Britbike forum Forums British Motorcycle specific Brands Bsa bulletin board Gas tank repair?

I've been doing a bit of a refresher on my 1970 A65L. The last thing I needed to do was paint my side panels and gas tank. They've been at a painters for the past couple of months and I wanted to get them before I leave the country for work on Wednesday. I picked up the side panels today, but he wasn't able to begin painting the gas tank. He showed me several areas where the chrome is peeling back. In addition to the brazing I did over a decade ago, there are a couple of relatively small dings in the painted area that need to be smoothed out. I'd rather not buy an Indian made tank. I've had issued with different Indian ebay vendors in the past so I would rather get this one repaired and rechromed. Does anyone have a recommendation on who to send the tank to in order to take out the dents, seal up the tank, and get it rechromed?

In my experience chrome and dent removal are two different operations. The guy who does panel beating wants the tank pre-stripped to bare metal. The initial stripping and re-chrome are done by another specialist. Be careful who you use to strip the existing chrome as a tank is easily ruined in this process. Given this reality, the whole process becomes multiple drop off and pick up trips so it is best if the people doing the work are local to you.

If dents are in painted area just repair with filler or small weld of rod and pull it out.
I had a65 LR tank rechromed a few years ago and it cost me almost $600. Sticker shock. I'd stay away from Indian tanks.

Deco-Chrome in Quebec did the last Gold Star tank that Ross Thompson repaired for me. It was around $500 to $550 plus shipping. They did do a beautiful job but I'm not sure about shipping these days. Tanks aren't easy as they have to figure out how to submerge them as they tend to float. Lining the inside is usually the last thing to do.


Bill B...

I had a nightmare of a BSA gas tank that I had re-chromed a few years back

Had 1 shop chrome the tank, during painting and unmasking, the chrome came off

Went back to the shop, they re-chromed it and the chrome started to flake before I had it painted

Went to a new shop to have the tank chromed and they did a fantastic job

All is well and now painted

Moral of the story, if it does not need to be chromed, leave it, any dents where the paint is I would fill in

If it does, make sure the shop is capable and has good feedback

Happy New Year!

The original factory chrome was excellent, I buy a lot of parts where the chrome is crap.. however if you find a decent chromer then your in luck. deco did my tank also and did an excellent job.

CBS:

Please do all viewers of the site a favor:

Please tell the NAME of the shop who did the BAD chrome job so we don't make the mistake of sending them OUR work.

Care to share the name of the chrome shop that you were satified with? I have a tank in need of re-chrome. No repairs needed.

why don't folks use chrome paint or powder coat on tanks?

Because its tacky.

Just my opinion, but you may have a better chance of getting your identity questions answered by asking privately.
A vendor is asking for trouble by publicly dissing another.

^^^^ like ^^^^

lol

In regards to the questions, I will not be posting the company's name or information

Not my place to announce that nor put that person / company on the spot, I will not use my platform for such

However, I will give you the info of the company that I do use which I think will serve greater purpose

The shop I use is located here in Palmdale, California

His name is Leo and the company is called Superior Metal Polish

Leo is doing some polishing for me and chrome plating on a Triumph 3TA build

Leo is the shop that fixed my gas tank in regards to chrome plating

I am always very happy with the results and the chrome quality is best in class

Hope this helps!

The thing which to this day amazes me is that in my time i have messed around with vintage cars as well as bikes.

Think about the original chrome work on things like car door handles , bumpers headlight surrounds ect all done in the 1920/30/40s ans all out in the elements and still in excellent order...and not just high end cars either...all done in mass or batch production ,,,,,,,not by some over priced prim donna charging the earth and making you wait 6 months to get MOST of your parts back ,

what passes for chrome work now wont last 100-80 years i would say

resorted a 1970s mussel car a few years back and the bumpers were all smashed around but the chrome was a sound as the day it was put on (replaced them with excellent 2nd hand ones, again the chrome was perfect,

Friend took his bumpers (chev i think) in to be done not that long ago , paid a fortune and 1 year latter they were rusting (slightly)

The platter had the cheek to tell him it was his fault for not using wax on them ....oh come on!

now why is this?

Ignor: That is a good question to be asking.

In the early 1960s my pal and I were driving around one of the small Gulf inlands near Victoria BC looking for old cars. We saw a decent looking Ford Model A sedan in a back yard. We asked if we could have a look at it and the lady said that we could. The first thing we noticed were the chrome door handles that were still looking like new. We went back to the house and asked if we could have the door handles for a project car we had. The lady said we could have the whole car if we wanted it so some days later by pal went back with a car trailer to fetch it.

If the Ford factory chrome could still look like new some 45 years later it does tell us something about what we should expect from chrome work today

Gordo

Yeah Gordo

and if you were on islands the chrome had also been exposed outside to sea air ........for how many years? ......no excuse for what passes for top work theses days i recon

It was also a Model A that i recall the excellent handles on too