Making a gas tank for our old car

[kenimpzoom]

We need a new gas tank for our old car we are restoring. To restore the old tank would cost 200-300 bucks.<br /><br />Seems like a new one could be easily fabricated, the old was just a rectangle shape. We dont care about orginality or what it looks like.<br /><br />Do yall think we could get a tank made to the exact dimension for pretty cheap or am I asking too much.<br /><br />It is just a plain jane rectangle say 3ft x 2ft x 1ft, with a hole on top for pickup/vent and a large bung on the side for a fillup hose to connect to.<br /><br />Thanks, Ken

 

[gspig]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Unless you can weld, I'd say you will spend close to $200 to have one made.

 

[NathanY]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

I asked the local sheet metal shop the same question when I wanted one built for my boat. They told me that they won't build one because they would then have to certify it through DOT and USCG. Just something to think about.

 

[Elmer Fudge]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Why not check out the local junk yard?

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

EF, that is our next option.<br /><br />I thought about certification, but I dont think any car gas tanks are certified.<br /><br />Ken

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Maybe you could use a below deck type plastic boat tank?

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

There must be size from another vehicle that will work. I would junk yard shop for now.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

We may put a boat gas tank in the trunk, then have to open the truck to fill the tank.<br /><br /><br />Ken

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

you might well be better off restoring the old tank-there'd be an awful lot of welding in a 3'x2'x1' tank-at least 13' of weld, and that's gonna be hard to stop it distorting the tank anyway as it's welded, plus the time that it'll take cutting all the holes and so on. At least if you have it restored it'll fit back where it came from,you'll have confidence in it not leaking/breaking free and all the fittings will go straight on.

 

[TexomaAv8r]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Somthing about mounting a gas tank in the trunk strikes me as unsafe in the event of a fuel leak or fire...IMO

 

[RetNav]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Ken, The junk yards around here have a book that will tell what year parts will fit a particular vehicle. i.e. I have a 90 model chevy 4X4 diesel that has a shot motor. Checked with a junk yard and found out a K model gas motor will bolt right up to transmission & motor mounts. Check with them, it can't hurt.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Look into a fuel cell for a race car. Without a bladder or steel can they will run about $100 for a 22 gallon tank. Look at Jegs, or Smileys which has a shop in your area.

 

[ZmOz]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Originally posted by RetNav:<br /> Ken, The junk yards around here have a book that will tell what year parts will fit a particular vehicle. i.e. I have a 90 model chevy 4X4 diesel that has a shot motor. Checked with a junk yard and found out a K model gas motor will bolt right up to transmission & motor mounts. Check with them, it can't hurt.

Something tells me they don't go back to 1938.

 

[Winger Ed.]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Ya might check out the ads. in hot rod magazines.<br /><br />Everyone else has the same problem with old orig. tanks. There's companys that make reproductions, and I'd heard there is a chemical/epoxy 'goo' you can pour in and it sort of puts a liner inside your old one.

 

[Nos4r2]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Originally posted by Winger Ed.:<br /> there is a chemical/epoxy 'goo' you can pour in and it sort of puts a liner inside your old one.

Try a local harley custom shop for this, it gets used a lot on bike custom tanks as the mass produced copies are really bad quality and it's the only way they can stop them rotting out within a couple of years

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

The epoxy treatment is pretty expensive, been quoted 200 bucks.<br /><br />The old gas tank is pretty much unsalvageable.<br /><br />We found some plastic universal gas tanks that may work pretty well. Less than 100 bucks.<br /><br />Ken

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

On the Cadillac LaSalle forum, I have found out that there are a few other cars that will fit.<br /><br />Now begins my ebay search.<br /><br />Ken

 

[DJ]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Lot's of them here.<br /><br /> http://www.iboats.com/mall/index.cg...ord&keywords=fuel+tank&submit.x=35&submit.y=8

 

[SpinnerBait_Nut]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Don't the boat tanks have an open vent hole? Where would they vent into? A hose of some sort to route it back to the tank?

 

[DJ]

Re: Making a gas tank for our old car

Don't the boat tanks have an open vent hole? Where would they vent into? A hose of some sort to route it back to the tank?<br />

Yes they do. So did old car tanks, through the gas cap, long before evaporative emissions rules came along.<br /><br />The vent is easy enough to block off, or route to a safe area-or to the engine.<br /><br />In either event, one would need to vent the tank, either through the cap or via the vent.