Penton Steel Tanker Identification

[flattracker23]

I picked this up yesterday. Anybody know what year it is? Frame number is V 1194.



Spencer Gaydon
Lubbock, TX

[Charles Gresham]

I beleive it is a 1969 model

The Steel Tank Bike Era

1968  (Starting Serial No. V001)
* 100cc Sachs powered 5 speed Berkshire introduced with gas tank, air box and rear shock body, all finished in red
* 125cc Sachs powered 5 speed Six-Day introduced with gas tank, air box and rear shock body, all finished in green
* All frames are painted silver
* Gas tank is 2.5 gallon and made of steel
* Small white Penton decals with model name and size on upper front sides of gas tank with lettering being straight
   or angled
* All Sachs engines come with cast iron cylinder and vertical finned (butch) heads or short finned sunburst Sachs high
  compression head or Puch short finned sunburst head
* Engines came with Bosch point type ignition and 24 mm Bing carburetor
* Air box is cast aluminum 10 1/4" tall enclosed frame style - later same year models came with shortened 7 1/2" tall
   version for better air flow
* Frames came without welded on fork stops if equipped with Ceriani steering dampener that contained an adjustable
   dampener knob on the triple clamp and self-contained fork stops - later same year frames came with frame welded
   fork stops and no steering dampener unit
* Early models came with twist on/off gas caps - later same year models came with flip top gas caps
* Two piece front engine mount
* Chrome expansion chamber on very first models
* 16" long seat
* 35mm Ceriani forks with long rubber accordion boots
* Fully covered Ceriani rear shocks finished in chrome with matching model paint
* 4 bolt rear sprocket carrier hub assembly
* Steel chain guard (20" along top)
* Curved style center stands
* Magura controls with oval shaped throttle - later models are round
* Narrow polished aluminum front fender and tubular steel fender brace with brace having an overall width of 3"
* Skid plate welded to frame
* Non-high breather frame
* Expansion chamber with stinger tip
* Cast aluminum barrel style front and rear hubs
* Chrome spokes
* Aluminum or chrome rims
* Head light is large color coordinated 5 3/4" diameter x 7 3/4" long bullet shape


1969
Same as 1968 except for the following:
* Ceriani rear shocks finished in black with chrome bell
* Shortened polished aluminum or steel chain guard (11" along the top)
* High breather frame
* 8" round air box with gray plastic cover (husky style) or same cover with black rubber elbox attached to high breather
   frame
* 6 bolt rear sprocket carrier
* Silver painted spokes
* Center stand now straight with mounting area angled and flattened
* First Jackpiner introduced limited to one "experimental" unit only, model finished in bronze with silver side panels,
  175cc Puch engine, six speed gearbox, Bosch point type ignition and 27 mm Bing carburetor, Ceriani front fork and rear
  shocks and Magura controls (Note: This model was never put into production.)

1974 250 Hare Scrambler

[firstturn]

I believe it is a 1968.  Very late, but a 1968.

Ron Carbaugh

[Randy Kirkbride]

RC,
I know that's not the correct airbox for the early 68's. When did they change them?

[firstturn]

RK,
  I had one in the V400's that was original and had the round air cleaner and Penton sent it to them.  I have owned up to V799 with the big aircleaner.  So I feel we need to look at the surveys that POG sent out to find the last one that had the big airbox to determine when it was changed at the factory.

