I have searched and can't find a thread about this, but I do remember reading about it a month ago before I knew how bad ours was. So has anyone found a source for this part? Has amyone had one reproduced that can pass as an original? If so, how much did it cost you? I am looking for a source on the west coast so shipping isn't a big cost adder.

 

Please, when asking questions, list all the pertinent info: Year, series, Regular, Crew or Super Cab, 2WD or 4WD, mid-ship or aft axle fuel tank.

 

Bill, i would normally post that info but I thought since I posted under the '73-'79 section and all configurations have this as an option that it really didn't matter.

But, I may be wrong as this has happened inthe past (lol). My daughter's truck is a '79 F150 4x4 long bed reg cab truck. The fuel tank in question is the mid-ship tank between the frame rails. Thanks Bill for keeping all of us honest! I know it can be difficult at times, especially guys like me!!

 

AHA! Just as I thought, a 4WD w/a midship plastic fuel tank. I knew you had a '79 F150 'up front' cuz I looked at your 'About Me' profile before I typed post 2. But 2WD or 4WD isn't listed.

You won't find this same part on a 2WD, so all the configurations are not the same.

And...this was standard equipment on the following 4WD's, not an option.

D7TZ-9K134-A .. Fuel Tank Reinforcement (tank support, metal shield)-Use with mid-ship fuel tank / Obsolete / Last MSRP: $294.33 / Dealer net cost: $176.60.

Marked with ID engineering number: D7TA-9K134-AA or -AB or -AC

Applications: 1977 F250 4WD / 1978 F150/250 4WD 133" wheelbase / 1979 F150/350 4WD 133" wheelbase.

AFAIK, not reproduced, very hard to find used in decent (usuable) condition. No Ford Dealer or obsolete parts vendor has any NOS

 

As of now there are no reprobuctions and somebody really should start reproducing them because there is a market for them. I had to make mine. If there is enough left of yours for a pattern a good fab shop will probably be in the 3-$400 range for a well made copy.

 

Bill, thanks for the info, I guess I was wrong again . Now we need to find one that was reproduced by a fab shop to see if we put our business together that they might consider making several to make it profitable for them!

 

what the heck is it?

 

Here is mine. I had a fab shop cut out pieces and do the bends and some of the welding then I did some fitting & welded the rest of it together and made the mounts. It had to be fitted to the frame with the tank in it so it would align right.

 

It is basically a sheet metal box with some angle iron supports for bolting it to the frame. Since that tank is plastic and just behind the left front tire it needs some protection. The plastic tank isn't a simple box as the metal box uses the recesses to help hold the tank in place in the metal box therefore requiring some fancy bends. The metal box also doubles as the tank support so it also uses the bends to help add strength. The angle iron is welded to the top lip to strengthen the bolt areas.

I hope this explains the functionality, a pix says a thousand words but my iphone won't upload pix to this site. I need to setup an external pix library when I find time.

 

A little better picture

 

I'm in the same boat. Here's mine as I was doing a repair on the support bolts that hold the shroud in place. Note, the Pelican case, they are built really tough!

 

Mark, you left off the sending unit protector. Ours is still intact and I plan on removing it from the old one and usind mew screws to attach it to the new one. If you had it we wouldn't be able to see the electrical connection to your tank.

 

oh, crap. There was one of those on a '79 I picked up for parts that had the frame rusted through. It had some rust but was maybe usable. I scrapped it along with the frame, I didn't know wtf it was, I thought it was part of the old fuel tank or something.

 

I have a friend that did the same thing so don't feel bad ! Then he went and burned the tank. I have 2 extra tanks laying around, not worth anything but I just can't bring myself to throwing them away, who knows maybe someday someone might need one.

 

Do you have a rear tank? Ours has more rust than we would like and not sure what we will have after sand blasting.