Fuel Tank Chroming

Basic info on DKW NZ 350's

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SimonM
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Fuel Tank Chroming

Post by SimonM » Sat Oct 27, 2012 10:40 am

Hi all

I am doing my NZ 350 in civillian colours and I would like to have the sides of the fuel tank nice, shiny silver/chrome! Does anyone have any experience of doing this?

Many thanks,
Simon
DKW NZ 350 (May 1940)
Phänomen Granit 1500S (1943/44)
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Vadim
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Re: Fuel Tank Chroming

Post by Vadim » Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:21 pm

Hi, Simon!

There is one essential remark in this subject which can be important.
According to data in some sources, in production DKW NZ350, the strips on the gasoline tank weren't chromeplated, them made, bringing the melted aluminum which was polished after that.

Best regards, Vadim.
Frank
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Re: Fuel Tank Chroming

Post by Frank » Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:11 pm

Hi,

One interesting thing is that NZ:s in fact had both alu- and chrome plated tanks.


NZ:s sold in Germany and maybe some other countries hade alu plated tanks that were polished as Vadim writes, but NZ:s sold in both Finland and Sweden (dont know how it was in other countries) had a lot of chrome.

Fuel tank was chrome plated, also wheel nuts, exhaust pipes and also the complete mufflers, fuel cap and on NZ500, front suspension spring, brake pedal, Hasag ignition switch cover, holders for both clutch and front brake lever and so on.

Seems that chrome was banned on bikes sold in Germany, but then no restrictions on bikes that were exported, in fact the situation was that chrome was almost wasted :lol:

//Frank
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Re: Fuel Tank Chroming

Post by Wilhelm_Heidkamp » Wed May 15, 2013 6:27 pm

This was simply done because of German traffic regulations, too shiny or self-reflecting colours on cars and bikes were not allowed. Even until today it is prohibited to drive a full chromed car or to use the self-luminating color RAL 3001 on the whole car. Only a small percentage of the car is allowed to be painted in reflecting colors.
DKW F 102 1965
DKW NZ 350-1 1945
DKW KL C100/C1 Funkwuerfel 1943
DKW GG400 Funkwuerfel
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thomas591
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Re: Fuel Tank Chroming

Post by thomas591 » Thu May 23, 2013 9:40 am

Hi Wilhelm,

sorry but I disagree with your opinion. If you look at other German bikes from the same area as the NZ, you will see that on many of them much more chrome -or lets say reflecting surfaces- than on the NZ can be found.
Check pictures of the NSU 601 OSL or Zündapp K500 for an example.

When looking through the NZ literature of the lasts decades, you will always found the statement that on the NZ the chrome was replaced with aluminum in order to safe chrome for military purposes.

If you take this into a historic perspective, it seems to me a bit doubtful. The NZ was mainly developted in peace time 1937 and introduced in 1938. At that time a reduction of chrome for military reasons seems unlikely.
Looking at the process of flame gunning as a method of surface enhancement and compare it to chroming, it is faster, more efficent and cheaper...maby this is the real reason for the aluminum coating. On top of this, it was highly innovating, as was the welding process of the frame, for its time.
Best regards - freundlichste Grüße

Thomas
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Re: Fuel Tank Chroming

Post by Wilhelm_Heidkamp » Wed Jun 26, 2013 1:16 pm

I am not sure whether the other competitors like NSU haven`t done the same alloy coating or at least given the chrome a non-reflecting dull finish.

On this German site you will find a hint that on the NSU OSL 601 were used non-reflecting dull chrome.

http://www.nsu-greifzu.de/html/nsu_601_ts.html

http://www.hkast.de/Oldtimer/601-Dateien/osl601WH.jpg

And even if that bike is an administration (police) version, it makes not really sense to use dull finish in civilian city traffic, and on the pictures below there`s even pictured a post administration version also with dull finish where it makes even less sense to use it.

This restored tank is also only silver-painted, not chromed.

http://carpatys.com/tank-nsu-601-osl-se ... -tank.JPG/

On restored bikes you will often find high-reflecting chrome (so on DKW´s), but this is not really an evidence...
DKW F 102 1965
DKW NZ 350-1 1945
DKW KL C100/C1 Funkwuerfel 1943
DKW GG400 Funkwuerfel
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