Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Okay .

Back on the Jig now to begin the Building of the Tanks .

These will be "Racing Narrowed Tanks" , just like on the 1941 WRs ,

except the Bottom shape which will be different , "Digged" to match the Top of the Motor .

at Left hand : Gas .

at Rigtht hand : Gas and Oil .
Gas and Oil Caps : 100% Kustom ! :-)

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

18 / January / 2012


Here is the Stuff.

I always start from a Brand-New Pair of AfterMarket Fat-Bob Tanks .

That's maybe more expensive than starting from an Used Set , but i have had TOO-MUCH problems 

by the past with Used Sets : Rust , Dirt , Paint , Inner Sealant ....

all this Shit can Ruin your day of Work in two seconds .

First : i open and Narrow the Tanks .
Then i have to REMOVE the gas bungs : ya will SEE later Why .

I also cut them Roughly to give the new bottom-shape

and i keep left all the fittings : gas , Vent and Brackets .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

The most Critical Step is to Find the EXACT and Perfect place of the tanks on the Frame .

Ya have to think about everything by advance : cables , hoses , petcock localisation ...

Once the good place is found : you can mark one "upper vent" and one "upper bracket" place

on the "inside" of one half-tank .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Upper Mount and upper vent welded in place.

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Both tanks sides are Now cut Exactly at the same Bottom-shape , following the "inner-side" Shapes .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Now , it's time to Round the Edges , on the Bottoms .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

that's nicer than making a "flat" Bottom .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

End of the Day .

All this Hammer-Job destroyed my Brain .

Ya know what ? i'm Tired .

Tomorrow will be an other Day  ! :-)

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

This is the Kind of Fouckin'Job which can Kill you the Day .

Same Story as about the Frame :

As i am building the Tanks : i'm ALSO obliged to Think about the Finishing ...

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Here it is ...

Next Day we spent Together , Guy asked me to DIG the Sides of the Tanks .

I.M.H.O : i find this Kind of Shape is too-much "British" and logically NOT appropried to a Harley Racer .

Maybe it is "in the Fashion" to do that Nowadays , But Sorry : NOT my Cup of  Tea .

So ; i introduced this Solution to Guy and he immediately approved it .

The Tank-Sides are now in Amuminium .

They will be Mirror-Polished ( or even engraved ) and the screws will be changed for the same style , but Copper .

No lost of Contain : these oil'n'gas tanks are small enough like that .

the Shape and Design are here .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Okay : Nice ...but i still have the other side to do ... :-(

'Will see that Tomorrow .....

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

24 / January / 2012
Back on the Track .

The other Side is now Done . Looks Fine to Me .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Upper Venting Crossovers are welded . Upper Brackets are welded too .

I have now 2 Solid points on the frame to Hold the 2 Tanks 'til i have a look .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

The external Narrowed Shape looks Fine from the Top .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Here are the Oil and Gas Caps Made by Guy .

Maltese Crosses are not my Cup of Tea , But these small caps are really Beautyful .

Two are Vented and one not .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

One "Cap-Body" is already welded in Place ; for Gas .

i Cut now a Hole in the Tank with Plasma for the Second One ; for Oil .

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

Yep ! That's Done !

WOW ! I told you these Fouckin'Caps are Beautyful !

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

To the Other Side Now !

But before : i have to cut and form a piece of Steel to Plug that Ugly Hole !

Then : i will cut a new hole at the Right place , to weld the last Cap Exactly in front of its Twin-Brother .

AfterMarket Tanks are ALL like this  .

When the Tanks are Large : nobody see . But as soon as you NARROW them : ya got this Problem .
What could be MORE Ugly than having two caps NOT perfectly Facing front to front ? :-(

Taiwanese Manufacturers do that wery well , ya know ! :-)

Building ... ( Gas and Oil Racing Tanks )

25 January 2012

One more HOT Day with Guy at the Workshop .

Guy brought me from HIS Workshop many small parts he made with his Lathe .

We decided to Completely FINISH the "Gas'n'Oil" side today .

Big Amount of Meticulous Work ... so : in the Run , i forgot my camera at home 

and that's why the first Pic has been shooten the Tank already Welded ( Side + Floor + Back-Wall )

The HOTTER Moment in that Fouckin'Day has been when time came to CUT the Half-Tank 

in TWO Pieces to install the Separation Wall between Oil and Gas !

Look at THIS !  :-(  What a Misery !