The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Big Bolts Weight of Tanker Body

The only explanation I'm gonna give is, "I don't have one yet" some of you guy's might even know where this beast is sitting.

Tanker

Anyone have an idea "ballpark" what just the tanker body might weight?

It's not mine yet, I'm waiting to make an offer until I'm sure I can move it. The current thought would be to unbolt and lift the tank bed, pull the truck out from under it, then back the trailer under it and move it in two trips. Length wise the bed will fit the trailer, and I'm sure it's not too heavy but thought if someone had moved one or might have any documentation around that I could be sure. The Cab/Chassis should be in the ballpark of 4105 lb.

Mongo

The tank would weigh less than the truck. We ran bob tail delivery trucks just like you have pictured in the 50's. Before you do any work on it, take it to someone who works on gasoline tanks and have it degassed. Vapors can hang around a long time, and it's the vapors, not the liquid that explodes. Kraft Tank in Kansas City deals in tankers. They can either do it or refer you to someone who does. If it was a tanker going back in service, it could be filled with an inert gas like nitrogen. That's what we do when we weld on them, etc. However, you probably never intend on hauling gas, so it would be better to have it degassed.

Make sure it not full of water from sitting for a long time. Call a wrecker (like the one that fetched your other one last year) to haul it for you. Just a thought. Will this be the next one John and I help you "recover"?
Scott

I have no idea how much it weighs, but that would make one helluva nice BBQ pit/smoker.(I have officially been in TX too long)

Thanks guys I was able to open two of the tank lids and peer in, both bone dry the rubber gasket was all dried out but still working, On the other two the latch is rusted in place so without tools I couldn't open them. I figured it was lighter than the whole truck but was curious how heavy. Another factor I'm pondering is if it is cheaper to get it hauled or cheaper to make two trips with gas, and deal with taking it apart and putting it back together. It won't ever haul gas again. The though did cross my mind to use it to haul water at the farm but that's not why I'm after it.

The reason I'm interested in it is last weekend I spent some time at a 30's Station that's been relocated and refurbished near my home town. I've always been fascinated with the old stations and have had the dream of reconstructing my dad's station he sold before I was born that set just 15 miles down the road from this one. I'd be building it from scratch out at our farm as it's long gone. Anyway the guy that had this station had an old F@rD tanker setting out there and I was thinking that it would be cool to have one with the station if I ever get there. Till then it will set patiently in the row like the others.

Scott I won't ask you to help move the truck as it will prob. happen before you're back in town but can I call on you if I find a station for sale that can be moved, since you have building moving experience? Hey where did you go?

Mongo

Mongo -- For what it's worth, my '65 GMC 4000 tanker weighs 11500 lbs empty (without hoses or fittings). Add 1,000 gallons of water and it weighs in at 19,500 -- which just so happens to be it's max gross weight.

So if the same logic applies to that truck, figure out the tank capacity (gallons) and what that amount of gas/oil weighs, subtract it from the vehicle's GVW (add in a couple hundred pounds for loose equipment) and you probably have a close guess as to the truck's empty weight.

Might give you a ball park estimate.

You'd probably want to move the truck complete -- I bet that body won't want to come off without a struggle! And it will be heavy, too.

Looks like a very cool truck! You don't see too many of the original tanker bodies restored, but those that are are very cool and interesting. It would be quite the rig to haul water with!

2 thumbs up for that one!

John

Even if you are going to do nothing with it, you should have it "sniffed" I find the truck interesting because my father was a Conoco distributor from 1938 until 1958. The truck must have been used into the 70's because up until about 1970, Conoco had a red triangle trade mark.

Johns logic is simple:
16,000 lb GVW
-4,500 lb for cab/chassis
-7,000 lb for 1,000 gallons of fuel (approximately)
=4,500 lb for the tank body

It can't be light, and removing it I can imagine will be difficult... Hire a wrecker for the whole thing

Looks like an interesting project,

Grigg

crenwelge - I agree, I'll make sure to take the appropriate measures you mentioned to verify it's dry and fumeless before I do anything. Safety First I always say.

   John and Grigg, you guy's are spot on as usual on this stuff, those number make good sense I think we've narrowed it down pretty well. I will talk to the Big truck tow guy and get his thoughts, with fuel costs down some around here could be time to Carpe Diem!
   From my quick sticking the camera underneath and shooting blindly I see at least 4 big U bolts holding it down, and some pump mechanism under there as well. Till it's pulled out of the weeds I'm not getting under there. If I were gonna separate it my thought would be to get under there and disconnect everything and start working on one end at a time, jack up, shore, repeat till I can get it high enough to clear the wheels. pull the truck out, put the trailer under with some timbers to block it up and reverse the process. The big reason I'm thinking of separating it is because when it gets to the farm, I'll likely separate it from the truck when I get around to working on it anyway, and I might end up putting one of the other 1.5 or 2 tons I've got under it, heck it might end up with the mayflower under it, who knows we'll see what happens.
   Until she's mine we've answered the big question I had holding me back from working the owner on price and I'm just getting moved back in the house from the doghouse after the Mayflower incident so I'll have to proceed with caution. Funny, with all your firetruck posts John I was sure my next Big bolt was gonna be a firetruck.

Thanks again for the wise council gentlemen,
Mongo

Mongo, Mongo, Mongo (sigh) .... some red paint, a light, a siren and a ladder and presto! Its a fire truck! And don't worry about the Missus -- Scott and I will be happy to help you with that again

Grigg -- Thanks!


John

Hey Mong Meze and I moved a 55 chevy propane truck, it took the doodlebug and Meze's wrecker both to move it. I agree with one of the other posters the bed will a real [censored] to remove and handle once removed.