Last 73 & Earliest 74 Red Tank Hare Scramblers

[454MRW]

From previous posts about the last Yellow tank HS, I have pulled this information, from Skip Page, Chicago Jerry, and myself, and I am adding another early Red Tank HS to it.
"My 73 has a frame # 54 30967709 and the engine clock says 7/73. but the engine case numbers are different that what I'm seeing on your bikes. My engine number is shown as 54 30 003 010. Am I looking at something wrong? Skip
Thanks Mike. I found the numbers, they are 3-5401848. Skip"

Does anyone have, or know of a 73 Yellow tank 250 HareScrambler after engine # 3-5401848, or a Red tank 250 HareScrambler engine # before # 3-5401964 to help narrow down the list? Thanks, Mike

"i have a red tanker. motor # 3-5401725. the motor is silver but i can tell that the head was painted silver over the black and it looks like it came from the factory that way also, when i split the cases,i noticed that it had the old style cam type shift drum. frame # is 5 431169147 chi jer"

Today, for Dan McEntee I just brought home a 74 titled original Red Tank 74 HS project with frame # 54 31169374 and engine # 3-5401874 with all silver engine and round clutch cover. The airbox was painted red over yellow gelcoat and had a 74 MX pipe. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R

[Paul Danik]

Mike,

  Not sure if this will help, most likely not, but my yellow tank Hare Scrambler has a frame number of 54-30666440, with engine number 3-54000341 and a 3/73 engine clock.

Aside from the pipe and color, which could be changed, are there any other "for sure" items to look for that would verify that a machine was born a yellow HS?  Frame brackets, or

  I am looking for a toaster tank for mine as it has the MX tank, if anyone has an original yellow toaster tank that they would consider parting with please let me know.

Thanks,
Paul

[454MRW]

One thing for certain is the 2 rear fender mounting tabs, near the center of the rear frame loop, whereas the 74 had the unique thin countoured tin stampings with grommets on the outer corners of the rear frame loop that bolted to the fender. The exhaust mount bracket above the cylinder head is also farther forward on the 74 HS. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R

[Daniel P. McEntee]

I'm with Paul on the toaster tank thing. Mine has the smaller MX tank that I just stripped, and after seeing the photos that were posted in response to my other thread on my '73 H/S, I sure would like to latch on to the bigger tank. I always did like the bigger enduro tank on any Penton, as enduros were always my thing back in the day. I plan to get over to Mikes house soon and check out the frame see what it needs. Originally I just wanted the engine for another project and didn't want to add to the clutter of extra bike frames I have now, but the fact that it had a title and a really early production number helped me change my mind. Just another project added to the growing list but we'll get it squared away.
  Type at you later,
  Dan McEntee

[Paul Danik]

Mike,

    Thanks for getting this thread going, I have had a 250cc Penton with a red MX tank and airbox for a number of years and always had a hunch that it might have started life as a gold Hare Scrambler, the black engine is what always made me wonder, but it is your serial numbers that provided the needed information.

    Today I confirmed that the serial numbers on the Penton matched those on the Statement of Origin that came with the bike. Frame number 54-30968125 and engine number 3-5401232. I scraped the back of the air box with my knife and as the red paint came off that beautiful gold color became evident.  It does have the two rear fender mounts that you mentioned.

   It came with a number of pipes, none of them original, but the documentation stated that the MX pipe that was on it at the time worked best.

   The bike was originally consigned to John Long of Husqvarna of Dallas, it ended up just about thirty miles from where you got your amp from, I think you said the place was in Greenville, Pa that you did business with.

