I was just down in the basement and this thought dawned on me (it may have been suggested before, sorry if it is a repeat). As I was looking across the basement, I couldnt stop staring at my home heating oil tank. Placed horizontal, I was thinking how it could be modified to form a TUB. Here are the dimentions of common tanks: 275 Gallon is 27 tall x 44 wide x 60 long 330 Gallon is 27 tall x 44 wide x 72 long Here is a image I quickly made up to show what I'm talking about: New tanks cost from $150 to $300 depending on size. They are made of 12 gauge steel. What do you think??
It is one way to build a low buck rod, and truly unique it would be. That mock up pic just gets the wheels turning in my head.
I've thought of that before, but as a streamliner, sort of a cheap-o version of a belly tank, only narrowed. If you want to drive it on the street, the trick would be to make it not look like an oil tank. With the streamliner idea, it wouldn't really matter since it would be a racecar.
I wonder if steel that thick would be enough to support the car unibody style without using a whole frame?...now that would be interesting....maybe if you didnt cut to much out of it would be pretty damn strong....and open a world of possibilities.
...............and painted it flat black with www and red rims......... (just kidding) That IS a very creative idea and looks like it could work out......
I agree with the WEIGHT issue.... 275 gallon=280 LBS 330 gallon=320 LBS But this thought I got last night while smoking crack (j.k.) has been eating away at me all night long!! I think it can be done so it looks cosmeticly appealing as well as strong/ yet light enought not to be overkill. Let's see...the...... OIL CAN ROADSTER!!! I 've really been considering making my own bucket from scratch, but I just can't get this idea out of my head!!!
Creative yes, just not sure the payoff in time and effort would be worth it. There are alot of none popular models cowls, doors, etc. that could be picked up and turned into something cool. But if you have a burning desire, go for it.
well, i think that if you've got an extra oil tank lying around wanting to be used cut it in half lengthwise (and "flatwise") and make a big barbeque grill out of it; go to a swap meet and buy a cowl (off of anything from the skinny fendered era); while you're there buy the rear of a touring car that someone made into a modified; and scratch build "doors" or "sides". you'll prolly have less cash invested and will have a body that looks a h*## of a lot better. but that's just my opinion. i could be wrong (plagerized from dennis miller)
You know, now you have to prove a point....your rep is on the line! So, I say do it! Actually, the firewall looks right and where the winshield sits, it look tapered like a roadster (just in the wrong direction). Cut the back off of it and put a 55 gallon drum turned sideways, cut it out and walla, you've got a trunck. I'm being about half silly and half serious! My grandpa, the old tight wad hotrodder just replaced his fuel oil tank and he called me about 3 months ago and said, "I think this fuel oil tank looks like a roadsterbody." I laughed and told him he was nuts! However, it may not look the best, but you could honestly say no one else has one and it would certainly qualify as a low budget car. Grandpa always said, Poor people have poor ways of doing things.........
Looks like it'd work great... Just make sure you use the right track width on the tars to fit between the rows so ya don't run over any turnip plants with that field car...
Sound like a barrel of fun. Who knows, paint it to look like a can of Wolf's Head oil. Hey, its traditional, right?
I think it's feasible if you just cut lots and lots of "speed holes" in the tank. Swiss cheese it like there's no tomorrow.
Man thats got me thinking to! I could mount it over the frount of my garage and have all my drinking buds over to get on the roof and turn it into a CAN-O-PEE. Just KIDING now were did I put that dry sump oil pan and that wore out sb
I could see it a lot of fun and get alot of attention if done like an oll racer and sponcerd by a oil company
i trust that everyone who's read this thread has also read: http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43280&highlight=tank right?
Go for it man!!!!! I thought this forum was about spreading the gospel of traditional hot rodding. I'm sure that part of the hot rodding tradition has to do with creativity, ingenuity, and doing what others say couldnt be done and most importantly doing what others say SHOULDNT be done. IMHO if you succeed you will have something unique. If you fail you will have learned valuable lessons that you can share with your fellow HAMBers. It may never look like a super trad model A but the plus side is that in the end it wont look like just another Model A
you better be a good welder if you put it on another chassis and if you go unibody you better be a really good really good welder but a cool idea none the less!!
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