Tank Repairs

[MikPowl]

Can anyone suggest a good company for repair of a steel petrol tank? Has been on the shelf for 40yrs and looks a bit crusty arouind the bottom seam plus a couple of dents. I need to get it completely sound before chrome plating.

[Petergj]

Suggest you contact Andy at www.motorcycledentremoval.co.uk.
I have just had some dents removed from an A10 oil tank and am very pleased with the results.
The before and after photos on his website are a testament to his skills.
Hope this is useful.
Regards,

[sean]

Can anyone suggest a good company for repair of a steel petrol tank? Has been on the shelf for 40yrs and looks a bit crusty around the bottom seam plus a couple of dents. I need to get it completely sound before chrome plating.

I made a tool up to bang some dents out of my a10 tank before I got it plated just a flat dolly out the outside of the tank and tapping from the inside with this tool through the gas filler hole .
dont know what re plating cost there but mine was $600.00 CDN

[fffcycles]

HMMM, $600 CAD is not a bad deal. Which outfit did you use ? The chrome plater in Kelowna has become a little picky to deal with and pricey as well.
Frank

[sean]

HMMM, $600 CAD is not a bad deal. Which outfit did you use ? The chrome plater in Kelowna has become a little picky to deal with and pricey as well.
Frank

Cambridge Custom Chrome is in Preston Ont
Shipping would probably be pricey from BC … not many good plating shops left with all the environmental regs

[MikPowl]

Thanks, guys!  But a little reluctantto ship the tank to Canada  (which ironically, is were I bought it from!)

[Greybeard]

Burgs may be able to show you the tool I gave him that I made to deal with a dent in the tank of my A10.

[berger]

here is GB's tool / weapon / or maybe even an aid for something or someone kinky

[Greybeard]

here is GB's tool / weapon / or maybe even an aid for something or someone kinky

The handle is from a broken Britool breaker bar. I sawed the ball off an old hammer head. I guess I still had my OxyAceteline set so I could get the handle hot enough to bend.

[sean]

now you have a hammer like our Prime minister in Canada

[Slymo]

I made a very similar tool to take the dents out of my tank however I approached the application in a different way. I used the tool as a dolly and then used a length of 3x1 soft pine to hammer the outside of the tank. Mine still had the original chrome and I didn't want a series of small dents. This worked perfectly and the quite large dents on either side of the tank have all but disappeared. I was taught years ago in a panel making class that dents should be lifted with the dolly and not the hammer and it amazed me not a little that what I learnt in a night class over 45 years ago is still in there and useful!

[MJM58SR]

Ive used Lincolnshire radiators in Lincoln to repair and then got quality chrome at Hull to do the chroming, Barkston refinishing in Grantham for paint I’ve used them all a few times and always been good for me.

[MikPowl]

Thanks fo that. MJM!  I shall see what they can do for me.

[RichardL]

I try to choose an applicable existing topic, when possible, so this one is today’s choice.

The tank from my eBay A7 barn find (“Jeez, Richard, aren’t you done with that YET!?”) has a depression surrounding the bolt-down hole. In the picture, I’ve filled the depression with a blue liquid so it (the depression) could be seen. My A10 has a 2-1/2 gallon Catalina-style tank, so not familiar with this stock larger tank. Thanks, in advance, for comments and advice.

Richard L.

[limeyrob]

That's odd.  How does the underside look?
Since its a tube you could try resting the tank on a pillow or sand bag and hitting the tube from the other end.
(If it goes pear-shaped I deny ever saying any of the above...)