tanks from india
tanks from india
Hi all - been a while
I'm currently looking at India made replica petrol tanks on the fleabay particularly the alloy ones.
Has anyone here actually bought one or know of anyone who has?
Bottom line is: Are they any good?
If it helps, I'm looking at this one in particular (there are many sellers of what looks to be identical photos)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MATCHLESS-ALU ... 2108779703
I'm currently looking at India made replica petrol tanks on the fleabay particularly the alloy ones.
Has anyone here actually bought one or know of anyone who has?
Bottom line is: Are they any good?
If it helps, I'm looking at this one in particular (there are many sellers of what looks to be identical photos)
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MATCHLESS-ALU ... 2108779703
- triumph5ta
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Re: tanks from india
I had a steel one for my Triumph 750, it was fine. No problems with the fit.
Re: tanks from india
Thanks for your reply.
Can you share the seller? I've been dredging the forums and such for any and all reviews on these things I can find and it seems some sellers are favored whilst some are not. Some tanks are good and some are not. Just trying to increase my odds of what looks like a bit of a crap shoot
Can you share the seller? I've been dredging the forums and such for any and all reviews on these things I can find and it seems some sellers are favored whilst some are not. Some tanks are good and some are not. Just trying to increase my odds of what looks like a bit of a crap shoot

Re: tanks from india
Don't know about the tanks but avoid the side stands.
- triumph5ta
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Re: tanks from india
The seller on ebay was actually in the UK *mal1964 he sells various triumph bits. He had bought in a bunch of tanks from India. The one I bought from him had the badge holes slightly "off" but that was why it was reduced in price. All the others he had were fine. He does not appear to have any now.Nostromo wrote:Thanks for your reply.
Can you share the seller? I've been dredging the forums and such for any and all reviews on these things I can find and it seems some sellers are favored whilst some are not. Some tanks are good and some are not. Just trying to increase my odds of what looks like a bit of a crap shoot
I have just ordered another tank direct from India for my RE Interceptor. I will post a review when it gets here in another 2-3 weeks.
Re: tanks from india
A review would be good. TBH I'm wavering in favor of spending the cash and buying made-in-GB. I contacted the Indian seller for the item I mentioned above for details and to my complete amazement got no reply
.

- triumph5ta
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- Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 11:43 pm
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Re: tanks from india
The tank arrived yesterday and it looks good.
The chrome looks even.
There is an area right up by the filler cap where the chrome is a different shade, I dont know why that is. I will be obscured by the filler cap anyway so I am not bothered. Definitely not worth sending back to India.
The underside of the tunnel has slight surface rust in a couple of places. My guess is those out of sight areas are not made perfectly smooth.
The welding is OK, to be honest it is better than the welding on the original Redditch made item. The original welding is pretty poor.
I will probably not have time to fit it until next week and will update you then.
I dont know where you would get a UK made one...
The vendor is called vintagetanks24X7 and the cost including delivery was £165, posted in India last Thursday and at my door the following Tuesday.
Well packed, no damage at all. It had been opened and re-sealed by HM Customs.
The interior has an even coat of some kind of dark red paint (primer??)
I will put a couple of pints of petrol in it and slosh it about and drain to see what comes out. Hopefully nothing except petrol.
Here are a couple of pics.


I f you want a chrome plated tank and want it absolutely perfect then I would get a raw steel one and get it plated in the UK.
And if you are getting it painted anyway you would get raw steel.
For the money it is excellent and considering there are no alternatives that I know of I would recommend it.
For my needs it is fine.
I will do a video review of it when I am back in the workshop.
The chrome looks even.
There is an area right up by the filler cap where the chrome is a different shade, I dont know why that is. I will be obscured by the filler cap anyway so I am not bothered. Definitely not worth sending back to India.
The underside of the tunnel has slight surface rust in a couple of places. My guess is those out of sight areas are not made perfectly smooth.
The welding is OK, to be honest it is better than the welding on the original Redditch made item. The original welding is pretty poor.
I will probably not have time to fit it until next week and will update you then.
I dont know where you would get a UK made one...
The vendor is called vintagetanks24X7 and the cost including delivery was £165, posted in India last Thursday and at my door the following Tuesday.
Well packed, no damage at all. It had been opened and re-sealed by HM Customs.
The interior has an even coat of some kind of dark red paint (primer??)
I will put a couple of pints of petrol in it and slosh it about and drain to see what comes out. Hopefully nothing except petrol.
Here are a couple of pics.


I f you want a chrome plated tank and want it absolutely perfect then I would get a raw steel one and get it plated in the UK.
And if you are getting it painted anyway you would get raw steel.
For the money it is excellent and considering there are no alternatives that I know of I would recommend it.
For my needs it is fine.
I will do a video review of it when I am back in the workshop.
Re: tanks from india
That looks good, and a damn fine price. It will make your RE shine
Cheers Geoff

Cheers Geoff
Re: tanks from india
Yep - looks pretty good. Thanks for the update BTW.
The one I was looking at (alloy) was this: ebay uk item 162123985260 @ £149 + £60 p&p.
This is actually MUCH cheaper than all other ads. for apparently the same tank. All the ads I've seen use exactly the same photo
and prices range from the £149 to £350 + around the £60 p&p.
As for UK made: There are these: http://www.thetankshop.com/others.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (second down on the right) and these: http://www.holtworks.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d54.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - obviously more expensive.
I have loads to do yet before I need to actually get a tank, so I'll keep looking/thinking/keep my powder dry.
The one I was looking at (alloy) was this: ebay uk item 162123985260 @ £149 + £60 p&p.
This is actually MUCH cheaper than all other ads. for apparently the same tank. All the ads I've seen use exactly the same photo
and prices range from the £149 to £350 + around the £60 p&p.
As for UK made: There are these: http://www.thetankshop.com/others.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (second down on the right) and these: http://www.holtworks.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d54.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; - obviously more expensive.
I have loads to do yet before I need to actually get a tank, so I'll keep looking/thinking/keep my powder dry.