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Projects Another Unfortunate!

Discussion in 'Traditional Hot Rods' started by Willywash, Apr 9, 2020.

  1. Willywash
    Joined: Sep 18, 2019
    Posts: 100

    Willywash
    Member

    Yes! I bought a 31 Ford Coupe without a deck lid. I am now trying to dummy up a gas tank in trunk space. How thick is a deck lid? I plan to buy an after market, if used one doesn't show up. I'm looking on all sites. I have about four inches from top of gas tank, to putting a straight edge across body. Should this be enough clearance?
     
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  2. dana barlow
    Joined: May 30, 2006
    Posts: 5,340

    dana barlow
    Member
    from Miami Fla.
    1. Y-blocks

    Kind depends on how many Gal. tank you want. And that if your going to go far or not with. I've see many add too big a tank,then have near no room to put stuff in the trunk. Its a trade off. The ones I've see used the most are the round alum tanks @ 6 gal,,up to 11 gal. Most of our hot rod with V8s get about 10 MPG so that's an idea of how far ya can run,between refills.
    As for making your own trunk lid; Use some sheet about same or a little bit thinner then the "A" body. If you have english wheel,it's fairly EZ to put a small bit of crown needed to look stock. But I've seen a few that look far ,that are just flat an bent to fit the hole{ no real crown=You do a mock up, dose take a framework to hole the shape anyway you do it.
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2020
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  3. verde742
    Joined: Aug 11, 2010
    Posts: 6,542

    verde742
    Member

    If you can find A Toyota Celica, a gas tank fits excellent behind seat vertically..?? Just as it fits in Toyota

    go for a '70-'77 should be findable..... fill spout isn't bad lookin' either..
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2020
  4. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,849

    5window
    Member

    I have used a 16 gallon rectangular tank from Tanks,Inc. It worked well. Put a firewall in between your tank and the passengers-but, there really is NO place to safely locate a gas tank in a '31 Ford. You probably should review your state regs,too.
     
  5. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    Think the question was how thick ?
    About 1.5" or so... think you are ok...
    If you need a more accurate measurement I will break out the calipers Friday am...
    .
    If you want to make one or have one made...
    Multiply its hight times width times length... divide by 231...
    Gives you the volume in gallons...
     
    Last edited: Apr 9, 2020
    pitman, Hnstray, ClarkH and 3 others like this.
  6. clem
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 4,553

    clem
    Member

    4 “ is heaps as long as it doesn’t interfere with hinges and latches etc...
     
  7. ramblin dan
    Joined: Apr 16, 2018
    Posts: 3,936

    ramblin dan

    I used a ford pickup 48 to 52 for my deuce roadster. It's flat on one side and is nine inches thick.
     

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  8. wheeldog57
    Joined: Dec 6, 2013
    Posts: 3,726

    wheeldog57
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    .
    If you want to make one or have one made...
    Multiply its hight times width times length... divide by 231...
    Gives you the volume in gallons...[/QUOTE]
    I will not forget this! Thanks Smitty, you have a shitload of information!
     
  9. If you are making your own and want to know how much it will hold, just Google tank volume calculator. Select the shape of the tank and enter measurements. Super easy.
     
  10. Model A Gomez
    Joined: Aug 26, 2006
    Posts: 1,804

    Model A Gomez
    Member

    I used a Tanks in
    I also used a Tanks in my Model A coupe and installed a plywood panel between the tank and the interior, not really a firewall but hopefully would give you time to get out. I covered the plywood on both sides with foil covered sound deadener like is on the floor before I reinstalled it.
     

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  11. Desmodromic
    Joined: Sep 25, 2010
    Posts: 570

    Desmodromic
    Member

    Triumph Spitfire gas tanks have a neat configuration. They may be a little small for your application, at 12 gallons. (I think that's US gallons; if Imperial, that would be 15 gallons US.) Also have a cool flip-open gas cap, which is normally located on the top-center of the rear deck.

    20200409_230028.jpg SGFTK.jpg
     
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  12. Mr48chev
    Joined: Dec 28, 2007
    Posts: 35,485

    Mr48chev
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Sounds like you want a pretty big tank but having traveled with tanks that ranged from about 12 gallons to 35 gallons outside of available space I'd say your engine's fuel mileage and the distances you intend to drive along with where you intend to drive it have a lot to do with the needed capacity. If you get 10 mpg and a road trip to Bonneville every year is one of the main things on your hot rod activity calendar you need more capacity than if anything two hours from the house is a long drive in the car.

