I have seen lots of cars set up with a small aluminum tank in front of the grill over the years. Even some old pictures. It definitely looks cool. Is it technically track legal, or did some just "get away with it?"
from what little I know about it....If it is for fuel the tanks needs to be in behind the bumper or some other brace/ bracket so that it is not the outer most part of the front end. And yes some tracks may be letting it fly. Some of those tanks are empty or they are over flow tanks for the radiator.
Rules have changed over the years at sanctioned tracks even at non sanctioned tracks. Basically you are supposed to hit steel before you hit the tank it is the same on both ends.
Yes, there has to be a bumper further out past the tank. A lot of guys use a heavy mount plate under the tank, which is legal. And there are a lot of dummy tanks -- required as part of the g***er build checklist
Tank has to be protected by steel bar or used as a dummy tank. Observed the jayhawker getting the run around in tech inspection at a nostalgia race about 8 yrs ago for the same issue. Bumper was there. they specifically stated the tank had to be protected with steel tubing - body panels weren't sufficient. The car has been that way since the 60's, but I understood the point. I would just use it a a dummy tank - much safer all around.
i was there also when the jayhawker was being h***led by the tech guy. he even had a jaz plastic tank up front the moon tank was fake. i ran a moon tank up front to and never had trouble. i had mine behind the grille and had square tubing around it. i still think if i crashed it would have not have mattered. as far as i know there are no specs on mounting one up front. i do know the reason why they put them there in the first place. a fuel injected or blown engine requires so much fuel delivery that a trunk mounted system could not keep up with engine demands. the fuel line would have to be so large that the column of fuel would be to much weight wise to move forward when the car launches. it has nothing to do with looking cool or nostalgic. they have pumps now that can do the job in most situations were it is not worth the risk to mount the pump up front anymore
Tech will also not like if you use springs run inside plastic tubing to hold your tank into the old style mounts. I have seen tech @ Bowling Green HRR have them replaced w/ all thread wrapped around the tank w/ a nut on each end before they allowed them on the track or flat stock. Yes, their are allot of goofy looking mounted tanks out their these days. Some pull it off...others not so much............Littleman
As cool as they look I don't think I'd want one sticking out front with fuel in it unless well protected, just asking for disaster I'd say. One of our locals had one between the front horns on his A. Last year he hit the wall at our drag strip head on just past the launch (not that fast) and the tank popped like a water balloon. I'd hate to think what would of happened if it was gas instead of water in it.
Here's a good look at the Winged Express' setup <iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/wuZcEAZllbE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
to richard d what kind of fuel are you going to use if its gas i would say you don't need the tank up front. you would not be using the volume like nitro or alcohol. and thats the whole thing with this tank mounting thing its about supply to the pump. just look at a fuel cars line to the pump they use at least an 20 line. and the reason they were mounted higher up was to take advantage of gravity feeding the pump on the winged express there is no protection on top of the tank what if it goes upside down. but it does look cool
One non-safety thought... I may be wrong, but a few years back all the pro stock style cars and trucks had fuel tanks in the rear. But then... IVO all those rumors of doctored fuel, draining and refuling cars in staging randomly by the NHRA became common place and eventually helped get the tanks moved up front - where it was easier to purge the carbs and lines in random checks and keep a handle on any special additives. Plus, the long fuel lines from front to rear might have provided an opportunity for hidden devices to inject power boosters. Or was I dreaming when all those cars got their fuel replaced before running? Gary
Having the gas tank be the first thing to arrive at the scene of an accident doesn't sound like a good plan.
...... no, but I wouldn't want any of the following either. I believe older Jeeps had the tank under the seat? Some Gyro-Copters had(and maybe still do?) a combination seat/fuel tank that was made of blow molded plastic. A friend of a friend crashed one. Any chance of survival was eliminated when the tank he was strapped to split open. Older pick-up trucks had the tank inside the cab, behind the seat. If the filler tube pulls out of the rubber tank grommet in an accident it isn't good. When that grommet deteriorated and the tank was filled too full gas would spill into the cab when turning. When the tank got old and rusted that would also leak fuel into the cab. Early Fords had the fuel tank inside the car, above your legs. The "T" series MGs had the tank on the OUTSIDE of the car on the back. On left hand drive versions the filler cap was right behind the drivers head. On sprint cars and old Indy cars the rear body work was/is actually a large fuel tank. Before modern tanks and bladders that was extremely dangerous.
Mine is mounted behind the grille and i have not been h***eled yet but have only had it out a couple of times. But it was at a nhra sanctioned track. The rule book is very vague to say the least but the way i interpeted it was that it needed bars in front of it or had to be mounted within the confines of the frame rails side to side and behind the leading edge of the frame rails. That's how i mounted mine and it p***ed tech inspection.
I am considering running one on a front engine Corvair. It will be a street-strip(mostly street) car; I hate to admit it but it would be mostly for looks.
Kind of the same as; "the more hazardous something is, the better it works." Or, "the better something tastes, the less healthy it is."
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