Thanks,
Paul

[454MRW]

Yes, Greenville PA, home of the Resurection of USA made Acoustic Bass amps updated and improved hi-fidelity over a 30 year period by the original designer, Russ Allee, known in the music world as the Godfather of Bass Amplification. One of my 2 amps has the front panel Signed by Russ and others involved then, and now with the Acoustic Amps.
Paul,
So your bike is a Yellow Tank 73 with a non original MX pipe. I always wondered if they actually made any 73 HS's without the club tail Enduro pipe. Is there an adapter/extension bracket to make it reach the mount above the Engine head, or look like the pipe mount or bracket had been modified to mount there? The 74 mount on the pipe is wider to spread the load of attachment, and is unique looking. The middle pic shows the unique 74 bracket and the last pic shows the bracket on a 73 Yellow HS. Mike




Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R

[G Ellis]

Mike I think the last photo must be from southern IL.[8D] I painted all of that and can do more if someone needs it done.:D

[derek martin]

I've got a 250 with the following features:
Yellow tank
Fiberglass pipe heat shield
Black cases, silver jug, and black head
2 rear fender tabs
3 lower shock mounts
Round rear frame tubes
Frame # 54 32767322 as best I can tell.

Bike has never been touched except the original owner told me he had to send the motor back to Penton under warranty due to transmission problems if I remember right.

[454MRW]

The frame # is probably 54-30767322 or possibly 30967322. The first 3 numbers after 54- is the year followed by the 2 digit month from 01=Jan -12=Dec. Mike

Michael R. Winter
I enjoy rebuilding and appreciating Pentons!
1974 250 HS Pentons-1980 KTM 175-400'S
1975 Can Am 175 TNT & 77 250 Black Widow
1979 Husqvarna OR390
1976-78 RM & 77-79 PE Suzuki's
1974 CR250M 07 CR125R 79 CR250R

[derek martin]

Right you are - I should have thought a little more before posting. I looked at the numbers again with better light - it's 54 30767322.

[rpage11]

Mike
Been stuck in the garage the last few weeks polishing aluminum.  Boy is that a dirty job.  I read your post and if there is anything you would like me to check on my bike let me know.



I know Victor and Marc Biro were making bikes to ride not show and if either of them what to chime in it would be great to hear more about this bike.

I recently got a new swing arm with the tabs that were missing on my bike, so I could install a chain guard I got from Al a few year ago



Work was so slow the last few years that I stopped any restro work, but kept the few bikes I had left lined up in the garage waiting for things to pick up.  A few weeks ago I got tired of waiting, I pulled the Mudlark out and just decided it was time to clean up another Penton.













It's funny how once I get started I just cannot walk away and just sit and look and polish and look some more at how special these bikes are.

Call me Mike if you would like me to look closer.  Thanks Skip

oh yeah, like I started to say was, polishing aluminum is a very dirty job.  

Skip Page
Tucson, AZ

[gooddirt]

I use the the front pipe mount tab location to tell which is a 1973 frame model  for the fish tail pipe.  A  frame VIN# 73010 or 11  that  I have the tab is moved for a updated pipe.

[Paul Danik]

Skip,

  Beautiful machines.. Thanks for posting the pictures.

Seeing that you are an expert in the field of polishing, what polish is your favorite?

Thanks,
Paul

[rpage11]

quote:Originally posted by Paul Danik

Skip,

  Beautiful machines.. Thanks for posting the pictures.

Seeing that you are an expert in the field of polishing, what polish is your favorite?

Thanks,
Paul

I go back and forth from white bar rough w/ felt buffing wheel on bench grinder, Mothers aluminum polish w/ obital buffer and Brasso w/ a rag.  Get tired of one just go to the next and eventually it will shine.  Matt at Speed and Sport is also not a bad way to go.  



Skip Page
Tucson, AZ
//www.robertpagearchitect.com

[Keith Meatyard]

The Penton bikes seem to have been put together different ways in the same year models. For example: Although not a HS, my 74 JP has frame no 54-40271535, and engine no 4-5205605, but... the date clock on the case is 11/72.  The cases have the black paint on them, not silver.  You can tell from the finish, color, and lack of covering on all the machined areas that the paint is originally factory black.  The cylinder and head have obviously been spray canned black, so I would bet this bike, although a 74, was built using left over cases from 72, and the cylinder and head were probably unpainted from the factory like the silver motors.

Keith Meatyard