Vintage Dirt Bike Q & A

On the 74/75 Elsies Was it paint or a finishing processe on the tank that gives it that look? I have two tanks to restore and dont want a crome look.

_________________
W.F.O. All the way!

It was brushed aluminum under clearcoat. The top painted panel/stripes were painted on top of the clearcoat.

Hey elsinore-I also have two tank that need restoration and can't figure out how to get the dents out with punching holes all over the tank. what have you tried or are going to be trying? Thanks, Jon

Brushed Aluminum? Ive heard that before, Any ideas how to create that look again? Thanks nathan! Hotrodlincoln I am a decent welder and have a few old tanks. I plan on cutting out belly and using, like a slap hammer and small lead hammers to get them out. If it turns out good I will post my results on this board.

_________________
W.F.O. All the way!

Hi Elsinore 1. I use the fine Scotch Brite pads to make the brush marks. You are on the right path for removing the dents. I cut my tank open from the bottom and used body dollies and a slap hammer. Once you get it reasonably flat, you use a file to get out the small imperfections left from the hammer. Then sand till your arm falls off.....and you will have a dent free tank. I see that you are from South Bend. Man...we are almost neighbors. I'm from Niles. Have you ever been to Behind Bars Motosports on old US31? That's my shop and I have a few Elsinores on display in our showroom. Come on up and check out the Mugen 360. I also have my 73 CR250 there and I'm just getting ready to paint the tank.....so you might find it interesting. I have a few spares for the 73-4 250's so if you need anything, I might have it.

:D Hey behindbars I live just off of 31 down by darden. That means you might remember Mr.H Honda. Ill have to check out your shop this weekend. And ya I am in need of some parts. 8)

_________________
W.F.O. All the way!

hy guys
i would look at someone who knows how to use air for pushing dents out i did a resto on a harley years ago that had a dented tank and i took it to the local bike dealer they used compressed air to push the dents out but you have to be careful as to much air will rupture the tank

Absolutely do NOT use compressed air on these aluminum CR250 Elsinore tanks. You may not rupture it, but I've seen too many of them where the tunnel has contracted to the point where they won't fit on the frame backbone and they look blotted to boot. This method might work on a Harley, but it doesn't work on these tanks. Just a friendly warning.

Hello,
I know I am posting on an old thread, but I am in the middle of my tank restro. I have had a few gashes that were too deep to sand out. I took the tank and had a pmi done on it for an exact filler metal match. We couldnt find any one aluminum that matched exactly so after I had cut my bottom piece from the tank I took a pair of metal clippers and cut a sliver off at the seam and used this for filler metal. This kept me from having any discoloration where I had to do the filler welding, I know have all my dents removed and am about 95% on the sanding, ready to weld the bottom back in. I seen in the previous post that the brushed look is achieved by using a scotch brite pad and clear coat and then you apply your paint on top of the clear. Do you use a base coat clear coat paint on the green and black stripe and then clear the whole tank again, and do you spray clear over the top of the new wing and warning stickers or apply them after all the paint work is done?




Thanks,

CBly

(74 cr250m)
(74 cr/xl 225stroker)

cbly,

First off, the only paint you use on the 74 CR250M tank is flat "elsinore" green for the top, satin black for the two stripes that parallel the flat "elsinore" green top, and clearcoat on the entire tank after you apply the winged decals on the sides, but before you paint the flat green top and satin black stripes. So when you're finished you have clearcoat over the brushed aluminum and wings but nothing else. The flat green and satin black have no clearcoat on them. The warning decals are applied to the flat green top last. Hope that's "clear".

Here are some illustrations I did of the tank on my unrestored '73CR250M Elsinore.

SO what I am getting from your post is that you clear the entire tank with the wings attached, then you apply the green and black stripes, Ok with that out of the way, what type of paint is the green and black , does it have to be a special type to be applied over the clear? Or do you not apply clear in the area where the green and black go?


Thanks,

CBly

Just ordinary satin paint for the black and flat "expert" green over the clearcoat which you applied over the entire tank and decals. See picture I just added to previous post.

Wow, those pics you just added is just what I have been looking for, THanks a million, and thanks for the great site.




CBly

Nathan, that was an awesome description of how to paint the 73/4 tanks. Thanks for all of your efforts with this site. I know it must be a lot of work.
Thanks again for all you do for us. Did anyone see the NOS 73/4 CR250 tank on ebay a few days ago? Sold for $2,025.00. YIKES! Sure makes info on how to repair a dented one extremely helpful!

I seen the NOS tank, I watched it from $500 and I told myself it would probably go for about $800, boy was I wrong, I couldnt believe what I saw ,makes me wish I had about 20 of them.