New Sandcast Owner

[42barab]

Recently purchased a mostly restored 1969 CB750 with frame/engine numbers 2659/2839. When it was restored in 2005, they used a non-wrinkle K0 tank.  Otherwise, NOS Honda parts were used to replace what needed replacing on both frame and engine.  I was wondering how not having a wrinkle tank affects the overall value?

J

[Sam]

Welcome to the insanity that is owning a sandcast! Ha!

All kidding aside, congrats on getting one of these special bikes.

Your bike shipped with a wrinkle tank in 1969, so indeed it should have one to be "correct". Wrinkle tanks go for anywhere between $400 (in bad condition) to $2000 or more under the right circumstances. I suspect that a restored bike that doesn't have a wrinkle tank is actually dinged a bit more than the value of the wrinkle tank simply because of the perception that it is not correct. Just a guess.

A few suggestions:

1. Camp out on eBay and wait for a wrinkle tank to come up. Have it painted and you will be golden.

2. Buy a reproduction wrinkle tank from Yamiya. Of lower value...but much cheaper than an original. At least that way you can point to the wrinkles when someone asks

3. Don't worry about it unless you really need to sell the bike for maximum value. You can't tell your bike has a later tank until you go to fill the tank with fuel...which means you are riding the bike...which is the point after all!

[42barab]

Ujeni

Thank you for the welcome and your feedback.  The bike sale included a wrinkle tank, but it needs a proper paint job to match the existing.  I'm new to this aspect of bikes, so I'll be searching for someone to do the paint work.  Any idea what a correct paint job should cost?  And would you know if it's difficult to match the Honda blue/green of this year?  I live on the east coast.  Any leads or suggestions are appreciated.  Thanks

[Sam]

Any professional painter should be able to match the candy blue green. I don’t suggest buying a paint kit online. Though they are usually close, they aren’t as good as a professional matched paint and a trained eye. Be sure to use the correct stripe decal for the tank (a decal is correct for your bike, though some earlier sandcasts may have had painted stripes). Here’s the correct one:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F321182842950

[Steve Swan]

i am going to stick my neck out on the chopping block.  i do not believe decals were used on 1-7414 gas tanks.  correct me as necessary.

[Sam]

Oh boy...here we go!

Kidding

My early tanks with original paint do not appear to have decals....but my later tanks do. I asked Vic World about this and he thinks that the majority of sandcast tanks used decals.

That said, I personally do prefer a painted stripe. I just bought a tank from Yamiya that has a painted stripe and it is beautiful!

To be sure, I will check my tanks this evening.

Tanks for your patients 

[kp]

My K0, Frame #11970 (now sold) had an original painted wrinkle tank and it had painted stripes. I've always understood that all sandcast bikes came with painted striping and this carried through all of 1969. All of the 5 original paint wrinkle tanks I have are painted stripes.
Chris R we need your thoughts on this.

[Steve Swan]

i have had two original paint gold tanks, neither of them had decals.  i had a near perfect red tank about 15 years ago, striping was definitely not decal.  of several K1's i have owned, the original paint tank striping was not decals. 

[Wayne]

A painter by the name of Blake Conway did Marks 97, and I believe other work for Mark. I believe Mark told me he does Vic’s paint as well. Wonder what he uses? I Think 5383 has decals. I’ll look closer later.

[Sam]

Blake's tanks have decals. I own one of them and vic world uses him as well.

But....

I stand corrected. All of my original paint wrinkle tanks do appear to have painted stripes. My mistake!

[Steve Swan]

Blake's tanks have decals. I own one of them and vic world uses him as well.

But....

I stand corrected. All of my original paint wrinkle tanks do appear to have painted stripes. My mistake!

Sam!  you aren't the only one who makes mistakes!  i've made so many, i can't begin to remember them all!!!  i think all any of us are trying to do is have the best possible understanding we can.  as oyu've note in your original paint tank, original paint tells it the way it is.  repro paint can be another story.

[markb]

A painter by the name of Blake Conway did Marks 97, and I believe other work for Mark. I believe Mark told me he does Vic’s paint as well. Wonder what he uses? I Think 5383 has decals. I’ll look closer later.

Blake's tanks have decals. I own one of them and vic world uses him as well.

That is correct. Blake does the paint for Vic and does use decals. The tank on #97 had been painted so I can't say if it had painted stripes or not but I figured if decals are good enough for Vic they're good enough for me plus at the time I couldn't find anyone who would paint the stripes. I also figured that if someone wanted to change it to painted stripes someday they could. I try not to do things that can't be undone. I just talked to Blake a couple of weeks ago and he is still at it. He has cut back some but still does the early Honda colors.

[42barab]

This is all good information.  To me it seems that the members of this forum have a common goal of shared knowledge.

If Blake Conway still does the sandcast tanks, can someone tell me how and where I can contact him?  Thanks

J

[acruz]

J,
Would you be able to post some pictures of your sandcast? 

Thanks
arnold

[markb]

Blake Conway is in Vista, California. His phone number is 760-732-3950. The last email address I have is c.blake@dslextreme.com. Not sure if it is still good. If you contact him please let him know I referred him.