motor & transmission paint?

[6hds]

Another basic from a Panhead novice. Were crankcases, heads and transmissions bare aluminum or painted through the panhead years? Also I've noticed camcovers painted, polished and chromed. what is correct? Thanks, Gary

[RUBONE]

All the cast aluminum parts were bare, as-cast finish. The early Pan 8 fin cam cover had a light polish, as did Knucklehead rocker boxes. Later Panhead covers were as-cast. Aluminum lifter blocks were as-cast, iron ones were painted silver along with cylinders and oil pumps. Black painted cylinders were used in '48 only, all other years were silver. But no aluminum parts were ever painted from the factory. No factory aluminum parts were ever chromed either.

[gitguy]

I believe that only early '48 cylinders were black, then changed to silver. Here's a pic from an original 1948 at the HD museum.