Gold lines on series a 500 tank

Dinny

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VOC Member
When I bought my bike as a project the only part that had been restored was the tank. To previous owner (well know within the VOC) said it was correct and it has two gold lines. Who am I to argue and I fitted the tank as is.

Cheers
Mark
 

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delboy

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VOC Member
When I bought my bike as a project the only part that had been restored was the tank. To previous owner (well know within the VOC) said it was correct and it has two gold lines. Who am I to argue and I fitted the tank as is.

Cheers
Mark
Hi Mark,
that's similar to how I interpret the lines either side of the beading on the "unmolested" per-war Comet tank to have been, albeit with slightly thinner gold line.
How did the previous well known VOC owner know it was correct? Did he have pre-war photos? We'd all love to see them to be sure.
Regards,
Delboy.
 

Dinny

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VOC Member
Hi Delboy,

I agree the lines look a little wide but it’s not worth repainting for that reason. My thoughts are to run it as is and if the tank leaks it will need repainting anyway. If it does not leak then it stays as is.

I bought it from John Kidd several years ago, I know he’s been on here in the past but does so very infrequently. I cannot say how he knows but he was insistent that it’s correct. I think over the years he has seen a lot of A’s and spoken to many people. I have never seen any pictures that are clear so who know..
Mark
 

billirwinnz

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VOC Member
Stan

Here's a photo of an original tank that I found on a french site.

Regards Bill
 

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delboy

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Hi Delboy,

I agree the lines look a little wide but it’s not worth repainting for that reason. My thoughts are to run it as is and if the tank leaks it will need repainting anyway. If it does not leak then it stays as is.

I bought it from John Kidd several years ago, I know he’s been on here in the past but does so very infrequently. I cannot say how he knows but he was insistent that it’s correct. I think over the years he has seen a lot of A’s and spoken to many people. I have never seen any pictures that are clear so who know..
Mark
Hi Mark,
yes, it looks great and most likely correct. Of course leave it alone whilst all is good and sound.
I know John, and agree that he has a lot of knowledge of "A stuff, but being a "Rivet counter" myself I yearn for the detail of what is originally correct, and the only way that we will know for sure is from a period photo.
regards, delboy.
 

billirwinnz

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VOC Member
Here's another bike that looks original.
 

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Dinny

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There maybe a line inside the seam on the top, LHS?

This is a known original bike.

Mark
 

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delboy

Well Known and Active Forum User
VOC Member
There maybe a line inside the seam on the top, LHS?

This is a known original bike.

Mark
Hi Mark,
yes, your pic looks to be the "Prague A". Lived under a cover since 1939. That's the tank, or rather pictures of, that I have seen.
Parts of this bike and story are shown in "Back to A".
I'm pretty convinced about the pinstripes either side of the beading; the "outer" one overlapping the paint edge to tidy it up, and the "inner" one, 3/8"-1/2" in from the beading. Lines being perhaps a fat 1/8" and running from front to back edge of the tank.
How far does the maroon [or Black] paint and line goes past the outer edge of the beading and onto the s/s panel? Well my jury is still out. But, if I had to bet, I would say 3/8"-1/2" just like the inner pinstripe.
Good stuff.
Regards,
Delboy.
 

Glyn Baxter

Forum User
VOC Member
When I was rebuilding my "A" twin I liased with John Mellor over many details one of which I recall concerns the gold lines on the tank. I feel sure he said these were applied using gold leaf by the works. I think one must be careful in deciding what to use though. I have some gold leaf which I had intended to use but the colour was so much lighter than the gold on the available transfers in my possession that I decided with the painter that the only solution was to use gold tape and plenty of clear lacquer to hide the bulge of the tape. It worked a treat with a good colour match into the bargain.
I believe some tanks were finished with one gold line 1/8" wide 1/2" down the stainless tank side from the edge of the soldered tank seam and parallel with the seam. The tank top paint was extended to the edge of the gold line. Others, especially I believe some twin tanks, had an extra 1/16" wide line located 1/2"away from and parallel with the top edge of the tank seam. Both lines extending from the front to the back of the tank.

I can not guarantee the accuracy of these notes but they represent the best of my recall, I used the double lines on my tank and it came out very well.

Glyn Baxter
 
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