Gas Tanks

[imported_n/a]

I've been talking to a fiberglass guy out in CA who will make new gas tanks for us, if there's enough demand.  

He currently makes replica fiberglass tanks for Bultaco, Maico and Montesa.  Those are for sale for $185 each.  He'll make tanks for us if we bring him demand for six tanks.  Now, he needs an old tank to use to make his molds.  Thanks to Dave Withrow, I have a beat up small mx (pea) tank he can use.  But he only makes them in white, with the intent that we paint them or something.  I know I would buy a white one for my 400 project.

He would need to see my tank to firm up a price.  

Are any of you looking for a remake or a tank to put on for racing?  Let me know if there's any interest.  

Glenn

 

[Mick Milakovic]

Glenn,
I am very interested, as I have a bike I believe to be a 77 or 78 250 MX version.  It has no tank, but I need to ID the year before I can make a commitment.  What was the last year KTM had the rear frame loop above the fender?
Mick

Mick Milakovic
Delphi, IN
765-268-2570
[email protected]

[imported_n/a]

Mick, I only know for sure the '73 through '75s were the same.  Does anybody know if the '76 and '77 tanks are the same dimensions as the earlier ones?

Glenn

 

[rob w]

Glenn, Good investigative work. You know I would take a couple if.....

THEY CAME IN THIS COLOR

              and

ANOTHER ONE LIKE THIS

Have ya got that Six Day dirty yet?
Thanks, Bob.


 

[chris richardson]

White is good. 73-75 MX are the same. Get this going, I'll make sure the minimum is met. I need one personally and I'll have the remaining available for sale.

 

[imported_n/a]

Bob, I've got to figure out the color thing.  Just trying to establish the year range of the shape I want made at this point.

I took the Six-Day out to Byron for jetting and break-in a couple of weeks ago.  I'm going there next Saturday for some real riding.  I'll let you know how it goes.

Chris,  I'll contact the guy and arrange to ship my old tank off to him so he can tell us how much they'll run.  I'll jump on this Monday.  

Thank you all for your heads-up responses.


Glenn



Edited by - glenn Sonntag on 10/14/2002  08:15:00 AM

Edited by - glenn Sonntag on 10/14/2002  08:15:58 AM

[Bob]

quote:
 Does anybody know if the '76 and '77 tanks are the same dimensions as the earlier ones?

No they're not. '76 & '77 are wider where they straddle the frame. When Penton went to frame breathers ( vs. seat breathers ), the tanks changed.

Bob

[Mike Lenz]

Glenn, Make sure the tank you have is flat on the underside. Prior to the frame breather the tanks came in more to hug the center backbone. I believe they flattened out the underside to give more airflow for the frame breather. Wouldnt want to make up the wrong ones!

 

[imported_n/a]

Mike, I just checked and it's flat.  These are the kinds of things to have everybody's input on before pulling the trigger, as they say.

Did any Pentons come through that were not frame-breathers, but had the small mx fiberglass tank?  The first small tanks I ever saw were on a 250 and 175 sitting side by side at my dealer in June of '73.  I bought the Jackpiner.  I wish I had bought the 250, also!

If anybody has a couple of cents to put in here, please let us know.

Glenn



Edited by - Glenn Sonntag on 10/14/2002  6:09:56 PM

[Mike Lenz]

I never saw a small mx tank until 73 too. But I have a tank that is not flat on the underside and its a small mx model?? Maybe a very early version?

 

[rob w]

I think you should replicate the tanks that came on Penton MX models from 73-75. Called "1.8 gal. gas tank MC". The part # is 52.07.001.100.
 There is 3 pictured in the "past featured Pentons" photo's.
Mar. 02
Jan. 02
June 01
 That would be great if that happens. Because the demand is there. So, do you need a tank to copy? Thanks Bob.

 

[imported_n/a]

Mike, did the '76+ MC-5s have the non-flat bottom you describe?  I know the Pentons were orange, but the KTMs on the West Coast came in the colors, as I recall.   Maybe your tank is one of them?

Bob, I have a tank that I can sacrifice for the molds but I want to be absolutely sure it's right.  If you have one of the 1.8 gal. tanks, maybe if you could ship it to me to compare with mine???  I'll e-mail you my shipping address.

As an aside, this guy also makes right side heat guard panels for '74 mx 175/250/400 models, in white only.  I've ordered a couple to see what kind of a job he can do with fiberglass.  I'll let you know.

Any other info will be appreciated.

Glenn





Edited by - Glenn Sonntag on 10/15/2002  12:48:54 PM

[Mike Lenz]

NO,I WAS REFERING TO THE 73-75 FRAME BREATHER TANKS. THE MC-5 AND GS-6 TANKS ARE DIFFERENT AND WILL NOT INTERCHANGE WITH THE EARLIER ONES. SOUNDS TO ME LIKE YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TANK TO REPLACATE.

 

[imported_n/a]

I just was checking out some of the old Penton brochures for the '73-'75s.  In looking at the pictures in detail, there is a sort of v-shape towards the front of the mx tanks, kind of where your kneecaps would be.  The tank I have does not have that "v" detail.  As my tank had been repainted at some point in the past, I took some sandpaper to it and found Bondo (sp?) has been applied to the sides of the tank.  It does not have the original shape of a stock tank.  As of now, I'm going to disqualify this tank from being used as a model for reproduction tanks.  I'm going to call the fiberglass guy to see how badly the molding process affects a tank and will get back to you all tomorrow p.m. or evening, to see how we should proceed.  I don't want to end up with a bunch of screwed-up tanks.

Glenn

 

[imported_n/a]

I was tossing and turning all night as I contemplated the impasse we're at.  

Just "thinking outside the box" here, what would your thoughts be on this:  I have a '78 MX KTM white tank.  Its shape is a little different, but not much, from the '73-'75s that we're trying to replicate.  

Would there be any interest with using this tank for the exterior mold for tanks that would fit '73 all the way through '78, but provide the fiberglass guy with different tanks to use for the "underside" mold, so that tanks could be remade for all those years, all with the same exterior, but choose between the two or three different underside styles that were OEM?  

I'm kind of grasping at straws here for now, but let me know your thoughts.

Glenn