new gas tank - source???

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JimNH said:
A sad tale of pressure testing:

I needed to replace the bottom of my MG TF tank, had a friend roll a piece of sheet metal and I tig welded it in. I had it all done with a couple of pin holes to repair. The family was going to some function and someone was holding up the show so I figured I'd make use of the time. Welded up the affected areas, reached down and hooked up the 1 PSI hose to the tank and grabbed the 175 PSi hose instead. You can imagine the rest.
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Look at the bright side - you didn't die :) and hopefully weren't injured.
 
marshg246 said:
Look at the bright side - you didn't die :) and hopefully weren't injured.
Click to expand...
No injuries except to ego and, of course the tank. PITA to find another, especially with one that wasn't rusted out in the bottom. If there's any bright side to ethanol laced gas it's that water no longer sits on the bottom corroding the metal.
 
I was involved in the work done at the factory to change tanks (at least the Roadster and Interstate tanks, Fastback tanks were never changed, at least not to my knowledge, and Hi-Rider tanks not until after I left) from fiberglass to steel. It took longer and was more complicated than I would have guessed, although the purchasing people and "hard design" people didn't seem to be bothered.

I'm impressed with the EMGO roadster tanks - they're made with pressings stamped on production-grade hard-press tools and they have the benefits of nearly 50 years of improved technology for processes like welding, metallurgy, profile testing, etc. So far as I can tell, their critical dimensions such as location for retention components, filler cap fixing, and fuel petcocks are at least as precise as factory items from 45 - 48 years ago. I think it is good that they're made in a heavier-gauge material, that's news to me. I have only one complaint -- that they're not making a similar quality Interstate tank; that ain't a fight I got a dog in, but it would please me to find them available for those Commando owners who would like one.

If I were in the market for a replacement Roadster tank, I'd buy one of the EMGO tanks in a minute.

B, Henderson; Marston Rd, 1972-1973, Norton Villiers (Triumph) California, 1975-1976, Shenstone Rotary project, 1976-1978.
 
I bought a 68 Triumph Bonneville a few years back and the seller told me the tank had some bondo in it because he was trying to take some dents out by using air pressure and he said it spread the sides of the tank outward just like a clam opening so he pushed the sides back in and bondoed the crap out of it, tank looked nice but the bondo is starting to fall out now.

Mark
 
Ok, if anyone can stand one more post on this I'm going to recount my experience. I now have gone through 4 Hi Rider tanks, two fiberglass and two India steel tanks. I like the small tank which now is my albatross around my neck. My bike currently sits in the garage tankless. The first tank was the original fiberglass that came on the bike when I bought it. I cleaned the interior tank and coated it with a tank sealer, I don't remember the manufacturer but it was red. The tank started melting and bulging within the first year. I bought another raw steel tank from India and while it looked ok as far as shape, the filler neck was never going to seal because it was hand formed and not flat, as well as the gas cap pivot pin location being off. I contacted the seller and the response was, "We've never had this problem before, you can do blah blah blah." I decided to throw it away because I envisioned some poor guy banging these out on a dirt floor and didn't want to be an ugly American. I bought a third tank on EBay, used, this time back to fiberglass, and meticulously cleaned the tank including using TSP and a high pressure washer. I used Bill Hirsh tank sealer and originally was impressed with it. I dried hard like super glue. I probably should have done two coats but didn't. I bought marine gel coat and after a laborious process, l gel coated the exterior. It came out great. That tank lasted about a year and it then too started leaching resin, fouling the carbs and certainly the intake valves as it was deteriorating and starting to mishape. I bought my fourth tank on EBay, back to metal and painted this time, from what was shown as "American Seller". The listing said item location, Dublin, CA and one left. I bought it after emailing seller before I bought it and expressing my concerns about suitability. They said that they sell to museums all over the world and other now clearly deceptive platitudes. They then said it would be delivered in 90 days or something like that. I said I'd just drive over and pick it up. That's when they said I couldn't do that because it was clearly stated it comes from India. I copied and pasted their ad that showed item location as being Dublin and then they said it was due to covid. So in the interest of full disclosure, they expedited shipping and provided a gas cap that I didn't order and I got it in a little less than 90 days. So far so good. Then I had a delay attempting to install it (including getting Covid) and when I tried, the throat of the tank was too narrow to fit over the frame main tube. I contacted them and they said...."We've never had this problem before, you can just expand the throat with a tool like this" and they sent me a picture of a hand made tool they use to spread throats that they've "never had a problem with before..." So I expand the throat a little p.o'ed I have to finish the fabrication and then, even though the throat now allowed the tank to sit fully on the backbone of the frame, (no room for rubber tank cushions) the tank doesn't sit down far enough to nut up the isolastic mounting rubbers. Again I'm emailing them and "they've never had this problem before..." Ultimately they offered me a $100 or I could return it to India where they would repaint where I expanded the throat and they'd refund the difference. I told them I wouldn't do either. As it turns our, 30 days had passed so I couldn't force them to do anything and EBay prevents you from providing feedback once a certain amount of time has elapsed. Of course they knew that, so when I told them their options were not acceptable and they would not provide contact information for the person who is supposedly in Dublin, Ca they said, "Take it up with EBay." So if you're looking for a metal Roadster tank, I'd recommend Emglo, if your looking for a metal High Rider tank, I'd suggest luck in finding a factory used one or therapy.
 
Just a side note, not Norton related, but germane to the topic.

I purchased a new 2008 Ducati Hypermotard 1100S. At the 5K mile mark I went to remove the tank so that I could check/adjust the desmo valves and found that the plastic tank had swollen to the point of cracking the side trim and pushing out on the 2 front mounts. Ducati covered the parts under warranty, but gave me another tank made from the same plastic. I asked what I was suppose to do when that tank bit the bullet and was told in essence that I would be on my own. I will say that with the Termignoni exhaust, the factory cams and the upgraded ECU it was an absolute blast to ride.

This is a 2008 model, you would think that Ducati would about ethanol fuel...

Best.
 
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