Hi, could use some comments on the work done on this early BSA tank repro. Is the fuel spigot correct for that year, and were they ever made with the hand shift on the side of the tank. Thanks for your opinions.

Ebay item: 221165054528

Not interested in their leaking or not leaking issues, but rather in how close they are getting to the original design/look.

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com

Hi Henri. That repro tank would be fine if your going to use it on a foot change model.My 37 BSA M20 Is a hand change ,the only difference is it has 2 bosses forward of the knee grip mounts for the hand change gate and underneath a further mount for the gear change lever. Petrol tap boss looks to be in correct position.

email (option): Fuzzyempire@hotmail.com

Hi Henri,

That petrol tank is a 1939 model. The earlier models would look more like the late war type M20 tanks. I have never seen this model with hand change spigots which is in line with BSA catalogues from 1939 which all show foot change models. In 1939 the Dutch army ordered M21 with hand change and the petrol tanks on those bikes revert back to the earlier 1937-38 petrol tanks, whioch would supprt the argument that the later model was never supplied with hand change spigots.
By the way the instrument panel is rubbish and doesn't even look like the orignal one which has a pressed ridge and an upward facing ring for he panel light.
I can't comment on their fitment on the bike as I have never actually ordered one or seen one.

Regards,
Leon

email (option): leonhop3@planet.nl

Hi Leon, this picture posted earlier on this forum shows '39 tank with panel and hand change.

When the curry 39 tanks first became available I inspected the photos very carefully, I concluded that the shape and curvature was all wrong.

A bloke on Georges Wander's M24 site bought a chromed 39 curry tank and none of the mounts lined up.

A customer of mine recently bought a raw WM20 curry tank:
Front mounts are about 1/2" too wide and front slotted holes too big.
Upper surface between cap and tunnel too "full", extremely close to underside of handlebar mounts.
Cut-away at front of tunnel made wrongly.
Rear notch for saddle nose made wrongly, saddle would rub at its mount and front of saddle cover.
The threaded plates for rear mounting bolts are only made from 3mm plate instead of 5mm.
The fitting for the wing nut cap has a divot out of it and will never seal.
The hinge fitting does not fit cap properly.

If you blew a coat of drab over the pre-rusted "new" tank and never tried to use the bike, the curry WM20 tank would be ok for display only.

Having said that, its a lot better than no tank, but to fix it so it can be used reliably will at very least treble the purchase and postage price.

So they are hardly a bargain, I don't think they're worth the trouble.

With the ever increasing percentage of ethanol in fuel resulting in more water in our tanks, I recommend a POR15 liner in any and every tank, to do properly this takes about a day's work plus $100AU for materials.

email (option): n.gentner@bigpond.com

I recently had some dealings with a 1939 Triumph T100 for which the owner purchased an Indian tank...It had similar problems to those described by Neale with incorrect mounting positions at the front, problems with the kee grip recesses etc. etc. We got it to fit eventually but I didn't like it and thought he would have been better sticking with his original but incorrect Speed Twin tank.
Saying that though I have had an M20 tank which was pretty good and a very nice T120 tank which dropped right on and had all the correct pressings underneath.
This one was so much better than the others it led me to think there may be more than one manufacturer in the Indian market...though who does what and how you tell the difference I couldn't say.
I know a number of the BSA tanks which I am familiar with don't look to be the right shape at all... ...As Neale says though it's better than nothing...and if you have access to a good tin basher and are prepared to spend the money some of them would work out OK in the end. (The M20 tank I bought was for conversion to an M33 tank and that worked out nicely).So, as usual with the Indians, it seems what they sell will be of variable quality..and accuracy....Ian

email (option): ian@wright52.plus.com

Much appreciate all of the concise comments and dissection of that submitted item.

Leon, I will use the tank that you sent to me few years back on the JM21, just have not found the hand gismo change rig yet.

Back in 2005 I had actually seen a 1939 equipped with the panel tank and hand change and same muffler as in the photo that Kalle posted.

That was also the balloon size. So far I have stayed with all of the original tanks but this Indian copy seemed to have been close enough for a display bike. Thanks again to all of you.

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com

Just saw a BSA hand change setup for sale, not sure how similar they are model to model, it says sloper & they did a 3 & 4speed sloper so it might be a 4speed tank gate & lever length ETC can be modified.. anyway, here's the link..
http://www.vintage-motorcycle.com/index.php?language=en&site=4&pid=254&id=20683&suchtext=BSA%20gearbox&limit=100

Looks closer than I came up with so far, thanks Fred.

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com

Hi Henri. In case of JM21 you will need this mounted to the panel tank. Tank itself is same shape than later M model tank. Exept having instrument panel, small cap and gear lever lugs.

Correct Kale, has threaded stud coming out the side.

Could you send me some more photos to my email address? Could use some of the basic dimensions on the top linkage. May do okay with the lower to the G/Box

email (option): unpob@yahoo.com

Hi Henri, this lever was on ebay some years ago, I watched it for my friend but did not get it. So this picture is all what I have. If you manage to get some dimensions of it or make replica please let me know.