Reese and I have started the work to get my Sportster up and running again. We got the sheet metal and some of the other hard bits removed while he was down for Christmas. They’re going to get repainted, matching the original paint and decals, as time and money permits. That was the source of my worry because the tank decals were obsoleted years ago and the color, States Blue Pearl, was only used in 1996 and 1997. Turns out that while it was going to be difficult, it wasn’t going to be impossible.
I went up to American Eagle Harley-Davidson to pick up an adjustable thermostat for my heated jacket liner since I had some gift certificate money to spend. While I was there I went over to the parts counter and talked with the guys about the project. They looked up the decals, confirmed that they were obsoleted, and that they didn’t have any. But they were able to check dealer inventory around the country and found a shop in Florida that did have a set. They got the order placed and they’re heading my way. They also gave me recommendations for a good painter and paint codes so that I’ll be able to keep it wearing the stock color. Now I’ve just got to get the engine and everything else out of the frame so that I can get it stripped and powder coated. But at least the hard-to-find part is on its way.