Help to identify a 500 tank.

[harrymuffin]

Fill it up with liquid, if it will take 16litres it is a 500 tank.

[Bedfordowner]

Fill it up with liquid, if it will take 16litres it is a 500 tank.

Thank you, l will do that when or if I get it. I have been told you are the person to speak to when it comes to the 500 so thanks for your help.
Keith

['It must be a .....']

Hi, the frame and tail section in the pictures are from a 500.

[Bedfordowner]

Hi, the frame and tail section in the pictures are from a 500.

Thank goodness for that. I was beginning to worry about it. Cheers

[hendre]

numbers... just to be on the safe side. Maybe the frame is 500 but the engine 350...

[stradella]

I can't be 100% sure, but it looks like a 500 frame. If the frame's original colour was red, it's probably a frame from about 1980-81 with straight frame tubes at the front. As Hendre suggests, check the frame number/stamping.

[Bedfordowner]

Hi All,
Just to say thank you very much for all the help and interest you have shown. I have now received the frame and engine number and with the help of Mark have now confirmed it is a 1979 built 500 sport frame and casings. The seat is indeed a 350 sport and the tank is from and early 2C.
The frame has been HPI checked as is in perfect order.
I will post under the project section once I get it and look forward to sharing the build.
Many thanks
Keith

[Canuck750]

Hi All,
Just to say thank you very much for all the help and interest you have shown. I have now received the frame and engine number and with the help of Mark have now confirmed it is a 1979 built 500 sport frame and casings. The seat is indeed a 350 sport and the tank is from and early 2C.
The frame has been HPI checked as is in perfect order.
I will post under the project section once I get it and look forward to sharing the build.
Many thanks
Keith

78 and 79 are W series, as far as I know, no SPORT model until later, frames were all black, body panels grey or red. I have a couple extra 500 W tanks (78 / 79) original grey paint, one has tank sealer in that needs to be stripped out, if you pay postage from Canada its yours for free.

Jim

[johno1618]

Hi Jim

I am in desperately in need of a solid 500w tank. If Keith doesn't take up your offer then I would be very keen to utilise one of your spare tanks for my own 1978 500w restoration. My original tank base is full of holes which I have had repaired but am not convinced will last very long. See pic of base brazed up prior to being painted.

I have sent you a message separate to this

thanks

John

[harrymuffin]

The 500 frame is wider where the return tubes are welded to the top tubes. Also the 350 tool tray will fall through the frame, the 500 is wider and has a flat rear section.

[mbmm350s]

78 and 79 are W series, as far as I know, no SPORT model until later, frames were all black, body panels grey or red. I have a couple extra 500 W tanks (78 / 79) original grey paint, one has tank sealer in that needs to be stripped out, if you pay postage from Canada its yours for free.

There is very nice picture of the red 500 sport model red frame non kink on page 206 of Wim Raeymakers book SEMPRE PIU FORTE,
this model was marketed in the UK by the importers Harglo as the Maestro and was available from late 1979 in the UK.
This model has the painted mudguards and not stainless of the earlier 500 roadster. Silencers were black. The seat is different from the earlier models and the later SEI-V. The electronic tacho was replaced with a mechanical version but the first of this style (including the UK roadtest bike) still had the electronic tacho. Plain polished clutch and handlebar levers became dog leg style.

p.s. You can buy this book from www.morinibook.com it is bilingual Italiano and English.

Cheers Mark

[harrymuffin]

Strange that. I had a black 5 speed 500 of that vintage but the frame was kinked. I then acquired a later 6 speed with a kinked frame, that had painted mudguards. I made and still have molds of all the plastic bits including the seat body work.

[Bedfordowner]

Strange that. I had a black 5 speed 500 of that vintage but the frame was kinked. I then acquired a later 6 speed with a kinked frame, that had painted mudguards. I made and still have molds of all the plastic bits including the seat body work.

I may need a new seat base when I pick up my 500. Is it possible to get a seat base made from your molds as that could be really helpful. Thanks