Ron Carbaugh

[Rocket]

My 68 has the big airbox, serial #V401.
Rocket

[joe novak]

Early 1968 Pentons had the air box with side panels on each side (non-Husky type), and a four lug rear hub.   I know where there is one sitting in a barn.... waiting patiently for someone.   1969's had the Husky-type air box and the 6 lug rear hub.  The question is (another POG member alreay asked...) "When was the Husky-type air box implemented, and when was the 6 lug hub implemented?"  Also remember that 40 year old Pentons may not have original parts on them.  If you could please, someone attach a photo of an early 1968 Penton and it's frame no.   Paul, I know you have one....  joe

[Paul Danik]

This is V 015, it has the longer version of the early style airbox. This machine is original, not restored, it even still has the original tires and they have most of the little nubs still on them.

http://www.pentonusa.org/GalleryServerPro/default.aspx?moid=2715&hr=1

This is Al Born's V 003, it should have the long version of the early style airbox, but instead it has the shorter version. His original airbox is still missing in action. Notice how much more of the frame is visible beneath the airbox on V 003.

http://www.pentonusa.org/GalleryServerPro/default.aspx?moid=2711&hr=1

This is V 425, it has the Husky style air cleaner mounted, this machine originally belonged to George " Slats" Slater who worked with Ted Penton in the Penton R & D/machine shop.  This bike is a retro fitted frame breather, quite possibly done at the hands of Slats and Ted during the design phase of the frame breather, and it is a Jackpiner.

http://www.pentonusa.org/GalleryServerPro/default.aspx?moid=2717&hr=1

V 512, the Penton that Young Ted fetched down from northern Michigan for me, has the short version of the early style airbox.



The bike shown, V 1194 is a very interesting machine and a great find. I think Ron is right on as far as it being a very late 68.  As has been said many times before, there were no exact model years for the Steel Tankers, but we do tend to categorize them by year for conversation and ID purposes.  Some build years are very obvious, and others could go one way or another.

Paul

[flattracker23]

Could the air filter be aftermarket? The sticker on the back side has Webco on it. It is metal not plastic and is 7". The frame is not a breather frame.

Spencer Gaydon
Lubbock, TX

[Paul Danik]

Spencer,

   The air cleaner unit is one from a later Steel Tanker, it is referred to as the Husky Style air cleaner. They were retro fitted to a lot of the earlier machines and were a bolt on item. The cover of yours seems to have been drilled to possibly allow more air flow. This picture shows the back of the one on V 425.

http://www.pentonusa.org/GalleryServerPro/default.aspx?moid=168&hr=1

    The frame breather frames didn't start till later.

    Being as you are flattracker23 I guess this will become your signature machine, do you have a steel shoe?  I used to love flattracking these machines under the lights at the little ovals that used to run in this area. I only used a downpipe for MX once, to me it was much better suited for going in circles.

Hope this helps.

Paul

[flattracker23]

Paul,

I race vintage flattrack in the VDTRA for a few years. I do have a steel shoe. I raced a BSA 650, a Staracer framed Suzuki RM250 and a Rokon 340.

I would like to restore the Penton (or have somebody restore it for me) but it might be to hard to find all the parts I would need. The Penton Steel Tanker is one of my favorite motorcycles of all times. Several years ago I found a Steel Tanker rolling chassis but never could find any of the other parts to build it. I ended up selling it. There is a lot more here on this one but it is still missing parts and some parts will need to be replaced. I will see what I can come up with and go from there.


Spencer Gaydon
Lubbock, TX

[BobJones]

I have restored V1056 if I could figure out how to post pictures I would do it.It has the Husky type airbox & 6 lug rear wheel but alot of the other items appear to be 68.I am the 2nd owner & I have met the original owner & he did not change anything but the front fender.The bike was originally bought from Munganast's store.

Bob Jones
Show-me state
(2)74 Harescramblers,72 Jackpiner,68/69 6-Day,73 Harescrambler.

[firstturn]

Just for everyones information all of the '68 Pentons did not have 4 lug rear sprockets....only the early ones.  This has been a fun post to get everyone up to speed on the '68 Penton.  Thanks Spencer.

Ron Carbaugh

[flattracker23]

Thanks you for all the information.

Spencer Gaydon
Lubbock, TX

[gooddirt]

I have a V 1248 from the first owner and it came with a 4 bolt rear hub and the husky style air but a short chain guard.