I bought a steel Roadster tank from one of the guys in our club. After looking at it, I'm not sure what I bought. It doesn't quite look like an OEM tank (note the leading edge) nor does it look like a Pakistan tank. So I don't know what it is. I suspect it's a repop but I don't know of any other than the Pakistan ones.

Has anyone ever seen anything like this:





It kind of bothers me that it doesn't look quite "genuine"...

Debby

If it bothers you too much I'll buy it from ya, LOL Looks ok to me but is like nothing I've seen before. Chuck.

Fill the ridge with bondo and only the purists will know

Jean

Debby, it looks close enuf to me, and unless you're going concours, who cares?
with the right finish, and no leaks, I think most with fibreglass tanks, like myself see it as a fine replacement, you can always replace it with alloy sometime in the future.

Debbie, I bought my '73 850 in 1977. It was a Roadster, original and it looked a lot like that. When I got my Interstate tank I was surprised at the join in the front, which is smooth. The Roadster tank is long gone. Have you got a picture of the bottom? The detail around the cap sure looks right. Either you've got an example of one of Norton's variable source parts or a truly cunning forgery.

Debby,
someone on this forum mentioned that the tanks from Pakastan were crappy.
You, definitely looking at the pics don't have one of them. Go on ebay and you can verify this for yourself.
Those are rough!!!
However; there are ones from India that are excellent just in short supply.
Even if it is a later tank, if it serves to replace a fiberglass one, no one is going to notice but the finest judges.
I have a yellow 72 combat that came w/ a fiberglass tank.
I replaced it w/ a 72/73 era metal tank ,also metal side covers from same Gent.
It takes 1st and 2nd place all the time. I also ride it regularily and enjoy it.
I restored it for me. Others out there complement the bike, not me, all the time.
I would say, w/o prying, if you got it for a fair price paint it up and enjoy it.
You can be the talk of the pub, Hey did you see this girls bike she has one of them rare police tanks
It may take a life form of its own on?
All in good fun of course but you know what I mean.
Yours looks real close except front seam. It could be very possible as alluded to here that
it was a vendor of Norton and they may have specked it out wrong.
Remeber the frames were later made in Italy, so it could be a period correct part just
outsourced. Just my thoughts
Marshal

Debby,
post script:
I just went out to the garage to look at mine. It doesn't have the horse shoe in the front like yours.
I just remembered when I had my metal one painted there was numerical sequence on the bottom on one of the flats in front of the petcock.
My glass tank also. I would speculate if its from the 70's it should have a number on the bottom somewhere.
Kinda like the military does theres a drawing number on everything but people. It lets them know what revision they are working w/.
And if theres a failure who supplied it based on the drawing number as they were linked to individual contractors.
Look for a number it should be visible through the primer, is it possible you just overlooked it?
Also, not to make work for others but Frank Damp a factory guy might be able to provide some history on tank sourcing from the day?
I'd even like to know more about it from a been there done that guy.
Marshal

I guess the tank is *unique*, just like me! So I might as well get it painted and use it. I want to retire the fibreglass tank on my 750.

I'll take a look at the bottom to see if any numbers are visible.

Now I have to choose my colors: medium metallic blue with silver logos and "D" lining, or black with red logos and "D" lining. Those are my two top choices at the moment. So hard to decide...

Debby

Debby,

That tank looks to be the same one I have for my '74 Roadster. Here is a photo of how I found it on the PO's bench. I too wondered about the flange, early repro?



Gotta get rid of the smartie yellow (sorry to lovers of the lemon...) - it is a fresh coat of paint, but I've been too busy buying Germanic oddities, having a baby and working to do anyting to the 850. It will have to wait.

I remember in highschool spending hours filling the ridge in on my '78 CB400T tank- painting over that plum/burgandy to a nice mid blue- looked sharp, too bad the bike could barley break 120km/h, made me suspicious of twins until I got the Norton.

Fastback, I don't see where your tank has that gully before the edge flange like Debby's tank has. Your's looks like mine, a stock 74.

ahhhh - I do see what you mean now. - you are correct. I guess when I compare the tank to the fiberglass, the seam seems so noticeable!

Fastback,
that paint job from here looks very nice.
I drive an orig. Yellow combat.
It was an era of psychadelic paints
We could use more other than black Nortons.
On behalf of the lemon committee let me persuade you to ride it yellow proudly
Debby, Blue sounds like a winner.
Marshal

Marshall,

I'll agree with you on the black issue, but I'm not convinced that yellow is the answer!
Long live variety!!

Phil

I've never seen that heavy rolling along the seam before and it appears on the rear edge as well. I have seen rear seams turned outwards so there was certainly variation. Perhaps it was an early try before they got the wheels right ?

As bpatton says, the filler flange looks right and a look underneath would help confirm things. If you're feeling so inclined, I'd be interested to see a photo inside, looking at the baffle plate behind the filler cap. I can't imagine that a non-original tank would have a properly fashioned one.

My 850 is tangerine at the moment. Citrus is always good on a Commando

Strange, very strange.

I guess the person you bought it from doesn't know the tank's history?

Jason