Legality of gas tank out front

I live in South Australia and was wondering if anybody knew what the five'0 thought of gas tanks out front on street cars.
Hope this doesn't start more g***er wars on the HAMB.


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99.9% of the ones I have ever seen are for display use only, they were never used as gas tanks anyway, just as a back up off the line for race cars to help with fuel starvation on launch.

And they are tiny.....

And, 1st on the scene if you crash....

 

The street car guys that actually used (use) them used them for their "race" gas with a valve setup to switch from the rear tank to the front tank to race with higher octane gas than they ran on the street. For most highboy roadster guy's it's a deal of "the McMullan Roadster had one so I have to have one" sort of thing. Some guys do hook them up as radiator puke cans though.

To me it's like sticking one of those big ugly sunvisors on your custom. Unless you have the whole regalia to go with it it just looks like stuck on bling that doesn't do anything. Whole regalia meaning an engine with a blower or tunnel ram, a compe***ion look to the whole car and some serious meats on the back as Tom McMullen had on his that gave the car the whole package look.

 

Generally, I try to stay ahead of, isolated from, and up-wind of fuel containers and fire. Gary

 

Ts and As had 'em.

 

As far as collisions go, the front of one car equals the rear of another as gas tanks are concerned.

 

Really Herb ....





I think you are looking to dance with these guys ....





Jim

 

Huh? HRP

 

Jim

 

I heard the reason Ford changed from the tank in your lap to the rear tank in '32 was because NY outlawed it.

 

I've too been wondering if its STILL legal in Aus to run the original Model A tanks where they are. I have a feeling Kustomism is referring to the "Moon" style tanks though..

 

I would say no chance. Your not even supposed to have jerry cans on the outside anymore. Also should you have an accident you'll be in deep **** and your insurance company won't pay out certainly as its not original equipment on the car. I doubt if there are any real ones hooked up.

 

I've heard of guys using them for their beer.

Using them for alcohol / soft drink / extra for a radiator / engine oil all seem far better than fuel..

 

I was laughed at when I suggested it to "Potsy" (local SA engineer who inspects special vehicles for the 'orthoritees'). Why not use it as an overflow for the radiator? With some clever plumbing no one will know. Or you can just put it out there for style only - empty and functionless. Personally I'd prefer to use it for something.

 

I'll say this as simply as I can for you...Ford model A and T's had gas tanks in front, said in fun How's that?!

 

you've got your front and your middle mixed up. you ever heard of shine-ola.

 

Well, my T had the gas tank in front! I made a 10gal tank to look like a front spoiler. This was 45yr ago however, I was 19 and drove this thing 600 mi to Tulsa '73 Nats.

On retrospect, it comes under the heading of "What was I thinking?" Front end crash and I would have been a roman candle.

 

Even if those tanks are functional if you get into a collision that cute little tank is the least of your worries.

 

You can say it ten more times if you want, but no they didn't.

 

Thank you for taking the time to explaining you thoughts to a senile old man.

In front,as the OP implied was IN FRONT ,meaning hanging in front of the radiator of the car not in your lap like T's & A's. HRP

 

That's what mine is for - an expansion/overflow tank.

 

I worked in an auto wrecking yard next door to a dedicated Model A yard and had a chance to view hundreds of wrecked Fords. Remember a few that resulted in fires. It seems that when the steering column is jammed toward the driver in a collision that the drop that is attached to the bottom of the tank and rips it open. Later models eliminated that feature and went to a bracket independent of the tank. Direct collision seldom involved the tank. Good Luck: Fred A

 

You ever heard of ****, it's different than shine-ola and less confusing then your statement?

 

I know what was meant, I was being facetious!

 

the neatest "moon gas tank" in front of the grill, I've seen, had the bottom cut out carefully. Concealed the battery, and the " fuel lines" were actually the battery cables. only real short cables needed. Sure thought it was "good use" of a moon tank, on a 32 Ford.

 

Ingenious!

 

Yes, this is a very clever idea if done properly.

 

Ummm, YES they were. MANY of the G***ers and Altered used them as gas tank. Look at Wild Willie Borsch's car - that one is the gas tank and is still used that way. The tubing cage around it was due to rules changes, because it is the gas tank.
The one on my Anglia (although it's behind the fibergl*** nose, it is in front of the radiator and frame) was always the only tank as well.
I would say that 99.9% of the ones on Real G***ers and Altereds WERE used as gas tanks, otherwise they wouldn't be there at all on a race car. Some may have been a surge tank only, but they were still carrying fuel.

To the OP - I can't say if they would be legal or not in Australia (I would guess not). I know a few guys here that use them on the street as a surge tank for the injection, although most on the street are not used for fuel

 

.........The best answer in this thread.

 

VW bugs and Corvairs had gas tanks in front. I'm sure there there are still a bunch of them on the road somewhere.