NOoooooo - ya gotta keep the original DT1 shape tank - and colours (al la Firko).
As much as I love your new DT1 project Iain, I have to agree with Graeme. The DT1 Yamaha's aura centres on its unique tank shape. If you remove that distinctive lump of mild steel the bike becomes 'just another dirt bike', unrecognisable from any other old bike.
I made a bad mistake in building my current Hindall DT1. In a rush to get it finished for CD8 I fitted a Wassell alloy tank, Wassle seat and period Preston Peddy 'Mudder' style mudguards. In the shed prior to finishing I thought the bike looked sweet but once out in the real world and on the trailer I realised that I'd made a bad tactical error. The whole dynamics of the bike were wrong, the tank too long, the seat and shocks too short and Preston Petty mudguards were still as ugly as they were back in the seventies and didn't suit the bike. Somewhere during the build I lost direction on the project and had been trying to create something similar to my polished alloy Cheney, a DT1 powered shiny Hindall, when what I should have been doing was to build a Hindall framed DT1.
To create that concept I've decided to rehash the bike using original DT1 parts to change the whole look of the bike. The Wassell tank is now on my Maico trials bike, replaced by a NOS AT1 Yamaha tank that'll be soon painted original Yamaha pearl white with black pinstripe. I also have a straight DT1 tank but the smaller all over AT1 version looks a little smaller and therefore neater without losing the distinctive shape (
I think that may be an AT1 tank on Vandy's beauty). Gone are the plastic Preston Petty 'guards, replaced by a GYT Yamaha high front and 6" wide alloy rear...both painted silver as they were at the factory. The stock DT1 rear 'guard is too short (
and heavy) to use on the Hindall frame so I'll paint the aftermarket alloy tank silver to fit the stock image. The dumpy Wassell seat is being replaced by a custom made replica of the one on my Cheney. As far as visual impact, just fitting the AT1 tank will change the whole appearance of the bike.....it'll be instantly recognisable as a DT1, the other more interesting things like the Hindall frame and Gary Jones handlebars will only become noticable when you look a little closer. The true trickness of the bike should creep up on you in a subtle way.
I'd put pictures up of the bike as it appeared at CD8 but I'm a little embarrassed that it turned out so....errr...ugly, especially when compared to my other bikes. When she comes back as a proper DT1, albeit with an aftermarket frame, I think you'll understand what I was trying to do and should hopefully like the finished product.
