Flip top faux tank

[phony54]

I had an idea the other night, and I was hoping someone could give me some guidance. I want to replace the stock faux tank with a different tank. What I am envisioning is one of those tanks that have the indents where your knees would go with the knee pads. What is this style of tank called?

I want to cut the bottom off so it would be hollow. I want it to flip up on some type of hinge, and use a leather belt that would go from seat, over tank, to triple tree area to hold tank down.

First concern, finding a tank that when hollowed out would still be wide and long enough to cover everything on the bike. Second, once the tank is hollowed out, would it be stiff enough, or would I need to brace it somehow to keep it from being flimsy? The third, and probably easiest, is designing a hidden hinge to allow tank to flip up so I can have access to filler cap, coolant, etc. I'm worried about clearance issues. I'd like It to flip forward, but I imagine handlebars will be in the way. Flipping back towards seat would probably work best, but I'm still worried about it clearing handlebars as it rises up.

Any advice would be much appreciated. I fear my ideas are starting to exceed my skill level.

[CYBORG]

Ambitious plan, but doable. I would just modify the existing faux tank. I added knee cut outs to my 77 by modifying the faux tank side covers. Pictures under the Raptor build. formally named Terminator

[phony54]

How did you modify the sides? I'm afraid that doing fiberglass would be even more difficult, for me anyway, than trying to adapt a tank. Then again, finding a suitable tank might be difficult as well.

[CYBORG]

actually i made them out of metal. But there is a certain skill level needed to make it all work

[Rat]

Overdose of modesty .......

Gord

[phony54]

That's what I was afraid of....

[CYBORG]

If you lived closer, i'd give you a hand. Maybe you can find someone local who could teach you some of the tricks

[phony54]

That's what I really wish I could do. Find someone who knows what they are doing and then I work with them to do my own work. Hard to find people willing to do that, at least at shops. I'm gonna join BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse) and hopefully that will give me the chance to get to know some of the biker community here in nw arkansas, as well as doing some good deeds around the area.

[sunnbobb]

Cut out the holes, reverse the panels side to side, and glass em up!

[jaeger]

http://www.ngwclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=49856
I believe this look is what you are wanting. This came out beautifully.

[phony54]

That is exactly what I want the sides to be like. Although the comment " It really did take over a hundred hours. I don't know if I'd do it again. Fiberglass is really nasty stuff to work with too..." worries me a bit. Lol

[Oldewing]

Glass can be nasty, but it will do as you want too, work with it and make friends. Oh and sand some more....