How much would you pay?

For those of you that are working on building out an airflo, the following questions were raised in a prior post:

JAF/CO currently sells fiber glass tanks, complete ready to hang on the bike with steel inserts for $999 shipped (steel inserts are $275 alone by themselves).
Even at that great price (by the way these are awesome tanks), there are still some of us stubborn folks after an all metal tank...

So a couple questions came up:

1) What would you pay for a nice real original tank (speedline, and arrow)
2) How many people would be interested in buying an all metal non-fiberglass tank if someone were to remake them
3) What would you pay for a steel tank if someone were to remake them (speedline, and arrow)

Thanks,
Ken

Complete O.E. steel tank $2k-3k , bare glass tanks sold awhile ago for $1200+.... if your going to ride it, glass is fine
$1k for a loaded glass one is cheap

or you can buy this and be done
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?71245-Big-Tank-Shelby-Bicycle-FOR-SALE

I did mine and the cost of acquiring the bike with steel orig tank and full resto with Crome missing parts search and paint supplies costs totaled to 5K +\-. Seems like a bargain now. I'd sell mine if they made steel repops I hate repops.

The steel tanks have been reproduced. I believe I was told 10 were made and I don't remember exactly but thought they said around $1500 was what they sold for. Slick I think has one on his bike so he may be able to shed more light on the subject. Like I said before a couple of years ago I saw an original Speedline tank sell for about $1700 but think in today's world you could get $3000-3500 if you tried. I already have an original paint Speedline so I wouldn't be a player for a repo steel tank but think $2k wouldn't be out of line. V/r Shawn

This is my repop steel tank. Im not sure what they sold for originally, who made them, or how many were produced??? I have asked around for the history on my bike with no luck? I also would LOVE to know who made the tanks.....

All i can say is....it isnt that great of a copy. It needs lots of work to be up to par. Do i care its a repop steel tank instead of original? No. Usually the critics that wanna cry foul are the ones who don't own one to begin with. To me, my bike gets ridden all the time. So if its a repop steel, or fiberglass, doesn't matter. Hell, even if i had an original, id still ride it. Its a bike, not a piece of furniture.

The only other thing I remember is that supposedly the guy that made them was in Kentucky. Maybe one of the seasoned collectors out there can tell us more. BTW I ride my bike regularly. Chris is right they were made to be ridden! V/r Shawn

As far as pricing goes....

Jims repop glass tanks for ANY bike are top notch, sturdy in construction, both halves meet together as they should, and they fit the frame very well. All of his tanks were molded from a real steel tank. it doesn't get any better honestly.

So you have to think....do you wait 5 to 10 years for an original to pop up in non swiss cheese shape, pay dearly for it because you are in competition with the other 2 dozen guts who have been looking, or do you buy a glass one now, paint it, and enjoy the bike now instead of it sitting there like Charlie Brown waiting for the great pumpkin to appear.....

An original tank in great shape on my eyes is a good 3k +. But the odds of one popping up without the bike attached.......hahaha have fun with that needle in a haystack.

And for a repop steel tank. The price will be steep and it should be. Its hand made, not stamped out by a machine Like they were. As the saying goes...time is money l and you need the talent and attention to detail to get it right to make it look the part.

They only cost about $40 bucks ( as In green money ) for a deluxe air flow in 1938


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So Jim,

I did this as an experiment to identify how many people would indeed be interested in buying a tank new, repoped or whatever. I am rather disappointed (and wonder if it is the subject of this thread not having airflo in it) that more people have not chimed in that they want a tank.
I find this extremely interesting as I also see people making them themselves.

At this point I may have to throw in the towel and state that in my quest to try and bring together a group of airflo enthusiasts to have several tanks made, I have determined that there are really few of us... (some people without tanks are actually poo pooing a repop - - WOW)!

Having said this, I would be in for 2 speedlines and would be willing to pay $2k ea (hopefully would get a cut on the 2nd). At this rate though, I do not believe there is enough profit in it for any craftsman to move forward and create them.

Disappointed-
Ken

JAF/CO said:

They only cost about $40 bucks ( as In green money ) for a deluxe air flow in 1938


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