    I remember someone telling a story about 30 years ago about doing road trips with a buddy who drove a t bucket with a big block in it that had a six gallon gas tank. A couple of guys in his club had to carry jugs of gas for him so he could put gas in on the side of the road when the distance between stations was too far and on roads with station every 50 miles apart they stopped every 50 miles so he could gas up.
     
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  13. mike bourg
    Joined: Dec 15, 2007
    Posts: 166

    mike bourg
    Member

    I will not forget this! Thanks Smitty, you have a shitload of information![/QUOTE]
    just remember that the dimensions are in inches. 231 is cubic inches in a gallon mike
     
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  14. Fitnessguy
    Joined: Sep 28, 2015
    Posts: 2,027

    Fitnessguy
    Member

    Tanks inc. universal 18 gallon tank. Fits perfect in an A and is well built. Don’t think you can beat it for the price.
    [​IMG]


    Sent from my iPhone using H.A.M.B.
     
  15. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,849

    5window
    Member

    I will not forget this! Thanks Smitty, you have a shitload of information![/QUOTE]
    If you make your own, remember there will be air space at the top. And, don't forget a roll-over valve.
     
  16. a '31 Ford coupe has a drip rail below the deck lid, just stay below the drip rail and you should be fine.
     
  17. CC-Mo
    Joined: Oct 13, 2019
    Posts: 107

    CC-Mo

    (Fitnessguy) Everytime I see a pic of that A, I stop and stare. Very nice.
     
  18. sloppy jalopies
    Joined: Jun 29, 2015
    Posts: 5,256

    sloppy jalopies
    Member

    If you make your own, remember there will be air space at the top. And, don't forget a roll-over valve.[/QUOTE]
    I like to weld 2 output ports into the base of the tank... one of them 1.5" above the other...
    set it up with a pair of ball valves and you can use the lower port as a reserve tank… works...
     
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  19. 5window
    Joined: Jan 29, 2005
    Posts: 9,849

    5window
    Member

    Tanks has an 18 gallon tank with all the fittings and mounting flanges and interior baffles for about $255.I guess depending on your skill and supplies you have on hand you could make your own, but counting labor, it would have to be pretty close. You'd likely need to buy the filler/cap, outlet ports, rollover valves,etc even if you had the steel.
     
  20. GordonC
    Joined: Mar 6, 2006
    Posts: 3,448

    GordonC
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Here is mine in the trunk of my A roadster. Tanks Inc. also. Fit well.

    20191126_141010.jpg
     
  21. Fitnessguy
    Joined: Sep 28, 2015
    Posts: 2,027

    Fitnessguy
    Member

    Thanks brother proud of what we built for a home shop
     
  22. This 13 gallon stainless fuel tank fit in my T turtle deck, should fit in an "A" with room to spare... 20191105_142128.jpg 20200219_160312.jpg
     
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  23. Blue One
    Joined: Feb 6, 2010
    Posts: 11,496

    Blue One
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Alberta

    I will not forget this! Thanks Smitty, you have a shitload of information![/QUOTE]

    That works for US gallons of course if we were talking Imperial gallons the figure would be 277.
     
  24. I had a Toyota tank in my Model A roadster, and I was told it came out of a Toyota(friendly donation for the cause). Put car together in the mid 80's, so sounds about right. I was able to mount it behind seat, but in front of the trunk bulkhead. Also, had room for battery box towards passenger side of tank. I vented everything outside car. Installed short filler neck to driver's side.
     
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  25. nunattax
    Joined: Jan 10, 2011
    Posts: 3,291

    nunattax
    Member

    tell me more about your battery,nice tidy size!
     
  26. oliver westlund
    Joined: Dec 19, 2018
    Posts: 2,754

    oliver westlund
    Member

    im surprised more guys dont make their own tank, doesnt seem too hard, especially for someone who just replaced the floors and fabbed a new cowl and firewall and built their suspension from scratch etc.... custom tank for what you want, how far you want to be able to go vs trunk space just seems like the perfect route idk
     
  27. edcodesign
    Joined: Mar 30, 2007
    Posts: 4,874

    edcodesign
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    Yep Tanks makes a nice product, used one in my A .
     
  28. I have a couple of them. cool tanks
     
  29. Some times your time is better spent on other things. Lots of off the shelf solutions out there
     
    pitman likes this.
  30. pitman
    Joined: May 14, 2006
    Posts: 5,148

    pitman

    In aluminum okay. In steel, remember the interior is lead tinned, so it won't rot.
    I worried of this, when shortening a Toronado tank by 1" to yield ~ 18 gal.
    It fit low, between the frame rails.
     

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