Fuel tank

lucky

lucky

Member
My fuel tank is leaking on the 38 cpe.

Who is best vendor for a fuel tank, and would coated steel or plactic be the better choice?

Also it looks like the tank mounts over the frame on both sides, what is the procedure for this?

I notice some vendor's advertise a mounting kit, I don;t see where a kit would be required, looks like bolts to frame on flange on sides of tank if it is like original?

thanks, marvin
 
Marvin, I removed the tank from my '35 3W 3 or 4 years ago. I believe your '38 is similar. Just disconnect the tank from the hose at the filler tube (mine didn't have a hose), then remove the the 3 mounting bolts that mount the tank to the frame. You might have to "pry" the chasis apart just a little to allow the tank enough clearance to drop. Be sure to disconnect the gas line & sender wire also.

You should be able to locate a nice galvinized tank from Tanks, Inc or Bob Drake. Good luck, Pat
 
I bought a Drakes tank about 4 years ago,and it was stamped wrong on bottom so it was hard to put on car.I did my own bending on the tank to fit.This should be fixed by now? The caged nut were the wrong size,and the bolt kit had rolled threads no good.I used hardware store bolts and larger nuts.I would go with the steel tank.Mine is working.The problem is onder the filler tube its to far the left and makes hard to get up in place.To remove slide to right side far enought, to let the left side to drop.Drain tank lighter LOL.
 
The mounting kit has bolts and springs to mount the tank. I believe this is so the frame can flex without damaging the tank. Marv
 
I also bought a fuel tank from Bob Drake for my '35 (I am using a '36 tank). It is not exactly shaped like the original. It is much larger across on the bottom. This extra width did cause a problem. I had to grind part of the right frame channel slightly and the lip on both sides of the tank. Everything did eventually fit but it did take some work to slip it in. Incidentally, due to the larger bottom the tank it is somewhat close to the stock position tail pipe (less than an inch).

To use the original sender (Drake's sender wouldn't work accurately with the original '36 gauge), you will need to grind away the lip around the sender hole so the original sender will fit. The bolt pattern around the hole is the same as the '36 sender.

Again, it took some extra work but everything did come together

Hope this helps.

Tom
 
One other suggestion and is dependent on the leak. When I had my tank cleaned on my '36, I discovered some pin holes in the bottom. I soldered on some small pieces of tin over the holes. They have been on there over 25 years and no problems. I also used aircraft sealer inside the tank. Based on the fitment issues of the aftermarket tanks, I would sure consider a repair of the original if possible. Ed
 
Remove the filler neck and the 3 bolts on the frame, 2 on the left and 1 one the right. Loosen the tail pipe at the rear and pull it over to the right, you may have to tie it to the fender brace or something to hold it out of the way. Remove the fuel line from the front of the tank. Either remove the lid in the floor and disconnect the sender wire or if you have help or can support the tank as it comes down you can reach in over the tank and remove the wire. You have to slide the tank over to the drivers side so the flange on the right side of the tank will clear the top of the frame rail on the right side. They usually don't clear and have to be forced about 1/8th" to the left. A piece of wood against the side of the tank so you don't dent it and a 2X4 up in the frame and prying against the wood will move it so you can get a BIG screw diver up between the frame and edge of the flange. Once you get one screw driver in at the rear edge get another one in up near the front and it will come down. To install I put a piece of 16 gauge steel about 6" by 8"s long so it sits at an angle on the bottom flange of the right side of the frame and the top up against the top flange when the tank is in position. This allows the lip of the tank to ride up this angle past the top edge of the frame. I have done lots of them, one 2 weeks ago with only the help of some 1/4" ropes. G.M.
 
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