I'm restoring a 21F and have a question about the striping on the gas tanks. By 1921 and the introduction of the wider 21-24 tanks, had the lining on the top of the tanks, along the line of the tank-to-frame fixing screws, been discontinued?
I have a couple of 16-20 left hand tanks shown in the picture below. Both are olive green although most of the paint is gone from the one at the top.
The lower tank is the earlier one with the cast lugs underneath, is in better overall condition and clearly shows the remnants of the dark green striping along the top flange. The close-up in the next photo below should show this better. I can - just - make out remnants of this striping in one or two places on the later tank at the top but it doesn't show clearly enough to photograph.
P1030572 (2).JPG
(I've just edited this post as I had the age of the tanks around the wrong way. I think I have it correct now. Cast brass lugs for the bolts that join the tanks were on the early tanks, replaced by bent sheet metal on the later tanks?))
I can't recall seeing this lining on any of the 21-24 tanks which have been through my hands, but most of them were pretty rusty. Has anyone on the forum seen an original-paint 21 tank with this centre stripe?
As an aside, one thing I noticed for the first time when I pulled the tanks outside for the photos was the difference in the "Harley-Davidson" lettering, something I would never have picked up had it not been for a discussion on this forum. The later tank on the left has the "avidson" in line with the top of the "D" (though this is not the side with the cut-outs for the rocker towers). The earlier tank has it in line with the bottom of the "D".
P1030577.JPGP1030578.JPG
It might have been easier if I'd flipped the pictures through 180 degrees but if you increase the size of the images it should be clear enough.
I've been "off-air" for three or more years. Some significant health issues not helped by Covid lock-downs knocked my restoration mojo for a time; but all is now well and I'm "back with the programme".
Mike
I have a couple of 16-20 left hand tanks shown in the picture below. Both are olive green although most of the paint is gone from the one at the top.
The lower tank is the earlier one with the cast lugs underneath, is in better overall condition and clearly shows the remnants of the dark green striping along the top flange. The close-up in the next photo below should show this better. I can - just - make out remnants of this striping in one or two places on the later tank at the top but it doesn't show clearly enough to photograph.
P1030572 (2).JPG
(I've just edited this post as I had the age of the tanks around the wrong way. I think I have it correct now. Cast brass lugs for the bolts that join the tanks were on the early tanks, replaced by bent sheet metal on the later tanks?))
I can't recall seeing this lining on any of the 21-24 tanks which have been through my hands, but most of them were pretty rusty. Has anyone on the forum seen an original-paint 21 tank with this centre stripe?
As an aside, one thing I noticed for the first time when I pulled the tanks outside for the photos was the difference in the "Harley-Davidson" lettering, something I would never have picked up had it not been for a discussion on this forum. The later tank on the left has the "avidson" in line with the top of the "D" (though this is not the side with the cut-outs for the rocker towers). The earlier tank has it in line with the bottom of the "D".
P1030577.JPGP1030578.JPG
It might have been easier if I'd flipped the pictures through 180 degrees but if you increase the size of the images it should be clear enough.
I've been "off-air" for three or more years. Some significant health issues not helped by Covid lock-downs knocked my restoration mojo for a time; but all is now well and I'm "back with the programme".
Mike
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