Page 46 - Issue 32

PHOTOS COURTESY OF TANK • WRITTEN BY RICK LOXTON

T T T T T
Tank Biltank Biltank Biltank Biltank Biltank Bilt

ast issue we introduced you to build handlebars and exhaust systems to
the Cherrys of Las Vegas. You order. The shop became so successful that
may have noticed a rather large, when it came time to reenlist, Tank opted
bearded gentleman nestled out and focused on the shop full-time.
Lamongst those nine lovely ladies. As successful as his shop was, he could
That would be the tenth Cherry, artist/ no longer deny his urge to spend more time
fabricator Tank Bilt, also affectionately on his art. He was burned out on working on
known as ‘The Hairy Cherry.” He attends bikes and made plans to move to Las Vegas,
all events and appearances and is where there was an ever-growing art scene.
indeed, a full-fl edged Cherry… albeit the He told himself he’d give it a month and se
only one who served our country as a how it went. That was two years ago so it
member of the Marines. looks like things are working out so far.
The son of an ironworker, Tank learned to By day he does sheetmetal fabrication
swing a hammer early in life. He watched his at Hogue Motorsports in Boulder City,
dad and soon learned how to properly hand Nevada. (If that name sounds familiar, it’s
planish a piece of sheetmetal. He honed because owner Kyle Hogue has had two
his skills with hand tools before learning of his beasts featured here on the pages
to use mechanical planishing hammers. of Rat Rod Magazine.) But after hours he
He later added painting to his repertoire turns his attention to his phenomenal palm
and eventually opened his own shop in frond carvings, among other things. He was
Oceanside, California, outside of San Diego. initially inspired to do the carvings after
Remember earlier when we mentioned seeing a bunch of painted ones at a swap
that Tank served in the Marines? He opened meet. They were ok, but Tank thought he
the shop while still on active duty. Talk about could do a lot better. Then he saw one that
driven! He specialized in applying custom had been carved and painted hanging in a
paint jobs to sport bikes. He also would friend’s offi ce.

46 RAT ROD MAGAZINE ISSUE THIRTY-TWO

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