Help with ID on Panhead Tank

[MMasa]

I need some help determining if a right tank I have is real or repop. It's a RIGHT tank and looking at the recess on the bottom, it's for a Panhead. The curious thing is the fuel line nipple at the front on the bottom. As you probably know, the location of this nipple was changed between Knucklehead and Panhead tanks. It was moved outward away from the frame an inch or so on Panheads. This tank has the nipple in the Panhead location, however there is also a "ring" stamped into the tank in the knucklehead location. Almost like the stamping could be used to put a nipple in either the Knuck or Pan location. Are these repop or was that a 1948 transition feature?
Mark Masa

[46EL]

I have had and have seen about a dozen or so of those over the years. As it was explained to me H-D used up the leftover 47's by plugging the inboard hole and made a new outboard Pan Hole. If the Mounting Strips for the badges are intact look at them closely. Repops were installed very sloppily and you can usually spot that repop easily. Jp

[MMasa]

Here are some pics of the tank. The bottom is relieved for a panhead. This looks factory to me. Is it early 1948 Pan?

[Rooster]

For comparison, here's a photo of a set of original 1947-50 tanks. Look closely at the welds, and the overall shape of the indents in the back side of the tanks. I'm not sure this will help, but if you'd like more photos, let me know.

[Rubone]

Rooster,
There is no such thing as


Rooster,
There is no such thing as " 47-50" tanks. '47 is a one year only set. They will not fit a Panhead without modification. '48 -50 share most features, but the early '48 all seem to have the second hole as Marks are.
Robbie

[Rooster]

Okay okay.......
So I should make the correction that the tanks I show in the photo are actually late-'48 to '50 tanks. Thanks for the info, Robbie.

[Lonnie]

I have seen one tank with the relocated fitting as shown in your photos and the discussion I had with the owner was that they were very early factory modified '48 tanks. If true or not, I cannot say, but it sounds quite logical and a reasonable assumption.
I have seen a '48-'50 tank with the fitting relocated and placed in the '47 knucklehead position. This involved cutting out the fitting area in a rectangle area and flipping the cutout area around - hard to describe but just a switcheroo. The panhead cover dents were pulled out with a dent puller that uses the studs spot welded to the area. A little bondo, and presto-chango - 'a '47 tank!
Obviously, this is not what occurred with your tank.

[Neil74]

If they plugged and moved the early tanks to fit a Pan,did they do anything to the back or underside to get clearance for the heads? Or can you bolt Knucklehead tanks on a Pan, but Pans won't fit a Knuckle?

[46EL]

A 47 Tank will not fit on a Panhead. The 48 to 50 Pan Tank has enough clearance and will fit on a Knucklehead. I have seen many so called restored 47's with 48 to 50 Right hand tanks.