Fuel tank

old guy rich

old guy rich

Senior Member
Hi guys, happy Thanksgiving to all. I have a question about changing my sending unit on my 55 Ford Victoria. I was in my good clothes today but had the idea to pull out my sending unit, knowing there was a little cover in the trunk floor would make it easy. I took the cover off and the sending unit wire just went forward out of sight, no sending unit in sight. Do I need to pull the tank or can I just jack the car up and get to it that way. Thanks. Old guy
 
Sounds like you have something other that an original type tank. Only option is to drop the tank.
 
On my 55 sedan, the sender was right under the little door in the trunk floor. Had the sender out more than one time.
 
The hole in the gas tank for the sending unit is aligned with the trunk floor round access cover. If there is nothing there when you remove that cover, someone has swapped to a different gas tank, but I would be concerned in that instance that the wire terminal for the sending unit on that tank may be hitting the underside of the trunk floor (unless it has a deep recess in the tank that places the terminal below to level of the top of the tank).
 
Thanks Daves55sedan, I'm trying to put a pic here, hope it works.
 

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That ain't right. Somebody adapted a different tank. There's no way you can access the sender except to drop the tank.
 
Dobie Gillis said:
That ain't right. Somebody adapted a different tank. There's no way you can access the sender except to drop the tank.
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I will drop the tank at some point Dobie, the filler neck is in perfect position and I haven't had any issues filling the tank. Had the car for 17 years. Thanks. old guy
 
It's not the right tank. If need be, reproduction tanks are offered by many of the repro parts suppliers. Now you need to verify if someone has adapted the original sending unit to that tank somewhere or installed a newer type of sensor AND if the sensor is actually compatible with your gauge. If they have a later style sending unit, it is possible that the fuel guage in your dashboard isn't original either. Not that originality matters, but are the sender and guage compatible with each other? That's the big question.
Also has your car been converted to 12-volts, if so, the best way to convert the system is to get a '56 sending unit (direct bolt-in to original tank) with no modifications AND a '56 fuel guage. Remove faceplate and needle from '56 guage and replace with faceplate and needle from an original '55 guage. No need to add a voltage regulator to the '56 fuel guage input wiring.
Sorry to open huge can of worms on you!
P.S. Need to fix rust-holes in trunk floor and re-paint both sides before re-installing tank. Hehe.
 
Daves55Sedan said:
It's not the right tank. If need be, reproduction tanks are offered by many of the repro parts suppliers. Now you need to verify if someone has adapted the original sending unit to that tank somewhere or installed a newer type of sensor AND if the sensor is actually compatible with your gauge. If they have a later style sending unit, it is possible that the fuel guage in your dashboard isn't original either. Not that originality matters, but are the sender and guage compatible with each other? That's the big question.
Also has your car been converted to 12-volts, if so, the best way to convert the system is to get a '56 sending unit (direct bolt-in to original tank) with no modifications AND a '56 fuel guage. Remove faceplate and needle from '56 guage and replace with faceplate and needle from an original '55 guage. No need to add a voltage regulator to the '56 fuel guage input wiring.
Sorry to open huge can of worms on you!
P.S. Need to fix rust-holes in trunk floor and re-paint both sides before re-installing tank. Hehe.
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Daves55Sedan, thanks for your comment, good info. The car is 6 volts and I believe the dash gauge is correct, looks like the 55's I had as a kid. This tank is not the correct one obviously, I have no idea about the sending unit either. I will eventually drop the tank and see what is going on after the holiday season. Thanks again. old guy.
 
old guy rich said:
... The car is 6 volts and I believe the dash gauge is correct, looks like the 55's I had as a kid. This tank is not the correct one obviously, I have no idea about the sending unit either. I will eventually drop the tank and see what is going on after the holiday season. Thanks again. old guy.
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Was the Fuel gauge working relatively well since you've had the car, or not?
The original fuel gauge and sender work best when they're a year matched pair.
Because of the unusual way the oem '55 parts were made (heat sensitive switching contacts in the sender, not variable resistance) new 'replacements' often don't work as well as promised, esp if paired with an original part. Good used original parts may be difficult to find.
 

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dmsfrr said:
Was the Fuel gauge working relatively well since you've had the car, or not?
The original fuel gauge and sender work best when they're a year matched pair.
Because of the unusual way the oem '55 parts were made (heat sensitive switching contacts in the sender, not variable resistance) new 'replacements' often don't work as well as promised, esp if paired with an original part. Good used original parts may be difficult to find.
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Dmsfrr I have owned the car for 17 years and the gauge has never worked. Don't ask why I waited this long to fix it, it was not a big deal as we took the mileage and went by that. The gauge stays on empty with the key off and goes to 1/4 full and stays there with the key on. It must be the incorrect tank/sending unit causing the problem. As I mentioned, I will drop the tank and see what has happened. Thanks for your input. old guy.
 
Here's one way to fix it. After getting an actual '55/56 Ford car gas tank, get an original '55 car sending unit (maybe from epay, Hemmings Motor news or other popular parts sales sources).
Remove fuel guage from your instrument cluster and make a little box to protect the needle from damage and include it along with the sending unit to one of the instrument specialists like Bob's Speedometer, or Williamsons Instruments Inc. with a letter enclosed explaining that the guage works but may need to be re-calibrated with the sending unit and that the condition of the sending unit is unknown and should be tested. Let them know if you need any cosmetic work done on the parts too (they are very good at asthetic restoration as well as mech/elec).
If your vehicle is a sedan or hardtop, get a sending unit from a sedan or hardtop and NOT from a wagon and vice-versa. The cars and wagons have different length sending unit float arms which will effect fuel level at the guage.
 
No helpful info here but just to add to the confusion..... this is my Bob Drake '55/'56 tank modified to fit a '54 Customline. It has the in tank fuel pump provision. It came with a cover plate to cover either hole so you could run an external pump if desired.

BQHiNRml.jpg
 
evintho said:
No helpful info here but just to add to the confusion..... this is my Bob Drake '55/'56 tank modified to fit a '54 Customline. It has the in tank fuel pump provision. It came with a cover plate to cover either hole so you could run an external pump if desired.

BQHiNRml.jpg
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Wonder how hard it would be to convert to a side fill for my SD?
 
Shouldn't be too difficult. In my '27 roadster I'm running a Geo Metro gas tank under the turtle deck. I had a local radiator shop move the filler neck to the center of the tank. I think he said he silver soldered a plate over the factory hole on the left and then attached a filler neck in the center. Total cost was $50.

O7SxCr1l.jpg
 
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