49 A7 plunger finished, well kind of!

[Rusty nuts]

So here she is finished, but the eagle eyed will spot there's a problem.
So please don't use this as a reference for your own tank it is not correct.
It is also too expensive for me to put right.

I only have myself to blame, well actually the guy who did it was at fault as well but too late now.
  Apart from doing it  slightly wrong he did a fantasic job!!!
Obviously started to think it was a Goldstar half way through!
So I will learn to accept the things I cannot change ............... blah blah.
Will I heck! , she's off to the chromers in the winter & start all over again!
I know where the children hide their piggy banks!!!

A big thank you to Brian Pollit of Lightning Spares www.lightning-spares.co.uk for his endless patience & advice & of course all the stainless!
Wife suspects is no coincidence that he is now able to move to bigger shop!
Seriously, a lot cheaper than the others.

I was a perfectionist before I started this.  
Am now a perfectionist with a beard, very large anorak, & a straight jacket being delivered by a two very nice men who have just arrived in a white van & are currently breaking down my front door!

Los endos

[a10 gf]

And no comments yet !? Looks first class +++, really.

I was a perfectionist before I started this. 
Am now a perfectionist with a beard, very large anorak, & a straight jacket

[RichardL]

You must officially change your name to "Shiny Nuts". On the other hand, perhaps "Totally Nuts" if you think you must replace the tank. But I don't completely know what I'm looking at in terms of museum perfect. Was it a museum that commisioned the build? I suppose, maybe, it's a matter of entering Concours de Elegance shows and always walking away with first place. If so, I guess I understand it. On the other hand, if the idea is to someday get the best price for the perfect bike, while riding it until then, why not replace the tank just before the sale so it is at its most pristine at the time of negotiation. All this to say, "Dang,
that's a beautiful motorcyle!"

Richard L.

[bsa-bill]

Looks like a nice tidy bike to me RN, I'd be chuffed if I'd got it to this condition.
Not sure what I'm looking for re tank unless there should be a badge up front ? would'nt let it bother you too much, it's suprising what you can live with once it's on the road  and collecting miles ( collecting miles - something I'm still not achieving much of despite one year into retirement)

All the best - Bill

[LJ.]

How come I missed this thread?? I'd certainly have been the first to congratulate you on the bikes restoration! Lovely job well done.

So what's the problem with the tank do tell. I'm guessing that the badge, when fitted, overlaps the inner gold lining? But you mention that she has to go back to the chromers?

[coater87]

 Rusty,

 Congratulations, its beautiful! Man this makes me want a plunger even more, and I would be puffed like a peacock to own one half as nice as yours!

 Lee

[cus]

Hey Rusty,
Beautiful bike! Lots of work gone into that one.
With regards to the tank, if its the paint thats wrong, is it the black is meant
to continue along the bottom?.... anyway if the paint has to be altered, it
will strip off without harming the chrome at all. Cover all the paint with a heavy
coat of paint stripper, wrap in glad rap, leave over-night, then hit it with a
preasure cleaner, any bits left on rub with a thinners soaked rag, then u
won't get any scratches.

Cus

[rocket man]

i think it looks great the way it is mate 

[Rusty nuts]

Thanks for all the kind comments guys.

Been a few months now, a few hundred miles on the clock & it's not bugging me so much now, so kids piggy banks are safe!
The problem was/is the guy who painted it took the edge of the top panel to the bottom of the front mounting bracket, the lining should stop at the top of this bracket.
The consequences of this are that the side "D" panels radius at the top is wrong & the panel does not extend forward far enough.
On the right hand side the result is that the badge is not central in the panel but too high & close to the lining.
 
More troublesome, on the left hand side this means the wings of the badge extended through the lining & onto the chrome which looked rubbish.
Good spot LJ!
I had supplied tracing of original lines & copious photos to the paint guy so was bit miffed at this result.

Salvation arrived in the form of flea bay when I spotted a tank badge with the wing extending right from the "A" rather than left from the "B" See photo
Bsa parts book lists 2 x 67-8017 badges & I assumed they were identical.
Have never seen one like this & certainly all repros have wing extending left from the B.
 
Cus, no problem to strip the paint but the chrome underneath is bead blasted to provide a key for the paint so would look naff!
Only choice, rechrome & repaint!
Manosound, not museum commission but they may put me there one day "worlds biggest anorak"!

Actually riding the thing is good therapy, no one notices & she certainly draws a crowd & am pretty much over it.

For the winter project http://www.a7a10.net/forum/index.php?topic=1656.0  a '47 rigid with Star Twin engine, I've taken the easy route & purchased a finished restored tank from a certain "Bantam John"
Sure if you've been to jumbles in the UK he needs no introduction!
Even managed to wring a bit of discount out of him which must be a first!

Cheers
Rusty

[mrshells]

Rusty nuts
If you dont mind me asking does the tank from Bantam John have the speedo in the tank ?
and how much was it ?

[Rusty nuts]

Mrshells,
No, it's a '49 tank, same as on plunger in photos, speedo in tank ones are as rare as hens teeth.
By the time you've found one (assuming you do), bought it, undented, chromed, painted & lined it you'd be way the wrong side of £600!
Am told speedo in tank Indian repros, are out there, but so are Yetis, Sasquatch & bigfoot!
Tank from John £420 after haggling.
Budget takes precedence over originality on this one.
It will be a '49 Star Twin engine in a very early '47 rigid frame with later type 3 front hub & forks to suit, do have original chainguard & err 2 rigid rear mudguards, how did that happen   .
Anyone want to swap for Girder forks
Am toying with the idea of fitting '50's pressed Star Twin badges (as in your avatar photo), would look good with this tank if gold plated

Current dilemma is that I have 2 sets of cases I could use with the star twin head: standard A7 ZA7 1*** all new bushes (in 1970 but good to go!) or a pair of Star Twin cases ZA7S 4*** HC which would need new bushes so more expensive & if I went that route & then I would be tempted to chuck the Star Twin engine in the plunger frame as frame & engine no. very close and put the plungers engine in the rigid

For now, it's time I got back into my straightjacket
Cheers

Rusty

[rocket man]

hi just a suggestion why not fill the holes up paint them same as panels
then get some double sided sticky tape say some scotch 3 tape stick to badges
then stick them to the tank ive had harley metal badges with the tape on
and you just pell them and stick so then you dont have to use the holes and
you can only see one side of the tank at a time then you can put them in the middle
of the panels



dave

[Rusty nuts]

Dave

Thanks, thought of that, but I'm happy (now) with the way it looks having found that odd badge & lived with a while.
Am now wrestling with what to do with new project.