Fuel tank perch at last

[Gerry]

We started on the tank perch today. I had the parts laser cut (boy, the girl who did this for me was so helpful and just plain profession I can not thank her enough... so heres a link for the Brts if they want stuff lasered http://www.avenellfa...uk/about_us.htm) from ORF cad drawing that he did for me. (Thanks Doug you did a great job for which I am very grateful). Looking at the parts we decided that the side bits were going to be a real pain to get right. Surprise, we clamped them in a vice against a bit of 6" diameter pipe and gently hammer them around. Came out really good. Moved on the the 8mm thick base plate and riser. A few problems and some cursing but it seems to have gone together reasonably well. The weld on the top plate was the best of the day. Some of the welds inside where I had to bend the rod like a coat hanger are not so pretty but did the job. Now its a case of filling in the gaps, making the crescents for the top plate to sides (we decided it needed a little form to it), the plate for the underside and some paint.
Think its looks OK and when its painted yellow it will almost disappear and produce a floating tank like OFJ said.
Hope you like cause Ive got a brain ache now.

There are more pics on Photobucket if you want to look... heres the link
http://s1137.photobu...!cpZZ1QQtppZZ28

Gerry havin a merlot and relaxing in 72* of British spring

 

[VegasBruce]

:thumb: Nice!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Ted Brown]

Gerry, Tank looks right at home, I know you still have a long ways to go, but it will feel good to go riding, finally.

 

[Gerry]

Bruce n Ted
Its good to have your OK. Makes this a lot better when guys like you give me the thumbs up.
G

 

[putz]

Tank mount looks great. Also looks like you garage exploded it is a wee little bit bigger.

 

[butch27]

THAT- Looks Great!

 

[Corley]

Gerry,

You deserve a tall glass of Merlot! Your work amazes me! I'm also amazed that your yellow machine can hold that car up on top of it!

Great going, looks fantastic!!!!

Corley

 

[benT]

Excellent! One more item off the list!:yay:

 

[Youngster]

Nice work Gerry. The placement is perrrrrrrfect!

Ron

 

[Gerry]

Ron
That helps me a lot. We tried several different heights, low, high, in the middle but I wanted to show off (can I use that term?) the opposed coils so it had to be high. Come on Doug (ORF) take a bow for your CNC drawings without which it would have been a longer and more difficult job..
Gerry

PS Corley. Told you I over engineered everything, so holding a SUV up is no big deal LOL

 

[Ted Brown]

Gerry, Do you have enough room between the tank and the coils for your plate??

 

[GizmoJoe]

Very very nice.....................

 

[Old Rotor Flap]

A couple of thoughts...

As usual Gerry, well done. The laser cutting sure does produce nicely finished edge. Your welcome and the drawings took twenty minutes at most including grabbing a big diet Pepsi and some crisps (snacks).

Ron at RPM Motor Sports jumped in on this which I think shows good marketing savvy.
Guys, if you want something made, Ron has a CNC plasma cutter and has shown he can do the drawings from sketches/templates as well as make the items you may need..

You know Gerry.....and so it shall come to pass in the evolution of events that "by hand" slowly becomes "by computer" if only by small incremental steps..... LOL. I've always called changes in the design even if only to correct "areas of concern" (problems), the logical evolution of the product.

It should be noted my garage potato was designed on Mastercam and much of my stuff was CNC'ed, Gerry went ahead and just built his car while I only have several nice looking pieces laying around the garage.

 

[Gerry]

Doug
yeh but the templates were made by hand first!!!!
Thanks for your 20 minutes and I thought you called crisps, chips
G

 

[Allen]

Garry is the-- tank up to high- Jmho

 

[Gerry]

Garry is the-- tank up to high- Jmho

Allen
Its a personal choice, but I can see where youre coming from. The original sketches had the tank slammed to the Xmember. But as I said above its a matter of aesthetics and not hiding the opposed coils. We tried every position form zero to above the body line and in my opinion this one won out.

Gerry (not Garry)

 

[Ted Brown]

Plus the plate needs to go somewhere, and that looks like a better place than anywhere else. or then it would block something that should show, or be way off balance... I think you picked just the right placement for your tank.

 

[Gerry]

Thanks Ted
It was nt an easy call. Once its done, its done. I dont like changing thing if I can help it. Took a lot of photos at different height and looked and looked at them. Seems that a photo shows more than a look for some reason.
G

 

[Gerry]

Quick update. Filled in the two crescent shaped 'holes' at the top of the bracket this evening. Pic below, think it works out quite well and give the bracket some form to it. Will only be seen by people who bother to look between the body and the tank, though
.

Going to do the underside of the main perch tomorrow night

Gerry

 

[Ted Brown]

Gerry, Just keep on Truckin, lookin good...