T: Fuel Tank Very Early Small Cut away Tank

[Gene Nehring]

I have what I believe is a very early small cut away tank. I purchased it this weekend from a friend and fellow VOC member.

Can anyone confirm or do they know if the early tanks looked like the one I have. There are several distinctive features, the front tank mounts are welded to the inside tunnel of the tank, it also has no rear tabs to connect and reduce vibration. Please see the photos below and would love some input.

Best,

Eugene.

 

[TouringGodet]

True, early tanks did not have the tabs at the rear for the support spacer. When tanks quickly started splitting, the tabs and spacer were added.

 

[TouringGodet]

According to the list of mods in the owners handbook, the distance piece started with frame number 2416.

 

[Robert Watson]

And the bottom is flat sheet, with no "breaks" in them to stop vibration.

 

[Gene Nehring]

I understand form the Craig's list on the vincent.com the tabs were added around engine 408 - 1948ish

Petrol tank T1 added rear lugs, spacer, bolt and nuts

409

2408

1948

 

[Somer]

There was actually an even earlier tank. It was slightly larger. One is pictured in Bickerstaff's book. I found the remains of one when I brought a load out of Argentina in 91.

 

[Simon Dinsdale]

Be careful with vincent.com website as there are a lot of errors on that site, especially when looking at what they list as production numbers & serial numbers etc.
Simon

 

[Gene Nehring]

There was actually an even earlier tank. It was slightly larger. One is pictured in Bickerstaff's book. I found the remains of one when I brought a load out of Argentina in 91.

Hi Somer,

Was the front mounts of the tank inboard like this one? I will have to take a look in Her book and see if I can find it.

 

[TouringGodet]

Be careful with vincent.com website as there are a lot of errors on that site, especially when looking at what they list as production numbers & serial numbers etc.
Simon

The copy of the Richardson list I have shows the frame number only, for when the petrol tank distance piece was added. It is listed as frame 2416. Where did thevincent.com get 2408? And when any type of information lists only one number, frame or engine, I would never attempt to reverse engineer the other number, since there are too many rules, and even variations within a given rule.

 

[Pushrod Twin]

So I guess my "early" small cut out tank is the more "conventional" Series B tank as you would expect to see without the rear support spacer tabs?