I've never been a big fan of the aluminum cases and covers to my old Ironhead. I think it really clashes with all the Chrome and Gloss Black finish on the bike.

I'm thinking about taking in the entire engine (cause it's already being stripped down) in to get glass beaded and finished off. Is a polished finished going to look allright or do you think Powder coating gloss black is a better way to go. I really don't want to dole out the dinero to get chrome cases.

If it were me, I'd go with the black powder coat. The contrasts are striking

I think powder coating it black would look great. Thinking of doing mine when I do the 1200 conversion and cams.
Let us know what you decide and please post some pics. :D

Do the power coating before you punch out the holes. I read somewhere that when you power coat it could warp the bore hole.

Black is very nice and if you diamond cut it also it is even better.

Mine engine is in the shop right now getting powdercoated gloss black, everything except the rocker covers, and pushrod covers.

Is 'diamond cutting' when you scrape off the paint on the edges of the fins? I have this now and like it a lot.

Pictures will come - just takes time - time I'm running out of by the look of the weather.

Diamond cutting is not the same as just hitting the edges of the fins with a sander.

It is a process that puts small polished cross-cuts into the edge of your fins resulting in a diamond like cut to them. The different angle cuts reflect the light like a diamond. Its a great custom look.

I've seen it done on unpainted aluminum fins but not on the early ironheads cast iron fins. I would think that if you did it to the cast iron jug's fins and then painted them black, it would look similiar to a 'knurled' finish. You would see the cuts, but you wouldn't get any reflection from the different angle of the cuts themselves. May not be worth the cost of 'diamond cutting'.

Polished aluminum is better I think then chrome and looks great when contrasted with the black of the cylinders.

Another look that is really cool, is having your covers de-chromed and instead of re-polishing and plating them, just glassbead them and leave them unpolished. Very cool look. Only drawback is they tend to show fingerprints and become stained by dirt and oil.

Irondrake77 I'm anxious to see the end result of your whole engine powdercoated gloss black...I think that would look awesome on an Ironhead...the local Indy has a set of cases/covers in his shop that would fit my bike, I've been eyeballin 'em thinkin the look would be cool as $hit....just not sure if I'm ready to tear my motor down yet, R.C. and me get along real good and he has made an offer that I can't refuse...here I go thinkin about this again, and it would leave me all the necessary stuff to polish for another year, come to think of it I can't remember seeing a fully polished Ironhead except for in magazines......hmmmmmmmmm....Mike 74xlh :smoke