Felt 1903 Photo link

ocscully

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http://groups.msn.com/Feltmotoredbike/shoebox.msnw

I've not been successful uploading these photos directly to this page but somehow I created a web page of them at msn. Any way I thought that this bike may be of particular interest as the owner went to the trouble to seal up the top-tube to use as the gas tank. And he did it without destroying the original paint. It makes for a really clean installation.
 
ocscully,I beleave that bike was built,and then painted.There's no problem sealing up the top bars for a tank,but you will have to repaint in no doubt about it.The heat from any kind of welding will lift the paint.
If you look realy close it reads Felt bikes 1991 on the tank :D
 
The model name from Felt is the 1903 The bike was made in 2005 or 2006. The tank was sealed using epoxy products, not welding, and it has not been repainted.
 
I agree with Scully. That 1991 refers to when Felt was started, I believe. Someone should try to contact the owner and ask how he sealed the tank. I still sthing the Vintage Iron 400 would be the best one to put a motor on.

Dan
 
I'm not knocking it ocscully,but that sure looks like the tank is welded to the head of the frame with a nice long bead of mig welding.Take a long look at the last pic.(close up of the tank,and frame head).I couldn't tell you for sure without seeing it in person.I know they have alot of strong epoxies,but it still sounds alittle fishy.I'm a certified body,and paint man here,and about 20+ years of sheetmetal,and tubing fabrication under my belt.The only industry I know of that uses any epoxies that strong is the aircraft ind.Getting your hands on some of that will be a b%#$& to say the least.If you can get some I would use it.They say its stronger than welding,and theres no heat to mess up the paint.
I would suggest strongly that you read any instructions first though.Alot of epoxies don't work well with petrolium products.I have a tank sealer like that.Out of the 3 products that they say will eat the sealer,all 3 are in any fuel additive.Fuel injector cleaners,carb cleaners,Octane boosters,and the like.Thanks for setting me straight on the 1903 thing.I knew I was missing something Rod
 
retro racer you are correct that the tank is welded to the headtube and along the seam down its length along the top. The holes that need to be sealed are the vent holes located inside the head and seat tube. If You go to the website for Felt Racing. and click on cruisers you will see maybe a 8-10 different models made using this same frame. They used to sell the frame raw/unpainted so you could build your own project.

http://www.feltracing.com
 
retro_racer said:
The only industry I know of that uses any epoxies that strong is the aircraft ind.Getting your hands on some of that will be a b%#$& to say the least.If you can get some I would use it.They say its stronger than welding,and theres no heat to mess up the paint.

T-88 is available from aircraftspruce.com....also polyester resin and fiberglass have been used to fabricate ultralight gas tanks for decades.
 
retro_racer said:
I'm not knocking it ocscully,but that sure looks like the tank is welded to the head of the frame with a nice long bead of mig welding.Take a long look at the last pic.(close up of the tank,and frame head)....

retro, I gotta say you're right...in a sense. Yes the tank is welded to the head tube but that's the way they look when you buy them. The frames are made of aluminum and that is just a really nicely done aluminum weld. I have see this exact bike in person along with most of their other models including the Vintage Iron 400. Thay all are made of alum. and all the welds looks just like that.

Dan
 
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