
Primary cover (1954-1956)
Cam cover (1954-1956)
Kicker cover (1954-1956)
Polished cylinder heads (1955-1956)

The Season Order Blanks say:
Polished crank case and covers (1954-1956), but the crank cases themselves are not polished

Did I miss anything or get anything wrong?

[EKHKHK56]

Looks good Dave. Polishing back than on covers was a light polish, with no removal of material. Like 5 minutes with Mothers and a towel...only KHKs had the Outside fins polished on the heads. Those may have been additionaly smoothed but nothing else. Cylinders Silver. No KHK decal or Tank stripe until 56. The original Panel group I think is polished stainless top, back but front may be chrome? Horn and Air Cleaner covers are stainless. The motor mount spacers all cad. Rear mount black. I think All fasteners are cad except air cleaner screw, horn screw, fork top plugs and throttle grip screws just from what I see. All brake linkage, arm, oil lines cad. Chrome would be regular one dip not triple plated show stuff. Wheels chrome. Spokes cad but new stainless ones "acceptable".

[Mayday53]

I have a 53 K; my fork sliders, handlebars, and safety bars are all gloss black...shucks, I guess I lost points if it went into a show. That said, it is meant to be a restored rider, but I do wonder at times how much value do I lose from such customization. (?)

[EKHKHK56]

Well at least some those parts were available black. Standard group would have black handlebars, safety guard and rims. I think most folks upgraded. The Deluxe Group was an option, say in 1956, for $94.00 That was for all the extra chrome. This order says polished crankcase and covers. I never noticed that. I would say that didn't happen or not much for the cases.

[Mike]

Thank you guys. If only I had a trumpet to chrome!
Mike

[sean]

i thought the 52 k had a black taillight hood stock and they chrome hood was a extra option...i have a oem hood that had no signs of ever being chromed.
ive repainted it black and fitted it to the repop base i was missing.

[hennesse]

The 68055-51 taillight hood (black) was first used on the 1951 Model 125, predecessor to the Hummer. They were black, no matter what color the bike was painted.

I believe all the Ks had the 68055-52 (chrome), except the 1953 Standard Group. No difference except the finish. The 1953 Spare Parts Catalog shows both the -52 and -51, with "Fits: All 1952 and 1953 K". Yes, it does fit them, but I think only the standard group came with the painted one.

I just updated this file: http://www.harleykmodel.com/history/sta ... -k-kh.html with some information from RogerM - he's one of the few people who have actually seen a Standard Group bike. He's listed which parts were black on bikes, and which parts were painted the same color as the fernders and tank. Note that he says that when they were sold to dealers as spare parts, they were black, and the dealer had to repaint them to the same color as the bike.

The 1952 through 1955 Season Order Blanks say "All new motorcycles except ST are shipped from the factory with one of these Equipment groups". For the K and KH, there is only one listed - the Deluxe group - except 1953, when there was Standard and Deluxe.

1953 Season Order Blank (from The Legend Begins)

1953-k.jpg (218.06 KiB) Viewed 16151 times

[strong56KH]

1952-57 K/Sportster the rear brake cross over, brake rod, and adjusting nut were all parkerized. Front motor mount screws, nuts, spacers, and the special washers were also all parkerized. Driver foot pegs and foot rest studs parkerized. Foot rests and flex-loc nuts cad plated. Front/rear brake levers, front brake tube and adjuster cad plated. All spokes and nipples cad plated. I have notes on the various fastener finishes as well that I'll put together and post later. Mark