Painting my tank

[huddie]

Hello all, Just got hold of a tank off ebay that has the correct badges etc for my 57 A10 Gold Flash swing arm.
Chrome is serviceable which is great but paint needs to be done black with gold piping. Not sure of the dimensions of the chrome on this a round badge style tank.
Having done a search I found the measurements for a plunger tank, has any one got same for swinging arm models.
Perhaps a good shot of a tank will help as for me perfection is not mandatory.
Regards Huddie

[a101960]

What you will need to do before you do any painting, is to research the properties of the paint. Because of the muck that is now being passed of as petrol, many paints are not fully petrol proof even when lacquered. I think that the only fully ethanol proof paint is two pack paint and that is not really a practicable DIY proposition.

[terryg]

Have been thinking about paint too. 2 pack is, as has been implied, not easy or cheap to use safely. It does have advantages in ease of application (lets forget the extraction issues for a moment) and certainly in durability. I've had good results with no trouble, as a novice sprayer.

HMG paint co advertises a non-isocyanate hardened 2 pack, Nisocoat, and I'd like to hear from anyone who has used it. In principle it offers the advantages and is simpler and safer to use, being apparently significantly less toxic.

Anyone tried it?

[metalflake11]

Terry, have no fears about using two pack. HMG will sell you an EU approved throw away mask/respirator which is fine for occasional use. They work very well, you can't even smell the paint. HMG also sell cellulose paint if you tell them it is a vintage restoration. They may need to see your log book (or copy) to prove this. It can be put in aerosol cans too, if you haven't got spraying gear.
                                                                                          mf

[Beezageezauk]

Hi Huddie,

You say that you tank takes the round badges!!

I've got a '58 B31 in original condition with original chrome and paintwork on the tank.  If it is the same as yours I can help you out by taking some measurements from it.  Check it out and let me know if I can be of assistance.

Beezageezauk

[pato08]

Hi Huddie, Good luck with your paint job, and please post some pic's when done. And could you post measurements for plunger tank
Thanks
Pato

[huddie]

Hi Pato08 and beezageezauk, Pato, sorry it's taken this long to reply, had trouble logging on. The info for the plunger tank can be found using the following search     a7 / 10 rigid?    by user roadrunner.
Measurements would be much appreciated beeza.
Regards huddie     

[WozzA]

This was posted some time ago...   & I saved it..   hope it's what your looking for?

measurements:
1. 4-1/8"
2. 2"
3. 1-1/2"
4. 7/8"
5. 2-3/8"
6. 1-5/8"
7. 2-5/8"
8. 1"
9. 3-3/8"
10. 1-1/4"  (to edge of tank just below the bracket)
11. 4-1/8"

1, 2, and 6 are along a line from the filler cap bung to the center of the badge

[Beezageezauk]

Hi Huddie,

I'll get some measurements of the chrome panel position on the round badge tank and post the information on here as soon as I can.

Beezageezauk. 

[bikerbob]

If your bike is 1957 then the A10 Gold Flash swinging arm did not have the round badges it had the brass winged bages that were not set into the tank the A7 however did have the round badges, the round badges were not fitted on the A10 Gold Flash until 1958.

[Beezageezauk]

Hi again Huddie,

Your initial posting on this topic tells me that you have a fuel tank with the round badges and you were not bothered about perfection.  This is why I brought your attention to my B31 tank.

Ok, just in case there is any confusion over this I'll make it clear that these measurements are for a B31 swinging arm tank with the round badges.

The painted panel width varies and gets wider towards the front.  The widths are as follows:-

216mm at the centre of the round badges.
210mm at the centre of the central mounting hole.
200mm from a figure of 6 inches back from the central mounting hole.

The above will determine the top line of the chrome panel.

The rest of the chrome panel measures in as follows:-

50mm from the front of the tank at the centre of the badge height.
50mm from the rear of the tank at a figure of 50mm from the bottom of the tank.
20mm all along the bottom of the tank.

I hope that this is clear enough for you.

If you want the correct curvature of the chrome panel I have a pair of templates that you could borrow but they are out on loan at present and it could be another 4 weeks before I get them back.

Beezageezauk.

 

[huddie]

Hi all, Many thanks Beezageeza. I think I understand the measurement so I will go out to the shed and try them. I will get back to you if I need any further clarification, again many thanks mate.
Now lets set a hare running on correct tanks. Bikerbob has replied saying a 57 Gold Flash swing arm model would have had the winged badges? Thats whats on my bike now but there's no chrome unless it been painted over. When I first enquired of the BSA Owners Club about what was correct for my bike they most definitely said black on chrome with round badges so who's right then?.
If I wanted to remove paint from my tank to see if there is any chrome underneath what can I use that will not damage the chrome.
Regards Huddie

[Greybeard]

I discovered during my bike rebuild that household paint stripper such as Nitromors is almost useless at stripping automotive paint. It even says so in small print on the can! Back in the old days it worked fine. I guess its modern Health & Safety rules.
In the same shop you can buy concentrated caustic soda crystals which I realise would be no good for a fuel tank but I made a CS solution in a large plastic garden tub and when items were left in the tank for a week or so the paint hosed off!

[Beezageezauk]

Im sure that Bikerbob is correct in what he says.

The A10's used the round badge tanks for the 1958 models but.....the 1958 models were available in August 1957.

The givaway would be the wheels and the headlight arrangement.

The 1958 models had the cast iron full width hubs and a nacelle type headlight whereas the 1957 models used the Ariel type alloy full width hubs and the cowpat type headlight cowl.

Beezageezauk.

[huddie]

Hi all, Thanks for the info Beezageeza, but I am still a bit confused because mine has a nachelle headlight but the hub looks like alloy!.
Is the difference in the hubs obvious?, it might seem like a daft question but as the man said "if you dont understand keep asking questions"
Regards Huddie