The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area General Truck Talk Gas Tank Conversion

Has anyone done a Gas Tank Conversion on their truck?
What gas tank did you use to fit under the bed?
Where did you have the filler come out at?
What did you do about the old filler?

Welcome,
try the search feature on the top right of the page, several people have done a gas tank conversion, and everyone is willing to share their experiences.

Some have used after market tanks and some junk yard salvage. fillers coming out the side and through the bed. you name it, it has been done.

We used an aftermarket poly tank kit from eBay. They set them up (for my truck at least) from a Burb. Pretty easy install. Did have to cut the spare tire stuff out and we located the filler cap off to the drivers side in the bed. I used a marine filler cap with the 2 hole keys. For right now the old filler neck is still hanging out. Its not connected to anything, just keeping the rain out. Once the day comes for repaint I am going to get it patched.

Make sure you don't go to a full service station and tell 'em to fill 'er up! You're liable to end up with a cab full of fuel.

Old Gold... that would be a sight.

they sell kits , that would be easiset, but what are you wanting to put one in?

Classic Performance Products sells kits for various years. Explore their website. It's a fun candy store...

I used a Blazer unit in mine. Look at my wedshots album.

I found these tanks the other day somebody might be interested in for a conversion. Looks just like mobileortho's tank. They were originally made for diesel military blazers, but thay have never been used and I don't know why they wouldn't work good. Check it out!
http://www.galleria-e.com/cgi-bin/Colemans.storefront/en/Product/462301

Anyone know of a blank cover that I could use to cover the cab hole till it is done right??

I have not done the conversion yet, but will probably just buy a 12-20 gallon fuel cell, mount it under the bed where the spare tire used to be, and have the filler come out of the bed floor in the back. Probably use a nice chrome filler door to hide it all, and weld the hole shut in the passenger side of the cab.

I am assuming you are talking about a 49-53 style truck.

There's a handy little product on the market called duct tape.

I used a 70 mustang tank. I think pics are in my gallery shoots. Scrool down to, great platform to start from.
OH, by the way what year?

Hey Wilbur,
What sending unit did you use in that Mustang tank? Looks good!

It's the sending unit from my classic insturment gauges. Had to cut the hole and mount it.

I have seen blank rubber plugs used from the factory to fill the hole in the cab.
Problem is I can't remember what truck I saw it on.
Perhaps it was a 70's IH medium duty truck?
It was something that used a PU cab on a larger truck and the tank was on the frame on the big truck, and in the cab if it was a small truck.

Grigg

so why do you guys move the tank from behind the seat??? i'd be interested in moving it only if it gave me more room in the cab. does it?

i'm 6'1 220lbs and the cab is rather tight for me. if i were to move the tank out from behind the seat could i move the seat back a few inches???

IH used them and also Studebaker used the plugs.

Coole,
Moving the tank is more for fumes. It doesn't give you any more room to move the seat back cause the top of the seat hits the cab.

I moved mine because of the use of fuel injection and to clean the body up. Removed handles, badges etc. And because mine is anything but stock.

I will add a tank in the rear and enjoy the distance I will be able to drive with two tanks.

Funny thing is I have never had a truck that you can smell fumes.If you can smell fumes there is a problem with the tank and not the location of it.If your tank is leaking you are going to smell them even when it's under the bed.Just my 2 cent's.

Fireout1, you are correct. Mine is a military diesel tank. It was a very easy install and a good overall fit. I wish that I could have found the one on your site because it's half of what I paid for mine. I haven't run gas through it yet because I'm finishing up the front end and installing the engine. Hope to be road worthy soon.

I'm thinking about going with the Blazer tank also. My 3100 has more width than the 3600 and looks like I can fit the tank right under the rear crossmember. Do you know if that blazer tank has baffles or a reservoir tray? I plan on running TPI on mine.

What do you do about the old gas tank filler? Do you patch it over with some sheet metal?

Fireout, TPI? Something, something injection?

My truck had a nice rubber plug behind the passenger side door when I bought it. (you can see it in the pix of my truck). It was about the size of a gas tank filler neck but no way. My neighbor hypothesized that it probably had a CB radio antenna mounted there at one time. I shoulda saved the plug. It would have been perfect for a tank hole plug. I could have patched it by welding in a patch flush like I did the dash radio hole. But, I took the lazy way out and grinded off the paint inside, laid on a piece of fiberglass and then after it dried, filled it outside with body filler. Either way, it's just body work. However, once you do that you cross the line from stock to custom. But what the heck, if you're mounting a custom tank you're crossing over anyways.
Old Gold is absolutely right. If you leave the old filler neck in place, I'd remove it and weld on a cap and then put it back. Anything can happen! I once had an old chevy truck that was born a deisel. When he engine blew I dropped in a big fat Olds gas engine and left the label "deisel fuel only" on the tank doors. One of my buddies who knows nothing about cars borrowed the truck and tried to return it with a full tank. Yup. He pumped in 30 gallons of deisel fuel. My bad.

I used a poly tank from YOGI'S and mounted it behind the axle, with the filler going thru the bed (rear, center). I then used the braided steel gas line from the tank, to the fuel pump. (Kind of pricy, but well worth it for safety). The old filler hole was covered with steel during the restoration process, and you can't even tell it was there in the first place. As I run original fuel guage, I also got a 0-35 OHM sending unit when I ordered the tank. It all works great!