fiberglass tank problem

kenbike · December 22, 2010, 05:29:38 AM

I am sure it on the web site but I could not find it with a search. I checked my tank last night and notice the coating in starting to crinkle and break loose in the part of the tank that is above the frame tube, the rest looks ok. I was draining the fuel with the gas on, not reseve so it still had an 1" on both side of the tank.
It is a yellow 75 fiberglass tank with lots of hairline cracks. I want a inside tank coating system that I can install and I will repair and repaint the tank, use to work at a body shop in high school and still have a paint gun and equipment to rework the outside shell.

I need a paint color for a 75 250 and a source for the tank coating kit.

Larry Perkins · December 22, 2010, 06:08:46 AM

Search POR15 POR 15 or talk to Mike Winter. This is the only long term safe way to go besides draining every ride or race. By the way the yellow tanked 250 Pentons were only in 73 and the 75 models were red.

Larry P

kenbike · December 22, 2010, 08:20:08 PM

Thanks Larry
My bike motor is a 73 and the frame is a jan 75. I guess I should pick the color I like best! Any ideas on paint color code numbers for red or yellow?
Hopefully Mike Winters will see this post and help out.
I will scope out POR 15 system.
Thanks

454MRW · December 22, 2010, 09:46:09 PM

Type in " Coating a Fiberglass Tank with POR-15 Clear " in the search field and hit search and it will take you right to the instructions post I made. Tom Brosius has the color codes at the bottom on his webpage, accessable from the Home page under the "Suppliers" link. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
75 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
74 CR250M 07 CR125R & CR150R

kenbike · December 23, 2010, 05:41:28 AM

Thanks Mike I placed an order today and they have free shipping until 12/17.
This will be a good new years project!

checkcrew · December 23, 2010, 03:43:53 PM

Ken,

did you get this bike from Chicago Jerry early this year ?

73 yellow tank and black motor, 75 frame,

if it is the bike i am thinking about, that is an origional yellow gelcoat MX tank,

"IMO" it would be a shame to paint it anything other than it's origional color,

good luck any how,

Mike Gallagher, NJ.

kenbike · December 23, 2010, 06:56:51 PM

Mike that is the bike! So it is a original yellow 75 tank on the bike, I for sure will keep yellow. Did you add the yellow to the side number plates? Any other history on the bike or motor would be great!
Have a wonderful Christmas

454MRW · December 23, 2010, 07:15:05 PM

The tank would be for a 73, not the correct color for a 75, but much rarer and hard to find. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
75 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
74 CR250M 07 CR125R & CR150R

kenbike · December 24, 2010, 06:56:49 AM

I will just POR 15 the inside and keep the old gel as is. It really does not need repainting. Any work done on the forks that you know of or what springs they have?

marsattacks · December 24, 2010, 07:37:27 AM

Ken some of those yellow/gold tanks were painted and some were gel-coat. I don't really know exactly but I surmise that the earliest bikes had paint over green or maybe red tanks and then they started gelcoating! If you have a gel-coat tank you might be able to refurbish the coating quite effectively. Sorry I'm not the expert on it but if you talk to a marine shop or do some google searching you will find quite a lot of info on it. The really finicky restorers over on rugginose.forumfree.it (sign up needed) go sort of crazy on restoring gelcoat vs. painting over it. Good luck!!

kenbike · December 26, 2010, 05:33:09 AM

Thanks for the tips on restoring the gelcoat. It has worn down in a few area and it does appear that it is yellow gelcoat over the fiber glass tank, vs red or green gelcoat below. I have some good product for cleaning up the old gelcoat so I will clean it up after coating the inside with POR 15

marsattacks · December 31, 2010, 09:02:31 AM

If you would like to see a very interesting discovery made by one of our Italian friends with respect to a yellow tanker that had been painted red have a look here. If you use Google Chrome it will automatically translate the Italian to English for you and it is just good enough to discern what they are saying in most cases. I think it is worth reading just for the curiosity factor. If you really want to get carried away then construct a search in the soloenduro.it domain for "giallo" and "ktm" -- giallo being Italian for yellow of course. Good luck and if you have a chance to post any pictures of your bike it would be fun to see them. I have an early red 250 but I have no fantasy that it is yellow underneath!!:)

http://www.soloenduro.it/ubbthreads1/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=1375717&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1&nohead=

Mars Attacks!

kenbike · January 01, 2011, 07:57:09 AM

Very good restoration story! My bike is really a combination of parts and is a rider vs a classic. I will keep it as nice a practical but it is not a full restoration candidate. I will wait to pick up stell tanker for a show bike.

kenbike · January 04, 2011, 05:21:01 AM

I coated the inside of the tank with POR 15 and was really happy with the results! Thanks for all of your help.

kenbike · January 09, 2011, 08:04:34 AM

I have found a test on a Yellow 75 Penton Hare Scrambler in a cycle magazine. The bike has green side panels with yellow number plate vs my bike that has white side panels with yellow vinyl.
I want to go green and found a paint code on Tom Brosius site for green PPG 44623 for a six day. Would this be the same green for the 75?

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fiberglass tank problem