Thread: custom gas tank

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I'm gonna build a gas tank for my 50 chevy pickup. I'm putting it as far back as possible, right in front of a tubular rear cross member I put in the frame.
I was just wondering if anyone who has made one before has any suggestions.
I am planning on putting in baffles, but I'm not sure what material to make the tank out of. Is stainless way better? If I use regular steel, do I coat the inside or will it hold up bare?
thanks

In NASCAR and Most Sanctioned Stock car racing they will only let you use a fuel cell for a few years before you have to replace it. why not try to find one they took out and mount it anywhere you want A good one comes with the foam cell in the bladder. make your frame out of 1,5- 2 inch steel channel. It would be a lot safer. Just a thought. good luck

how does one go about finding a used nascar cell?
The only other thing is, I wanted to be able to tailor it to my truck. It is lowered and the frame is very modified. I also wanted
make the tank as big as possible so I can get good weight back there.

I had to run to the garage to measure my Atl fuel cell . it is a 22gal. and measures 17inches by 22inches . It is 9 inches tall.
The can to hold it would be slightly bigger.These cells sell for about 7oo.oo Yoy can mount them as high or low in youy chassis as you desire. If you look on pages 94 and 95 of your christmas addition of the JEGS catalogue you will find much cheaper fuel cells ,but they do not have a can to hold them .You could make one.It would proberly cost you around 200.00 to find a good used ATL.They are much better and safer.I live in Va.and I dont think one would be too hard to find in this area. Dont you know anyone that races stock cars and I dont mean at the Hobby class level.Proberly a late model or above.

I don't know anyone at all who races as a hobby or pro. I need to do this as cheaply as possible, that's why I think making one is a good way to go. I could get the material for free from my dad. The only reason I wouldn't use stainless is because I'd have to get a different tank for my welder and get some stainless wire too. But that isn't too much of a pain. If regular steel works fine then I could use my current set up to fabricate it, and then just coat it with something.

I am pretty shure that all production automobiles use a plain mild steel, uncoated, for their gas tanks. The only thing is, if you build your own, do a preliminary leak test with something other than gasoline. If you fill it with gas first, then find a leak, your pooched.--weld pinhole--big bang sayonara!!!!

Originally posted by brianrupnow
I am pretty shure that all production automobiles use a plain mild steel, uncoated, for their gas tanks. The only thing is, if you build your own, do a preliminary leak test with something other than gasoline. If you fill it with gas first, then find a leak, your pooched.--weld pinhole--big bang sayonara!!!!

dont know it for a fact but ive always been told there is a coating inside of a gas tank to prevent rust, because there is water in all gas tanks.

Just a couple of words of advice-
When you do test your tank with pressurized air, you only need around 4-5 psi. You can over-pressurize a tank real easy. If it will hold 4 lbs without showing any bubbling when a soapy solution is sprayed on the seams, you should be good to go.
Stainless makes a nice tank, but thin stainless really welds nicest with a TIG, although you can mig it OK with 308 s/s wire. Aluminum makes a good tank too, but again you almost need to tig that.
Eastwood sells a sealer (part #10565ZP) that would prevent rust in a mild steel tank. I'm sure there are others out on the market...check at your local auto parts supplier.
Depending on the size, you may or may not need a baffle. If you do put one in, don't underestimate the forces involved with the dynamics of the gas inside the tank. In other words, weld it in good and solid...far too often people feel that just tacking it in is enough, and it ends up breaking loose and rattling around inside the tank.
As for plastics, they are a bit more specialized to work with. We weld polypropylene quite a bit, but it is not good for fuel applications. If you do opt for plastic, make sure that the polymer you are working with is compatable with fuels.
Get your sending unit beforehand so you have the dimensions for the hole and mountings before you put the tank together. You may want to weld a reinforcing backing plate where this will go, and tap the screw holes into that. Insert the unit with the gasket when pressuring up to test. Don't forget to put a removable drain plug fitting in, along with you fuel line and return line fittings.
Good luck-
tjs

All OE tanks ARE plated to prevent corrosion. It's referred to as terneplate, a zinc coating.

You can build a tank out of mild steel, but it should be coated with a corrosion inhibitor. Fuller-O'brien used to make a product called Aviation Tank Sealer, it's a slushing compound. If applied to clean steel it will not peel off. I'm sure there are other brands, I've heard that Eastwood sells one, but I have no experience with it's dependability. You might check with marine supply stores too.

You can minimize the accumulation of condensation in a tank by keeping it full, but that's not always practical. Also avoid buying fuel when the tank truck is making it's drop. Otherwise you can take your chances with a bare steel tank and keep replacing filters as they plug from the crud that will form. It's especially fun to learn that your filter is nearly plugged when you pull out to pass a spud truck on a two lane highway and your rig falls on it's nose as you punch it.

Awesome,
Thanks for all the advice guys!

One thing I forgot to ask,
can anyone recommend a good supplier for tank parts such
as senders and whatnot, or is this stuff that is all the same
no matter where you get it?

For things like sending units, I'd just go your local auto parts house. I use NAPA a lot...they handle several universal sending units that you can get in different models depending on the depth of your tank. Many times, the easiest thing on the filler neck is to cut one out of an old tank, and braze, weld, or solder it into your new tank. That gets you the proper end for vented caps etc. Do note that if you do cut one from an existing tank, do it very carefully. No flame cutting or abrasive grinding, and even sawing with a jigsaw can create a spark. Best precaution is to purge all of the air (oxygen) from the tank and replace it with an inert gas such as argon or CO2 from your mig welder. Once you're sure that no oxygen remains, you can cut it out with a saw.
Good luck-
tjs

thanks again

For fuel sending and return lines, would it be best just to weld some nuts into the tank and then I can thread in some type of fitting later?
Would any type of metal tube be a good pickup for the fuel sending line, or should I put the opening on the bottom of the tank to reduce pumping losses.
I'm using a carb, so I'll plug the return opening, but if I do switch to fuel injection would I want the return line to just dump into the top of the tank, or is another part better?

A gas tank from a Chevy blazer {new S-10 type} will work. It can be purchased new for around $100 on the web($140 @ NAPA).