Originally Posted by
mstateglfr
If the bars are too corroded/rusted, they can break. Thats a big issue. Based on the rust I can see and the level of other components, I am assuming your bars are made of steel so if the rust is too great, it isnt safe. No idea how bad the rust is- it could just be surface rust that comes off with a few swipes of abrasive cleaning.
Agree about the breakage.
However, those bars look to me to be alloy, most likely not anodized. My old 1873 Fuji had bars with the thicker center reinforcing area. Most I have seen were a sleeve, but some were machined in. Whether by machining or a sleeve, all were done before the bar was bent to its final shape. When bar tape was applied it was level with the sleeve. For OP, a magnet will be his friend in rapidly, without disassembly work, discerning alloy vs. steel. If raw alloy without anodizing, it would polish up nicely. While I have read debate about alloy bar fatigue on older bikes, this example does not look to have been heavily ridden, and/or was very carefully maintained (an owner after my own heart).
I was really surprised to see those hoods with popouts for the suicide levers. Having been a rider during the bike boom and suicide lever era, I never saw factory hoods for them, just owner-made alterations. Most were left bare, probably for cost reasons as they were usually on bikes targeted for newer riders. One of the misguided safety solutions of the bike boom era that did not work well as they limited the available cable pull.