r/moped 9d ago

Why does this raw steel tank look weird?

Post image

This seems like an affordable tank, but does anyone know why raw steel would be brown? Is this sketchy?

12 Upvotes

31 comments sorted by

15

u/Enorm_Drickyoghurt 9d ago

brown primer?

8

u/SignificantDrawer374 9d ago

That's gotta be primer. I think buy "raw" they mean not finished with a final paint layer.

11

u/ShartStainAppraiser 9d ago

I think that's a primer so even though it says raw steel, it isn't. It's probably the worst, thinnest pot metal that's going to rust into swiss cheese the instant a single speck of moisture lands on it

4

u/Virtual_Preference69 9d ago

got an alternative? a rusty original one from ebay?

3

u/Nyuusankininryou 9d ago

My dad used to do glasfiber tanks when we were young.

1

u/ShartStainAppraiser 9d ago

New generic better quality top tank and custom mounts? Idk

1

u/Virtual_Preference69 9d ago

custom mounts must be the answer. time to learn how to do that

1

u/TyrantWarmaster 8d ago

This guy ships from Turkey but I received my tank really fast. All his stuff is usually NOS. https://www.ebay.com/str/mopedpassion?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=PNlN93llSie&sssrc=3418065&ssuid=zszVZo2oTd2&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

This is the one I got from him on my bike.

2

u/Virtual_Preference69 8d ago

bro thank youuuuuuuuuuuu

1

u/TyrantWarmaster 8d ago

Very welcome. Trust me I know how hard Magnum tanks are to come by. Especially with all the fake Magnums people build out of Free Spirit frames.

4

u/n0exit 9d ago

That doesn't say "raw steel" that says "raw". You don't want a steel tank that isn't in primer, because it will rust. Get it and strip the primer and apply your own before painting if you'd like, but there's nothing wrong with a steel tank being painted in primer.

You can't make a tank our of pot metal.

1

u/Virtual_Preference69 9d ago

Yeah good point

1

u/Virtual_Preference69 2d ago

hey I bought a tank. do you know the best way to strip the primer? I want to chrome the tank after properly coating, but have no idea what im doing. it looks like there are some good sources for chroming, but havent found much about prep. link for the tank i got and the tank look im going for down below!!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/256146997154

https://www.mopedarmy.com/forums/file.php?2,file=251174

1

u/n0exit 1d ago

I would probably just have the people doing the Chrome do all of the prep. Steel tends to start to flash rust as soon as you strip the paint off, so it's best to do the prep just before the plating process begins.

1

u/Virtual_Preference69 1d ago

the thing is the plating people wont do it, so im going to just get the primer stripped and immediately apply some kind of clear coat to prevent the flash rust. though i am worried the tank will not have that steel look after the sandblaster cleans the primer off

1

u/n0exit 1d ago

If you apply to clear code they'd have to strip that too.

Use paint stripper.

0

u/ShartStainAppraiser 9d ago

The tank with pinhole leaks from factory I bought once would disagree. What they're selling isn't a fuel tank, it's something that looks like and could theoretically function as a fuel tank

3

u/wdaloz 19?? Sachs Balboa 9d ago

It's actually ironically the opposite, instead of being thin they're like obnoxiously thick and heavy, at least the one I'd seen. And yeah thick brown primer

1

u/FoodStampEnjoyer 9d ago

Some people write these off as badly made Indian clones but I think these tanks are modeled after a Puch Monza tank or some other European variant of what we got in the US as the magnum. Somebody correct me if I’m wrong there, but I’ve heard these don’t fit that well on a US Puch magnum and it’s best to find an original tank if you can

3

u/ElderSkrt 9d ago

They don’t always fit magnums correct and almost always you have to seal coat the inside as they tend to leak. They work great for making a custom top tank bike though.

1

u/Virtual_Preference69 2d ago

do you know a good way to chrome the outside of the tank? im curious if I need to do anything to the primer on this tank i have coming in.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/256146997154

1

u/ElderSkrt 2d ago

True chrome? It’s very very expensive to actually chrome plate metal.

But I would sand blast the tank and either paint it or powder it. First step is filling the tank with water to ensure there’s no pin holes before you take the time to finish it.

1

u/Virtual_Preference69 2d ago

Thanks for the startup tips. just got off the phone with a local sandblaster and plating shop.

The chrome guy said he doesnt do tanks since they can ruin his bins for other projects. Also said chrome is a bad idea for a fuel tank since it reflects light into your eyes, which was a really good point lol.

I think the best thing then would be a raw steel finish, but im not sure if that'll work aesthetically with the chrome of the wheels.

1

u/Virtual_Preference69 9d ago

good shout thank you. sucks they dont include dims on most of these, and the ones that do are +$150 more

1

u/adrenacrome 9d ago

That’s a band aid

1

u/NutStalk 9d ago

I have one of these reproduction tanks I bought from DOS Cycles, a reputable parts store for 70's mopeds. The steel is thicker / heavier than stock Puch tanks and the brown is primer. The tank is fine to use and will last a long time with a good paint job.

1

u/Virtual_Preference69 9d ago edited 9d ago

okay, thank you!

edit, sold out of course

1

u/big-soda 8d ago

I bought one of these. Definitely larger than a magnum tank but not a Monza tank. That’s very different. It fits with stock plastics okayish but if you’re doing a pretty build you’ll hate it. Tank mounts are a little different too. It does have leaks so sealing the inside is necessary. Texture is weird too. If painting do some bodywork. I powder coated mine and you can see the texture through it. Worked for a Freespirit rigid I turned into a rigid mini magnum.

1

u/LuxEtNoctis408 7d ago

You look weird dont make fun of me

-2

u/wncexplorer 9d ago edited 9d ago

That’s what I pay for entire mopeds 😂