Mines just the polished natural alloy. Polished it a number of years ago by using wet and dry, starting with 220 grit, 400, 1000, 2000 and Mothers metal polish. Hit it every year with the Mothers and it still looks pretty good.
I think the TR65 from about 1982 had a painted rear light housing - as far as i can see all others left Meriden with a polished / lacquered finish that eventually has to be taken off for repolishing
oops - sorry - will try to keep up -- i will stand in the corner until i see the error of my ways (corner of the garage that is - while i build an engine)
- i suppose i also missed the bit about the chrome plated ones ?
My 77 has the polished alloy mount and I used polish on it to give it protection but it's not "polished" . It has a sort of blotchy patina. So do my engine cases. Once you polish them up nice you have to keep it up. If I remember correctly my 73 Bonny also had the polished alloy mount, though I changed it to one from a 67.
The Co-Op painted them in 77 only as a cost saving measure. They were a wrinkle black. The following year they went back to polish with a clear lacquer over the top. This is the same clear they used on the 78 on hubs. I rubbed the clear off mine with just simichrome and a rag. It was quite thin. I'm not sure if they were cleared prior to 78 but the standard finish is polished except for 77.
Hi Rod, The finish depended upon the year. Mine is polished alum. & was never lacquered. My license plate tin brackets are glossy black.
My good friends all original 77 Bonnie (USA) is nearly a flat black. Recently looking at bikes side by side the dull black looks ugly to me. His bike has metallic blue & white tank. I think the black finish looks out of place with the other bright work.
Chrome looks nice. To my eyes polished alum. has a richness that black or chrome lacks. I find it's quite easy to keep the polish on the tail lamp. I don't try to make it like chrome, but the soft shinny polish like from factory.
If you have other black accents on bike like forks & grab bar a black tail lamp can look good.
Hi Rod, My original '73 support is glossy black. Looks good with the polished tail lamp. In USA there is also a lower license support near lower end of fender. It's glossy black also. There is also a little grooved rubber trim strip on housing where it's cut out for the seat grab handle/fender bracket. I think it's worth it to add that as well as it fills that little gap & looks more finished.
Don
No need to go with costly Triumph parts. I had some 5/8" I.D. grommets in a box of DIY parts, trimmed off the bottom with a craft knife, and popped them on:
The part number for the rubber trim is 83-5105. You need 2 of them.
Scott
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