i tried searching for the answers to my question but no dice. i have a few questions about other options as far as tudor sedan gas tank placement. i don't feel like using a gas tank as a rear bumper so the 32 frame and gas tank are out of the equation. what are you guys running as far as gas tanks on the sedans? what is the capacity of the stock tank? will i be able to use the stock tank with a 4" recess in the firewall? what other options are there? i'm wanting to give the car a more traditional stance and also have a rear seat. so no gas tank as a p***enger and i definitely not going to channel the hell out of the body. one idea i was thinking of was using one of those behind the seat gas tanks used in trucks. another option i did find on the H.A.M.B. was somebody putting their tanks in the X-member. i would like to see more of this and know if actually work. thanks for listening and for any answers given.
You're outta gas. Sounds like the only option is the stock tank! It'll work with a 4" recess but it'll limit your capacity. I think you answered you're own question.
On my 30 A Tudor I have saddle tanks. I bought them several years ago. They attach to the frame rails with straps. They fit under the splash aprons. Only drawback is the amount of fuel they hold. Probably only about seven gallons each. I'll see if I can dig up the manufacturer's name and post later.
I built some frame work off the body brace the holds the back of the back seat to a horizontal bar that goes across just behind the back of the rear side windows. Then I mounted the tank on top of that. Mine's heavily chopped and channelled with a pretty tall kickup so I just tinned it all in behind the front seats. Of course this setup completely blocks my back window but it was the size of a mailslot anyways. I'm using the spun aluminum looking 11 gallon tank from Speedway Motors. Sorry, shoul've read the whole thing. Gues my setup isn't going to work for you.
28-29 or 30-31? On my 31 tudor I am using the original tank. Holds 11 gallons. On a sedan with a back seat your options are limited. Probably the easiest if you are running fenders are the splash apron saddle tanks. I have seen some with the back seat moved a little forward and a tank behind it. If the car isn't too low I've always wondered about the idea of a custom tank between the frame rails, but have never seen that.
any reason you have to run the 4" recess in the firewall?? what motor are you running?? sbc shouldn't need a 4" recess. if you can cut up the firewall a bit closer to fit around your motor you may have a better shot. I run the stock tank in my A roadster and if you get a good one (get yours tested before you put it in!) you'll be fine with it. 11 gallons is usually enough for 95% of hot rods. most won't be driving for that long at a whack.
I have a 29 coupe and put the tank between the frame rails, behind the front seat. It sits up above the floor about 1.5 in. and holds about 13 gallons. It takes the place of the regular floor pan, and fits between the sub-rail cross braces. A lip around the edge mounts it to the cross braces. I don't remember how the floor looks in a sedan, but with a little engineering it might work for you. I drew up some plans and had a local shop build it. Here's a couple of pictures. They are old and the bottom picture got cut off some how. Red
Im in the process of building a 28 Tudor..I have the same issues..these are my views on this and my possible aproaches, none of them done at this time (too early in the build) one choice for me was to build a gas tank to fit under the rear seat, with a bulk head over it so as the fuel tank will not be "in" the car. ie..bottom of the tank will show under the car if you look..I am planing on going coil over in the rear . second choice is to have a tank made to fit in the center of the car below the floor behind the cross member between the frame rails. or the last choice use the saddle tank idea, Im going to run fenders and splash aprons so thats also an option. Im not too happy with the idea of having fuel in the cab with me..i feel its dangerous and i love life and not burning..besides ive had enough bad luck with gasoline no point in pushing it. im shooting for the magic number of 15 gallons , if im lucky i might get close to that.
I have a 30 sedan and it has a spun aluminum 10 gallon in the back inside the car the car is chopped and channeled and i dont like the idea of the tank inside with me either im going to try a tank underneath between the ch***is and the body something like a tank out of a truck its thin and might make it my choicer are limited
I am using one of these in my sedan for behind the back seat. It tapers on one side matching the back of the body. http://www.overtons.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?r=view&i=39529 The differnce between port and starboard is which side the fuel pick up is on.
I'm building a '28 tudor on '32 rails and need room for four. It's a hiboy, so saddle tanks are a non-starter. The stock tank was acceptable 80 years ago, but is also a non-starter, based on my family's safety. I've seen similar A hiboys using stock '32 tanks. They look great on roadsters & coupes (see B***' buildup for an excellent example!), but IMO, on sedans and tubs, they look kinda like a horses' diaper. Between the frame rails might work, but there's not much space. That leaves behind the back seat. Pickup truck tanks are too thick to retain much legroom. I'm tentatively going with either a tall, thin marine tank, like hr31hr, or having a local fab shop custom make one for me. I'll also add a sheetmetal "firewall" between it and the back of the backseat. It should be ~30" wide x 24" tall x 7" thick for a total of ~15-16 gal (if I keep it no more than ~7" deep, I won't lose too much legroom). Hope this helps.
Whatever you choose, in a Model A you are riding with your gas tank nearby. Do you want it in your lap like a stock tank, as your rear bumper like a '32 or as a missile behind your seat? Your best bet might be saddle tanks. There are some listed on E-bay or Tanks,Inc makes a set-different for 28/29 vs 30/31. Try the Sachse Rod Shop website-they run about $425 a set. Whatever you use, make sure you have rollover vent protection and you really need to check with your DMV to see what they'll permit. Some states are rather picky-unless you have a good inspector who doesn't care.
