29 Fordor Gas Tank Removal
- Thread starter brennanmp
- Start date
Jim Parker Toronto
Well-known member
Originally, there was no "Wood Piece" on the dash. Can you show us a picture of what you are describing?
ivoryjohn
Senior Member
Do you get "The Restorer" magazine? There is a complete step by step story on removing a 28 or 29 closed car tank published a couple of months ago. Other than lots of swearing and lots of nuts and bolts there isn't a lot to it. If you have any further problems or questions contact me via email or private message.
Jim's right there isn't supposed to be any wood to remove nor is it necessary to remove the dash. The only bolts that hold the tank are on the front of the fire wall engine side, and the side cowl brace inside the car. The job isn't fat boy friendly as you need to work under the tank inside the car.
Jim's right there isn't supposed to be any wood to remove nor is it necessary to remove the dash. The only bolts that hold the tank are on the front of the fire wall engine side, and the side cowl brace inside the car. The job isn't fat boy friendly as you need to work under the tank inside the car.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Better go look again 'Boys!!
Below is the best pictures I got at the moment since we are working on a Fordor in the shop right nowwhere I could go snap a few pix. That might help some visualize that there IS supposed to be wood there.
To get the tank out, remove the dash, and the filler panel between the lower firewall and the tank firewall, and then remove the screws on the front lip of the tank at the bracket (pictured below). Then the tank can be removed out through the bottom of the body after the gas cap has been removed however they are generally wedged up in there pretty tight.
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RichPA
Senior Member
Les says to remove the windsheild but I didnt have to, just openned it. Mine is a 29 Briggs Fordor 3 Window. There was no wood piece but there is a gap in there so someone may have left it out.The tank was obviously out at one time.I removed the dash panel but could have left it in.You do have to pull the column, the firewall filler below the tank as mentioned,500 nuts and bolts,and the side braces that bolt to the a pillar and cowl.There were 2 bolts and nuts at the top behind the dash panel that had no access to the nuts, I had to pry the tank downward while turning the bolts so the nuts would not spin.Of course there is the inst cluster, speedo cable and wire harness.Now I just have to clean it, a subject of another thread, Rich.Good luck.
Jim Parker Toronto
Well-known member
You da Man, Brent. My experience was with a Roadster, I guess its different......
ivoryjohn
Senior Member
My Fordor is also a Briggs and is perhaps a later body but there is no wood under the dash. I have to bow to senior experience but I was under the impression that the reason there is no wood filler under the dash is so the air can flow under the dash and down when the window is cracked open as it does in mine. The is also no wood on the door side of the cowl as is shown in the photos and there doesn't seem to have ever been. The kick panels screw in to threaded receivers on the pillar.
When I restored the car I was impressed at the condition of the original body wood and the fact there had never been any rust on this car. The original factory stencil numbers are still on the bottom leaf of the front springs.
Please continue to debate this as I think there is more to the story of wood under the dash. My car doesn't have it and everything is quite proper.
If I can ever figure out how to post pictures of my car I'll include them. It looks a lot different than the photos shown.
When I restored the car I was impressed at the condition of the original body wood and the fact there had never been any rust on this car. The original factory stencil numbers are still on the bottom leaf of the front springs.
Please continue to debate this as I think there is more to the story of wood under the dash. My car doesn't have it and everything is quite proper.
If I can ever figure out how to post pictures of my car I'll include them. It looks a lot different than the photos shown.
Smokey Pickett
Member
Mine is a Murray, which might make a difference. I have wood on the front door pillars but none on the cowl. I had the tank out for steering mount repair. dropped the steering, of course and pulled the firewall and floor. The tank came out through the inside of the car, with much grunting and uhing. I had to tap the gas filler neck with a soft mallet but it eventually came down.
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BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
John, I promise there is wood in there .................on some bodystyles of Fordors.
(Hint: list all of the body codes for Fordors)
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(Hint: list all of the body codes for Fordors)
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ivoryjohn
Senior Member
Smokey's cowl pillar looks like mine, no wood. I have no doubt that there is wood on some of the different bodies. I forget that the cars were in a constant state of refinement and design change. My body seems to be a late 29 Briggs. I wonder what else is different from the earlier ones.
