Interstate time

Fast Eddie

Fast Eddie

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I’ve had a battered interstate tank on the shelf for a few years now.

Under the paint it was worse than I thought.

Looks the bollox now tho…

Interstate time
Interstate time
Interstate time
Interstate time
 
Very nice outcome. Did you repair it yourself? Who did the paint?
 
Large fuel tanks on motorcycles tend to be unsightly.
The Interstate tank on a Commando, especially the slim version of the tank, is an exception.

Glen
 
Did Norton ever paint them that color? kidding I'm not one to give a rat's rear end about what Norton did. Looks nice.

Are you putting your 850 back in service?
 
Schwany said:
Did Norton ever paint them that color? kidding I'm not one to give a rat's rear end about what Norton did. Looks nice.

Are you putting your 850 back in service?
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The colour is actually quite close to the original found underneath, but that was solid, and this is metallic.

It is Mercedes Benz Cavansite Blue. It’s the colour I’ve had in mind for it all along.

The 850 has never been out of service, it’s just that it’s a 920 currently. One doesn’t want to appear immodest though…
 
cliffa said:
Very nice outcome. Did you repair it yourself? Who did the paint?
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You are joking right ?

This kinda stuff is WAY above my pay grade !!

Painter is a guy called Terry, based in Bucks, doesn’t have a web site any more as he’s too busy all the time!

Happy to provide contact detail via PM to anyone interested.
 
Good choice Nigel. The best looking tank ever fitted to a motorcycle. I thought so as a school boy almost fifty years ago, & in all this time still haven't changed my mind. Also, if you fit an S.U. you'll be able to tour the world with only five stops for petrol!
 
Fast Eddie said:
You are joking right ?

This kinda stuff is WAY above my pay grade !!

Painter is a guy called Terry, based in Bucks, doesn’t have a web site any more as he’s too busy all the time!

Happy to provide contact detail via PM to anyone interested.
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Well, I was trying to be tactful ;)

So what did he do, open the front and beat the dents out?
 
cliffa said:
Well, I was trying to be tactful ;)

So what did he do, open the front and beat the dents out?
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He cut areas out from underneath, around the mounting areas, then welded them back in and added strengthening around the mounting points too.
 
Fast Eddie said:
I’ve had a battered interstate tank on the shelf for a few years now.

Under the paint it was worse than I thought.

Looks the bollox now tho…
Click to expand...
Looks very good now though. Personally though, I've always thought the Interstate tank to be too big on the Commando, but lots of people do disagree.
I'm usually too tight fisted to actually pay someone to paint for me, but I have to admit the results are almost always better. This one looks very well done, but shouldn't the 850 have a double pinstripe (and the 920 a triple I suppose?)

I'll get my coat now.....
 
SteveBorland said:
Looks very good now though. Personally though, I've always thought the Interstate tank to be too big on the Commando, but lots of people do disagree.
I'm usually too tight fisted to actually pay someone to paint for me, but I have to admit the results are almost always better. This one looks very well done, but shouldn't the 850 have a double pinstripe (and the 920 a triple I suppose?)

I'll get my coat now.....
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It should Steve, you are obviously not aware that there is a global stripe shortage currently…

And… I prefer a single stripe !
 
FE have you given thought to ability of the cap and gasket to seal? Have same tank and even with a new
gasket from AN it still leaks when topped off. Annoys me no end.
 
I have seen tanks with Ceandess flip caps leak for a few reasons.

Incorrect material. Even from AN a few years ago.

Make sure the lip of the seal is towards the filler neck. I have seen leaks when they are put in upside down.

Make sure the disc that holds the seal does not foul on the ID of the filler neck. This can result in an incomplete seal.

Make sure the spring in the cap is not worn and saggy, so you wouldn’t get sealing pressure.

Make sure the hinge is tight with no free play. Results would be same as above.
 
gortnipper said:
I have seen tanks with Ceandess flip caps leak for a few reasons.

Incorrect material. Even from AN a few years ago.

Make sure the lip of the seal is towards the filler neck. I have seen leaks when they are put in upside down.

Make sure the disc that holds the seal does not foul on the ID of the filler neck. This can result in an incomplete seal.

Make sure the spring in the cap is not worn and saggy, so you wouldn’t get sealing pressure.

Make sure the hinge is tight with no free play. Results would be same as above.
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When I got my bike (Interstate) it badly leaked from the filler cap when full. When I checked the seal was upside down, no issues since correcting it.
 
Fast Eddie said:
I’ve had a battered interstate tank on the shelf for a few years now.

Under the paint it was worse than I thought.

Looks the bollox now tho…

View attachment 104580View attachment 104581View attachment 104582View attachment 104583
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Nigel,
Where did you get the transfers for your side covers or are they done with a stencil? I was going to go to a shop that does large transfers for company trucks,etc with a factory transfer and see if they could shrink a new set for me.Those look great!
Thanks,
Mike
 
That looks amazing! I have always liked blue on an interstate. You must be very happy with this one!
 
YING said:
Nigel,
Where did you get the transfers for your side covers or are they done with a stencil? I was going to go to a shop that does large transfers for company trucks,etc with a factory transfer and see if they could shrink a new set for me.Those look great!
Thanks,
Mike
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Kinda long story… I got stencils from Matt at cNw cos I like the smaller than stock font. They were ‘solid’ stencils, designed to apply silver first, then the stencils, then the top coat, then remove the stencils. But my painter wanted to do it the other way around, so he got ‘negative’ stencils made locally using the cNw ones as a pattern.
 
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Onder said:
FE have you given thought to ability of the cap and gasket to seal? Have same tank and even with a new
gasket from AN it still leaks when topped off. Annoys me no end.
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No, I hadn‘t give it any thought at all as I didn‘t know this was an issue!

I’ll follow the excellent points raised by gortniper tho…
 
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