The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk 55 tank under bed, build it yourself ?

Unless Im missing something, what would keep me from welding up a gas tank to fit between the two rear crossmembers and mount it up from underneath. If I keep the depth the same as the original I could reuse sending unit, and with just the 235 6 up front I don't belive I would need a intank pump. Has any body built there own tank? any pros or cons?

thanks

if yer talkin about a TF truck, what yer missing is a tank the same dimension as the one behind the seat would be dragging on the ground

in order to have the stock fuel pump be able to pull the fuel the bottom of the tank needs to be about level with the pump, or slightly higher

do some searches, folks have talked about tanks they've built or adapted, and also about the lack of a compelling reason to go to the trouble and expense .... the stock tank works fine

Bill

My '56 has a PO installed homemade tank between the rear frame rails. It holds about 16 gallons and weighs about 16 tons. I've had no problems with it except balancing it on a jack to get it back up after changing the sending unit. I used a 30 ohm universal unit from a hot rod shop.

cletis

Just wondering about fuel pump, did you add an electric or just continue to utilize the engine driven pump? Did you weld up this tank and if so what gauge metal?

thanks

It was in the truck when I bought it so I have no idea of the gauge but it is heavy. It uses the mechanical pump.

I agree with TooMany2Count. I installed a 25 gallon suburban steel tank from J.C. Whitney just behind the rear axle of my '59 Apache Fleetside. It fits between the frame rails. It was pretty easy to run three straps up to bolt to the rails. I didn't have to use an electric fuel pump. The mechanical pump will suck fuel from the rear. It really beats putting bales of hay in the back for traction.

out of curiousity, what year suburban tank did you use? ive got a 55 2nd series pickup and am contemplating moving the tank, or taking the lazy man's route and leaving it behind the seat. thanks.

clark

I believe (don't hold me to this) my rear fuel tank is a J.C. Whitney P/N ZX862180N 25 gallon steel unit. See:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/webapp/wcs...2B1984%2B600002073&c atalogId=10101

My front fuel tank is the original stock 16.5 gallon unit that I removed from behind the seat and re-installed at the very front of the Fleetline bed. I removed the original filler/cap, filled in the hole, and re-installed the cap/filler at the driver's side front of the bed. This setup gives me over 40 gallons of fuel capacity and weight over the rear wheels.

Hope this info helps.

Following this thread brought up a question for me. What is the advantage of relocating the gas tank?

Is is safety, convenience, size of tank, or some other reason I can't think of?

I always wondered about any issues of sitting on your gas tank. I figure, if it goes while I'm driving it, I probably wouldn't know anyway ....

Personally I do not think I want to ride on dynamite or have it strapped behind me. Plus you have the smell and other issues.

I bought a 16 gallon racining tank from summit and it installed very easy between my back rails on the 59.

popcorn The Truth is Out There (Lets build them for fun but lets make them safer.) Pops

I'd question the "increased safety" of taking the tank out of the cab, where it's in the center of the truck in an area that's likely to be the last place to get penetrated or crushed, and putting it right at the back where it's exposed to damage in the rear enders that are so common on the road - if the in-cab gets hit, you'll be gone at least seconds before it ruptures .... got side air bags?

everybody cites safety as the reason for moving it, but I don't recall seeing any reports of in-cab tanks exploding under any circumstances

Bill

dgallagher,

I have built several gas tanks. The last on was formed at a sheetmetal shop out of 14 gauge black. Anything heavier in gauge gets you a tank like Cletis noted...VERY heavy.

I wouldn't build one if there were a factory tank available. The commercially built tank would be lighter, leak free, well baffled, and I will bet cheaper in the long run.

Stuart

I guess that's why I asked the question in the first place. We have most of the state of Arizona going to bladder tanks in the Crown Vic police cruisers due to some pretty horrible rear end collisions.

I know there is an obvious Ford joke in here, but an exploding car is really no joke in real life.

My reasons? 1. CAB/LEG ROOM 2. NO FUEL SMELL IN CAB 3. WEIGHT OVER DRIVE WHEELS 4. ROOM FOR BATTERIES BEHIND SEAT 5. EXTRA CRUISING RANGE

1. additional leg room about 2", unless the seat hits the batteries actually the seat back nearly hits the back of the cab even with the tank in
2. no smell if the system is in proper good shape, ya think GM woulda sold many of these things new if they stunk of gas?
3. rear tank puts weight behind the wheels, affecting the steering - in the cab it keeps the right front/rear ratio when carrying a load, it is a truck after all
4. batterie[s]? ... need extra w/ a corvette engine?
5. nice to stretch yer legs every 2-300 miles and take a leak of course a vette engine may drink more

I vote for using the time to have fun or do more important jobs, and spend the money more usefully, and I see too much of this kinda wreck nowadays

Bill

Good reasons to keep mine where it is. I don't smell the gas, I smell more coming through my firewall. I'm only 5-4 so a short seat is great for me to reach the pedal.

Without the split-bench in my new truck I'd be pinning knees to the dash just so I can reach the clutch.

As much as I get time to drive mine much these days, I am hard pressed to use all the fuel before I have to pump it out.

I think all batteries will off-gas as they are charged..even maintenance free ones. That wouldn't be a good thing to have in your enclosed cab would it.

Stuart

My 53 3/4 had its origional tank mounts under the tray between the tail shaft and chassis rail. Due to i didn't pick it up the removed tank when i picked the truck out of the field, i made a new one out of LPG tank and put it the same place. The people who built these trucks would of had our safety in mind.
Brendon

We all have to live with our choices, don't we? I'm happy with mine.