Gas Tank Doesn't Fit

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For comparison, here is an original Fastback tank mounting.
Lots of space. You can see the size of the hole vs the stud diameter gives some adjustment room.
My earlier photo was a 1975 Mk3 tank mounted on an earlier year frame.
Gas Tank Doesn't Fit
 
I had one of those 'wing' brackets break off. Had it welded back on, but then also added a similar sized aluminum plate underneath across both wings for extra strength. On my early S type I have to pull the tank as far back as it will go in the holes to keep the tubes from hitting the F/G Roadster tank.
 
I've had the same problem with several of my Nortons over the years; the metal bracket front gas tank mount "wings" ... fouling into the gas tank. And, I've just cut off the bracket ends until it fits. These old British bikes NEVER had the precision tolerances of a "Honda." Seems like most every part you have to "fettle with" to make it fit. Cut, drill, file, etc. just the way it is. But Nortons and Triumphs look cool, and are fun to ride.
 
I had a similar problem when I came to mount a steel interstate tank (which was presumably an original Norton part) to a 74 850 Mk2A Interpol. Others can probably correct me, but if I remember correctly, you have to make sure the weight of the tank at the front is taken by the rubber pad that goes over the main frame tube and under the tank tunnel. If you don’t and let the brackets and studs take the weight the brackets can eventually break. I had the same issue with sides of the tank touching the brackets but since the tank is tapered at that point I found that if I raised the tank slightly at the front it would clear without have to grind anything off the bracket. I used the stack of rubber washers rather than the exhaust bobbins and used as many as I could until I could just get the nyloc of the nyloc nut onto the stud. I might have had to put extra padding under the tank to make sure the weight was still being taken by the frame tube. I do recall I had to pull the tank back as far as I could so that the studs were to the back of the large bracket holes. It did seem a bit of a kluge but at least I didn’t have to go cutting bits off.

Hope that helps.
 
Yes, I agree, the wings are just there to stabilize where it is, not to support the weight, that's why mine broke. I didn't have the correct spacers between the frame and the tank channel. I cut up some zorries to use as the spacer afterwards, it doesn't compress like the old material.
 
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