I had aways thought that the reason Model A's survived in such great numbers was because of the limited use of wood in the construction of the bodies. I also thought that the reason there were few Chevy's was that Fisher relied on metal panels tacked to wood frames which rotted and fell apart.
I had aways thought that the reason Model A's survived in such great numbers was because of the limited use of wood in the construction of the bodies. I also thought that the reason there were few Chevy's was that Fisher relied on metal panels tacked to wood frames which rotted and fell apart.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Yes but does Smokey's cowl pillar look like Mike's??
It really isn't as much that these were in a constant state of refinement as it is the bodystyle. There were more than one type of Fordor bodystyle at any given time.
Smokey Pickett
Member
How do you sort em out? I was contacted by a guy looking for Murray wood who said he didn't have any wood at all in front of the door.Thats a rusty, right front door post in his picture. I have wood posts as in the next picts and its very obvious that Brents fordor has a lot more. Mine is an 8-29 Murray.
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asapguy
Senior Member
The 60 A&B Briggs bodies have a thick wood piece that runs the entire width of the gas tank. The dash rail attaches to this wood. I can't speak for the Murray bodies, they may not this wood piece. I believe the dash rail is unique to the Briggs bodies. They only fit the Briggs fordor & Cabriolet. I use to have two of these wood pieces but sold them at swap meets. I now have a very early 60B & this piece of wood can be seen very easily looking up under the dash rail.
BRENT in 10-uh-C
Well-known member
Rich, the Rowland city fathers would like their back hoe returned
I think your cleaning method is excellant and the pic has made my day.
How does this method actually work? Can someone explain the process?
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Keith True
Well-known member
I've done it dozens of times,mostly on tractor and equipment tanks.It is not perfect,there is no substitute for blasting,but I have had zero problems doing it this way.I use a quart or two of Black Beauty sand,(coal slag),a gallon of muriatic acid,dump it all in,strap it up and let it turn.Sometimes an hour,sometimes ten hours.That is the simple explanation,the A tanks need a little fancier rigging.The A tank has to have the top almost perfectly 90 degrees to the wheel,if it is not the underside of the top will not get done.Also,if they are turned too fast the sand will migrate to the the other sides of the baffles and stay there.I check after a half hour and if there is still a cup or so of sand in the center I know it is swashing back and forth in there.It is not a perfect process,but the one I have that was done in 1972,just before I started driving is still holding up fine.I can still see the black spots left behind just as they were back then.But,the tank has never since been subjected to the use it had before that.Has always been under cover since,has not been filled from cans that sat in the sun making water,and for most years it has had a cup of ATF thrown in over the winter.That tank accumulated a total of 1/2-3/4 inch of powder in the bowl during all those years.I dumped about 1/4 inch out in the late 80's,because the gasket went bad and I had to take it apart.Then I did it again a couple of years ago,same reason,bad gasket.The REAL fun is getting the sand out.You will get 98% with a water hose and swishing it around,that other 2% is fun.The one I did last summer is showing a little gray powder in the bowl,with just a couple specks of black sand.I just don't see any perfect way of doing it.I have a tank bottom that was given to me by a guy that cut the top off for a hot rod.I played with it a little,and peeled one of the baffles off the bottom.There was rust between the baffle and the bottom of the tank.In theory that is not going to stop,in reality I wouldn't worry about it.With the alcoholic gas now,attracting water,who knows what will happen?
Steve Plucker
BANNED
Was not the wood peice in question originally covered with top fabric?
When I had my 1928 Fordor body, this was the case.
Someone flew all the way up here from San Diego area and bought it sight unseen in 1993-1994. I wonder who that was?
Pluck
When I had my 1928 Fordor body, this was the case.
Someone flew all the way up here from San Diego area and bought it sight unseen in 1993-1994. I wonder who that was?
Pluck
Glenn C.
Well-known member
The wood piece is supposed to be covered with a material like the roof top, but much finer grain, overlapped partially on a strip of cardboard. The wood header is correct for the Briggs 60A & 60B. Not sure about the 60C. Do not remove the wood header to remove the tank