Classic Bike (UK)

TANKING ALONG

How feasible is it to replace a steel tank with an aluminium copy?

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Richard Colledge has had enough of trying to find good condition 1970s Kawasaki tanks. “All the ones you see now seem to have been lined with sealer or are too rusty to be of use,” he says. Could you recommend a company who’d be able to make a copy of an original tank in aluminium complete with original tap fittings, etc?”

Good idea, but I wasn’t sure it’d be possible to get right. Being thinner and less ductile, sheet steel tanks have sharp profiles that cannot easily be duplicated using alum seams on Japanese tank replicate and alloy tank Monza snap-down caps machined neck because strong enough to make fitting. It’s unlikely you the original Kawasaki c prominent tank-top feat I rang Rich at Tab 2 C (01974 821469) for his o and he confirmed my fe “We avoid doing one-of tanks,” he said, “It’s im completely replicate a steel pressing in aluminium. We could modify one of our tank shells with a base tailored to fit Richard’s Kawasaki, but it wouldn’t look standard.” Aside from continuing the search for a good original tank, Richard’s other option is to have his existing one profession­ally reconditio­ned. Since mentioning my Norvin tank repairs, I’ve received a couple of recommenda­tions . The first is Roberts, who tered and rusty ank successful­ly hed by nd Curvatures in ham (01159 and John Dunn d to say he’d been d with the work s Norton tank by Motorcycle­s in t Dunmow, Essex 1 876027).

 ??  ?? Smooth curves of this Enfield tank made replicatio­n in alloy easier than for some other bikes
Smooth curves of this Enfield tank made replicatio­n in alloy easier than for some other bikes
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