The real story of an Indian made gas tank...

YMMV ? What dat?

XTINCT said:

YMMV ? What dat?

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Well, 45 or so years ago, when the USEPA first introduced fuel economy ratings, they were wildly inaccurate. Car makers quoted them in their ads... customers sued... Soooo...
"Your Mileage May Vary" was added after the fuel economy quote...
LOL

Context here was, perhaps other earlier/prototype fuel tanks were different, not challenging the fireside story, just adding a reference point on a '74.

Got it. Thanks.

Danno said:

I think it was Norm Thompson? Not sure of the last name, but he also introduced Harley to the diaphragm clutch as well as rubber mounts.

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I sorry that I don"t remember his name, but he also told the story of the boring bar machinist that retired. The new guy could not get the machine to make product within spec., so in desperation, they called the retired guy to come in and see what was wrong. He took one look at the mill, then looked around the room, finally locating a chunk of wood that had been tossed aside. He then took the chunk of wood and a hammer, and pounded the block of wood under the mill somehow. He said "there, that should do it.
In our world of vintage British hardware, we are very aware that things are the way they are because it was the way it was.
It was the the technology that won the war!

I think the quote was, "Aye, where's me stick?"

Problem with Norton Oldtimers is they sometimes tell stories to entertain their audience rather than to give factual information. I know a few of these storytellers.

The press tools for the petrol tanks were in Britain and existed in about 1985 when I remember it was seriously discussed at Norton Motors in Shenstone- but not done for cost reasons- to re-manufacture Interstate tanks. So much for some Indians whacking tanks out of empty Baked Beans tins in the back of a house in an Indian slum.....

The story with the piece of wood I have also heard many times. It is always a different factory, always a different machining operation, but always that elusive piece of wood.
Folklore is nice but should not be mistaken for historic facts.
Joe/Andover Norton

ZFD said:

Problem with Norton Oldtimers is they sometimes tell stories to entertain their audience rather than to give factual information. I know a few of these storytellers.

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It is so considerate for you to have pointed that out.
So what is wrong with a story that entertains an audience. If you have nothing good to say........