40 gas tank?

This morning i woke up and wanted to drive my car but couldn’t (apparently these things need a gas tank to drive more than 25 ft). So, i bought the drake tank. Hoping it’s a different manufacturer than Dennis carpenter. Didn’t want the oversized fuel tanks from tank inc so not many options it seems. We will see.
 
busmania said:
This morning i woke up and wanted to drive my car but couldn’t (apparently these things need a gas tank to drive more than 25 ft). So, i bought the drake tank. Hoping it’s a different manufacturer than Dennis carpenter. Didn’t want the oversized fuel tanks from tank inc so not many options it seems. We will see.
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I have installed a number of Drakes tanks. I'm fairly certain that is what Carpenter sells as well.
Unless Drake improved (read: corrected) his design, you will find the tank a bit too wide to install easily. I'd never had an issue as the bodies were always off while I restored the chassis.
The Drake tanks do have a larger capacity than the original.
 
The good news is my trunk is cut out currently so removing and re installing is a breeze. Haha. I probably just got a “bad” one. Sucks buying parts 3 years in advanced (I had the money then) only to find out after the fact it’s bad and now it’s been too long to file a complaint with the I (Dennis carpenter) don’t actually care department. I do find it strange it was fine for the first year of use (1500 miles) and then just all the sudden **** the bed. I’m not actually convinced my tank is bad yet but the bubbles don’t really lie.
 
busmania said:
The good news is my trunk is cut out currently so removing and re installing is a breeze. Haha. I probably just got a “bad” one. Sucks buying parts 3 years in advanced (I had the money then) only to find out after the fact it’s bad and now it’s been too long to file a complaint with the I (Dennis carpenter) don’t actually care department. I do find it strange it was fine for the first year of use (1500 miles) and then just all the sudden **** the bed. I’m not actually convinced my tank is bad yet but the bubbles don’t really lie.
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I'm willing to bet a good coating of sealer would make that tank usable.
 
I have no doubt you are right kube. I just don’t have time for that at the moment.

I just tested the old tank again and now I’m confident it’s leaking under the filler neck where that reinforced piece of metal is.

Edit
Did a 3rd test. Filled it with water, then plugged all the holes and pressurized it ever so slightly with some air. As suspected, water shooting out under the filler neck like a fire hose. Hard to see in photos but now I’m certain this tank is bad. I love aftermarket parts!

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Updating this for future readers. I got the drake tank. They are very similar but ever so different so I’m hoping it’s a different manufacturer. The drake tank has a drake logo embossed on it. Also the corners are slightly different. The photos make the drake tank look bigger but it’s not. Same size and almost identical shape.

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busmania said:
Updating this for future readers. I got the drake tank. They are very similar but ever so different so I’m hoping it’s a different manufacturer. The drake tank has a drake logo embossed on it. Also the corners are slightly different. The photos make the drake tank look bigger but it’s not. Same size and almost identical shape.
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My 40 V8 (standard) coupe came to me with truckloads of NOS parts as the previous owner bought the car in 1957 and at that time bought everything he could find from dealerships. I had 2 NOS gas tanks and when I took the old one out it was a bit of a war and installing the NOS one was just as difficult. I would bet a lot of money the tank was installed before the body on the assembly line. Never any damage on this car, 47k miles and still had original waffle tar paper in the tool area. The only car I have ever had that had NO rust and NO dents after taking the body down to bare metal before repainting it CMG. 40 tanks can be a pain unless the body is off.
 
Excellent video. Thanks for posting it.
Can't help but wonder who makes the "competitor tank"?




Bob Drake Repro said:
Hi All. We have had a lot of questions on our tanks over the years, so we made a quick video highlighting the differences between the Drake-Tank and the competitor's tank. The video is a little dry (it was made by our R&D team), but highlights the major differences. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SXkNkjxojI
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Not sure if anyone is really against the Tanks Inc unit, but it is not "as original." It works and fits, I have one, but it would not pass a concourse judging. The Tanks Inc unit is not the competitor tank in the video. Tanks Inc doesn't put a drain on their tank or the side bracing.
 
2dasand said:
Why is everyone against the larger Tanks unit?
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I’m not against it but have no need for it. I dont drive long distances so then add in the fact it looks “different” means I dont want it. Also I was told it hangs down lower and is visibly different from the back. My car is lowered so I don’t need the tank scraping the pavement. I have enough problems as it is.
 
Like I posted, I had enough trouble installing a NOS 40 Ford gas tank in a never damaged car, I can't imagine the fight would be for one that was larger, unless the body was already off.
Getting the original out was just as difficult.
 
I guess I was lucky. Both my stock OEM 40 tank and my TANKS larger polyethylene tank were installed in my 40 coupe without having to lift body up off frame. Also added a drain plug to the TANKS tank.

The problems with the TANKS tank was that I had to enlarge the hole to allow the stock sending unit to slide in AND also make new mounting screw holes using Nutserts as the TANKS tank does not have the OEM gas tank sending unit screw holes. I don't know if this is true for their metal tanks. Plus, the TANKS plastic tank does not have cage nuts to secure it in place. I had to use toggle bolts. Finally, the TANKS plastic tank does not use gravity feed like the OEM so you have to reroute your fuel line.

Given these "problems" I would recommend using an original tank or the aftermarket tank that installs easily and is just like the OEM tank.
 

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