Norsa1's Notrun powered A10

[Joolstacho]

No that tank doesn't look like Goldie (Lyta) to me.
Goldie tank is more teardrop shaped and the rear at the knee-indent has a cutaway shape along the bottom seam.

Sluggo, Interesting re: the Yahoo mail 'group', -our Velocette one is being closed down too.
I'm hoping we can get a proper Forum like this going, in the meantime hoping people will go across to the Britbike Velocette forum.

[Sluggo]

If you look at 65-66-67 BSA Hornets and the offroad spitfires (I have a few unit A65s and one of my keepers is a 68 Spitfire with the UK style cafe tank) they used a breadbox type tank,, some call it the bread loafs.   

(interested in a unit A65 project?? Im downsizing,, what year would you like?)

But I have a friend who went to the UK back in early 1980(s) and visited Lyta and I have a whole stack of photos of the shop, as well as many tanks he made.  Many of them were for bike friends back here in the US and Dave ordered a whole pile of them (About 10-12 tanks total) of different styles.  Dave was into all kinds of British bikes from Vincents to Manx, to Goldies and had a shop, and later married into the famous Langlitz leathers empire.   But at one time all kinds of people were making tanks,, I know several who learned the trade in the British car industry and known to make some tanks.  As well a few US guys as well, We hosted Evan Wilcox at our museum for a class on Tank making and metal work.

(Evans bikes/tanks have been featured on the cover of Cycle world and many other magazines and he designed the body work that ended up being used on the Norton VR880 vintage rebuilders and then the Norton American 961s and still used by Norton UK today)

Heres a period Lyta tank, a 1967 BSA Hornet and the man himself in his small workshop in Blighty circa 1981.

**Note,, as most are likely aware,, this style tank came in both fiberglass and alloy from BSA.  I have had 441s, with them as well.  Clearly the one on this bike is alloy with paint on most of it.   I am really not sure what it is, other than commenting it appears similar,,
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As to the Yahoo groups, I admin several and member of several others.  Much discussion, but I can post some material to educate people, I am researching the options and likely will migrate the ones I admin to the new service instead.   ** Note,, when these first came out circa 1999-2000 it was EGroups or something like that, briefly owned by someone else and not sure what date Yahoo took them over.  the value of uploading files and pix cannot be overlooked, But I understand they juggle and intense data load by doing so. Clearly the revenue is not there without clogging it up with ads and malware.  The issue is the new platform, hopefully more stable costs.. allegedly $100-110 USD per year.  So looking at options.   Many people I know wont and refuse to use Facebook, One vintage club I am in, I was a organizer-vice president was taken over by another guy and everything migrated to Facebook.  Many of us were left in the dark.   
The irony is,,, the people on FB tend to think everyone should conform to the Borg and cant understand why not everyone thinks the same.

[Sluggo]

I sent your picture and description to several other lists and a select group of British bike fiends I know.  Praise all around.  CBS-Classic British Spares the online Calif bike shop also said it looked fantastic.

Thought I would send this I got back from Goldstar Jim up in Alaska. Every winter Jim builds a cool bike in his shop when the snow is piled high, Ill include a pix from 2 years ago, last years was a flat tracker Triumph since he loves racing.  But here is what he had to say about your bike...

" Well done. However, I wish he didn't feel the need to apologize for the mods made to the bike. It's a cool bike and he owes no one an apology. Anyone that would knock this bike, needs to just go away.
Of course, if was mine I would change the color and lop off about a foot or so of the rear fender. Minor preferences.

Ok. That's my rant for the day."

Heres his award winning Triumph from 2 years ago. (Size too large, ill have  to resize, revisit this later)

[Joolstacho]

Sluggo, re: Lyta. (B.G. Hitchisson was the company name).
I went there -to the factory in Dartford to pick up a Goldie tank I had ordered previously, in around 1975.
The workshop was black with alloy polishings, as was the boss. Tank plugs filled shelving. Great old place. Back then Hitchisson was an old man, -I have a feeling the lad in your photo had taken over or inherited the business.
I believe that they sold their tanks direct to BSA for Goldies (and also the Manx tanks to Norton).

[Sluggo]

Very Possible, All I know is my friend Dave Hansens tale.  We have a story I was looking to publish or use for newsletters.  (Happy to share if credit is given) and will soon be submitted to several US clubs and the UK AJS/Matchless club.
But I have a LOT of photos from Daves trip to the UK and then pictures of all the tanks he shipped back.   He also purchased a collection of Vincent body work for a friends Black Prince Vincent.  Shipping was a problem, even back then until he found a furniture company shipping large cabinets or containers to the US and made a deal with them.
But I can assure you there was no "Factory" or Works when Dave visited, very much a cottage industry small endeavor. I will attach a few pictures but will enquire on this to Dave and let you know what he says.  I am certain the previous place was not in his story but he will I am sure be interested to discuss.

I am still trying to wrestle from his grip the last tank from that trip, Dave sold his home and retired to the Oregon coast, We worked out a very generous donation from Dave to our museum of his book collection for which we are grateful.  He gifted me some other small items which I use when doing promotion work for the Museum.  But I heard heavenly music and it seemed light shown down from the heavens when he opened a box and showed me the last tank.  Its a NOS Lyta Clubmans style cafe tank for a BSA Goldie.  I want it very much and groveled, snivelled, begged  & pleaded what ever cost.   No luck (So far!  )  As he has promised to someone else with a Goldie.  Man of his word and I respect that, But still I Lust after it,,  Fingers crossed.

EDIT... Ill add one more bit here,, But its a receipt/note related to one of the tanks that Dave and the others ordered.  We are getting a bit off track from this gentlemans topic so I dont want to add any more and we can address this separately if there is interest.

[Norsa1]

Sluggo you have a good eye for detail.  Yes the cylinder barrel is an aluminum Maney and I am using JPW flatside carbs which are brilliant.  Cracks me up to come to a stoplight and take my hands of the controls and the bike just sits there and idles.
I really like the A10 frame and have put the Unity bronze bushings in the swingarm.  The forum has given me some good information on this conversion
The rear rim is a WM4 from a 69 Harley. I just wanted to use a bigger tire
The exhaust pipes were made for me by Viking exhaust in the Phillipines
The 270 degree crank was a bust, I could not kick start the beast.  It was not until  I put an Alton that the bike became useable. 
The blue bike is the same conversion but with more traditional BSA bodywork.

P.S.  I am from the West Coast and I do know Todd