I'd look into a moon style tank with a safety bladder; I don't know if they even make such a thing, but I figure there has to be a market for it. If you find a supplier, let me know. You might also want to look into using a plastic tank, I know they make them for older jeeps.
ok, i forgot to mention that it is a 29. i will be running a 289 ford motor. i just heard alot about the 4" recess in the firewall, and with my ignorance on the whole matter, figured i might have to go that route. the car is going fenderless so saddle tanks are out of the question. hr, that is not a bad looking tank. the reason for my concern is because my daughter will eventually be riding in this car with me. i also do plan on driving this car alot! i do mean alot! like daily driver status.
Might think about adapting 65-68 Mustang tank depending on what's hanging underneath (think 67-68 cougar and early falcon are similar) . Measurements: 32 3/4 x 24 3/8 x 8 16 gal. - you can pick em up cheap Terry
I'm building a 29 Sedan, and have wrestled with this dilemma for a long time. I'd REALLY like it under the car, even if it alters the crossmember some. (I'm not running a big HP V8). I don't think its going to work, so last week I decided to go with the 32 style mount in the rear. I'll tuck it in tight so it doesn't look like that horses diaper! (Good ****ogy). I've been ***-packed on the road 13 times and this wasnt an easy choice, but it's not riding behind my kids in the back seat!
There is a set of saddle tanks for sale now in the clasifieds: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2510808#post2510808
Seems like a fair price-new ones are about $425 just for the tanks. Oh, and plastic might be fine, but it scares the daylights out of me for a permanent tank subject to all those stresses of motion in many directions. When I bought my A, it was running a plastic boat tank pipe strapped sort of, into the trunk area. That went as soon as I got it home!!>
I am going to use the '32 tank on a Model A frame like is shown on the Tanks website. I agree it is at the rear bumper, so to speak, but so is putting it behind the rear set...
The only way to avoid sharing a ride with your gas tank in a Model A is to convert it to electric or steam.
the 32 tanks are not too bad except i do agree with the look of a donkey diaper..any way you can get the fuel outside of the car the better off you may be in a crash. I would rather have fuel on the ground under the car than fuel on the floor under my feet. I think im going to make a tank that fits in between the frame rails between the center cross member and the rear cross member. it may end up only being 6" deep but that should be enough area to get close to 12 or 14 gallons. that way too it is protected from all sides and will have a solid floor above it.
I think the concern is valid but maybe we are being overly cautious here? Look at how many wrecked hotrods and street rods that have been posted on the HAMB over the years (there have been many), I cant recall any of those that 'sploded! Build your car solid, use common sense. And if I was rear-ended 13 times????????????? I would re-evaluate my own driving habits! Sheesh!
Yeah, my fault for sitting at at red light while a drunk plows into me. Also my fault for having a punk kid do a burnout behind me. And, my fault again for the woman who hit me at full speed in my 50 Plymouth and sent her unbuckled kids thru the gl***....... What about the time I was stuck in traffic and a dump truck sent a pickup into my 86 Cavalier? Yep.... my fault again. Then theres the unisured 16 year old girl who creamed her BF's Monte carlo into my Ford pickup.... felt sorry for her, let her go. Fixed my truck myself......... again, my fault. Wanna keep going? Sorry, sore subject with me.
Depending upon the height your frame ends up, the space between the rails is well protected, and beneath the p***enger compartment. I ran a vette IRS in '73, and the 20 gallon Olds Tornado tank lost only 1" of length, to fit within the opening. Since you will have a floating driveshaft, you want to have a well defined clearance, but might fit either two, or a high notched form of tank in this space.
Thanks Pitman you read my thoughts exactly..tank outside of car, below it, between the frame rails and protected. and as 1950Chevy Suburban put it..dude it happens, I too have been clobbered, by some *** wipe talking on her cell phone, and another *** wipe that was an ohio city worker in his pick-up truck. both times they freakin creamed my ride. so I guess that was my fault too? Just because it hase'nt happened to you (yet!) doesnt mean it will never happen..I dont ride in cars with gas tanks as seats..just like i dont jump out of perfectly good airplanes ..or at least not with out a parachute.
Yes, **** happens, that is why they are called ACCIDENTS! I wont pick on suburban, I was just pointing out a startling number. Even though I am planning on one of those tanks from Overtons I will also entertain other locations. My car will not be low or channelled so I will have some room...........but no matter what we do it is still like cramming 20 pounds of **** in a 10 pound bag. A's are just not THAT big!
I'm also building a 29 with 32 rails The quickchange means theres going to be a gas tank in the car behind the rear seat, I'm using this one from Tanks Inc. I plan on having 2 kids riding with me so I'm going to lay it against the rear panel and then build a steel bulkhead so it is isolated from the p***engers. Not the best but better than on your lap and probly the same as a 32 as far as danger goes
that 49-51 merc tank that Tanks Inc. makes might be nice too for between the rails..need dimensions ..might be too low for over the drive shaft and below the floor...just thinking out loud.
The Jalopy Journal
