Thread: custom gas tank

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tcodi......www.classicheartbeat.com has your fuel cell cheaper that you can make one, and he ships direct. Good guy- I know him personally and have bought a lot of stuff from him- he's out of Olympia Wa.

thanks guys

I got my stainless and am ready to start fabricating my tank.
Does the pickup need to be a tube extending down from the top of the tank, or can I weld a nut into the bottom and connect a line to that.
Is solid fuel line definitely what I want to use?

I would put it in the top with a tube to the bottom,reason being if you put it in the bottom and have a mishap such as the fuel line breaking it will empty the tank in a hurry....Lots safer on the top, as far as the fuel line I'd run no less than a 3/8" diameter steel line from the tank to the pump, I've seen copper and aluminum used but I think the steel would have more vibration fracture resistance...

sounds good
thanks

Not only is it a good idea to have the outlet on top of the tank it is a Federal law! Meant to keep you from becomming a shish-kabob if you get in an accident and the tank/line gets ruptured.

I have made more than a few from mild steel. I usually roll the tank to shape from 20 ga. sheet. Bead roll the flat areas. Make a wooden form for the ends and work DQ sheet metal around it, make up baffels and spot weld them in. Cut the fill opening and the top opening then assemble the thing with TIG. Then I use "slushing" solution and sealer.

One of these went across america as an auxilliary gas tank in "The Great Race" in a 32 Chevy roadster.

Stainless is nicer to work with, but again, some people don't like the expense. Being from "Old school" (Geezer, class of 60?) I don't like the plastic stuff!!

For the baffles, I was gonna just cut out the lower corners, only a tiny little triangle, to let fuel flow from each area. Is there a certain size of opening I should have in the baffles, or does it just need to be enough to let gas through?

I just cut a corner off the baffle, as long as there is good liquid flow thru the opening you are ok. Probably about one square inch per side will keep things from sloshing and still fill properly.

Just check that the float clears the baffles! I somehow got the float too close to a baffle in my daughters "T" bucket. I couldn't figure out why the guage was so irratic!!

And to add to the commentary...............

Agreeing with BOBCRMAN, top is best, even better is the fitting with a check valve in it (sometimes called an anti-rollover valve) so that fuel won't spill in a rollover accident. Also, cut the bottom of the drop tube at a bias, it aids in pick up and is less prone to plugging. Hardline on the fuel line is preferred, only a small piece of flexible tubing from the hardline to the tank, and again to the fuel pump (assuming it's mounted to the engine), these two short pieces will compensate for differences in motion of the tank, engine and the frame mounted fuel line. One last note, copper is a catalyst for oxidation of gasoline, in other words it promotes the production of varnish deposits. Yeah, you'll hear lot's of people say they've used it for years and not had a problem, but it's just one more risk not worth taking. Without getting too chemical technical today, the gasolines on the market these days have more unsaturated molecules than in years past, so they're more prone to allowing oxygen (oxidation) to attach, and the copper just accelerates the process. There is plenty of very pliable steel fuel line available that makes routing easier (even sold in rolls).

just came inside before starting the baffles to check this
thanks again

Pic of my tank.
One last question. I welded a nut on the bottom in case I need to drain it. As of now I just have a bolt in it, but the threads don't seal perfectly(I filled with water to check). Is there something special I should use on those threads to seal it that won't get destroyed by gasoline?
Would black RTV hold up?

RTV doesn't like gasoline. Carefully wrap the plug with Teflon tape, keep it back away from the end, don't want sealer in a carburetor, and use a thick compressable washer.

Nice job on the tank,looks real gooood!!!

TCODI, You did a nice job of building You tank, Dont think Im trying to be smart, IM not! I do have safety concerns for You, because of the way You built it. You left yourself no Crush area, in case you were involved in an accident. That could be very dangerous. In a race car or stock car the tank, (fuel cell) is always suspended within the frame rails with its own mounting brackets allowing sufficient room for crush on impact ,and sometimes thats not even enough.You've worked hard, done a good job and Im sure you didn't want to hear this . You proberly will not want to change it, but for any other members who see your tank and are encouraged to build their own tank,REMEMBER, the Crush area .It might save Your life!

Well, your right, I didn't leave any room, but for a little consolation that rear cross member is a piece of 3 1/2" OD round tubing with 3/16" wall.
In retrospect I should have left an area, but that is a pretty stout rear cross member.