I am trying to figure out of the gas tank on my new project bike is the correct (original) tank... and I might want to change it because I think it drops too low and obscures the rocker boxes on the engine - and the shovelhead is the reason I bought the bike!

The tank is a split tank and has a leather guard. Two gauges - best option is to look at the photos in this post or on my website. Speedo goes to 120, tach to '80'. There is no AMF badge on the tank and the paint seems to be original - leading me to think all the sheet metal was changed over at one time. (The VIN on the frame and engine match and confirm the bike is a '79 FXS.)

Questions:
1) Is this the original tank and gauge cluster for this bike?
2) Are there stampings on the sheet metal that might identify it?
3) What other tank options might show the engine better?

I will have plenty of other questions as I go along, and I am maintaining more notes on my website for this bike. Thanks in advance for information and feedback!

 

The gauge bracket was just like the one on mine when I got it over 30 years ago. It looks like the stock tank. Many put the 5 gallon ( Fat Bob ) tanks on which further obscure the rocker boxes. There were dozens of tank filler bibs available after market. I remember having one that was chrome and it did a good job of reflecting the sun back in my eyes.

 

Your paint is not stock. The gauges are aftermarlet as well; original ones have the words "Harley Davidson" in the 6 o'clock position of each gauge. The tank bib from the factory would have been metal that was painted a wrinkle black. The orange indicator on the right is your high beam. The empty hole on the left is for a tripometer reset that is no longer there.

There are no markings on the sheetmetal to identify it as factory, but if you ever have a set of OEM tanks and put them next to C h i n k $ h i t , the difference is obvious. Hard to tell from your pic but I would say that unless the bike had been in an accident then the tanks are propbably original, just repainted.

 

The tanks look mismatched. Either that or they're poorly mounted.

 

Tanks look like they're mounted in the stock position.