Question for everyone. I have a 49 F1 and I was wondering what gas tank did you use to put the tank under your bed? Did someone offer a "kit" or did you make it your self? Im still in the planning stage and im looking for ideas.

Thanks,
Dave

 

I used a 70 Mustang 22 gallon tank. Made the brackets from a tech article here on FTE.

 

There are several options for rear mount tanks on our trucks. If you want a 'kit' you can check with Classic Haulers for their aluminum tank that fits right behind the rear axle without any cutting or crossmember relocating. IMHO, the problem with the Mustang tank is the rear crossmember must be moved and it is an integral part of the rear suspension. Taking it out is fine if you run a coilover and 4 link suspension as all of the weight is distributed differently. But for stock leaf springs, it's not ideal, to say the least. I don't like it, no matter how cheap it is. That's my 2c.

 

The frame on a '49 is pretty close to a '56. I used a Maverick tank under my '56 . Fit real good

 

I used CPP aluminum 22 gallon tank. I did have to move the rear cross and move the old to the very back of the frame, but I also used new springs (another kit from Speedway) that has another tubular cross that the shocks attach to behind the rearend. I don't think it will be a problem. With the tank I got, you can either get it with a filler through the bed, or through the drivers side rear fender (with a supplied tube). I opted for the fender as my truck will be a work truck and I don't want to have to move whatever I may be carrying in the bed to fill it.

 

1970 Mustang. Trimmed about 1/4 off the inside of the frame (bottom only) to make the space between the the frame rails wider, slid in beautifully and sits about 1/2 below the top of the frame. Leveled it with shims cut from ipe.

 

I used a mid 80's full sized Blazer tank.
When you are doing research keep a couple of things in mind;
1. what type of gauges you are going to use
2. where you want the filler neck to go
3. how many gallons do you want to carry
4. carbureted or fuel injected.

If you are going to be running Ford gauges then its easier to have the tank sending unit match the gauge, same with GM, etc
The Mustang tank filler neck typically comes up through the bed floor, the full sized Bronco tank is on the left side of the truck, the full sized Blazer tank is on the right side. There are tons of options.

The Mustang tanks I think come in two capacities; 16 and 20
The full sized Bronco is about 20 (I think)
The full sized Blazer tank has 2 capacities' 20,and 38

A tank set up for carbureted applications typically has less fuel line inlet/outlets than one set up for fuel injection.

Bobby

 

Not to be different, but I went with the ultimate big boy - 33/35 gal bronco tank. Now, I have no idea if that will work with a standard bed. I have a stake bed and talk about barely clearing, there is 1/2 " clearance above the tank to the bottom of the bed.

 

Hey 1Bike,
Welcome Aboard! Post some pics so we can see what you are working with when you get a chance. We also used a 1970 Mustang 22 gallon tank. It's nice getting almost 40% additional range over the standard 16 gallon tank.

We got our mustang tank from Rock Auto for $120 or so. The one tricky piece is the fuel sender unit - the 1970 mustang sender unit needs to be purchased with the tank so you can have the fuel pickup tube go through it to the tank. You then drill another hole on the top of the tank for whatever real sending unit you need to match up with your fuel gauge. (Our's is 0-200 ohm's).

Good luck over there. Whatever route you go be sure to match your sending unit to your gauge - you can't make it work later (trust me I know).

Ben in Austin
1950 F1 (351W/AOD)

 

THANK YOU!!!! THANK YOU!!! for all the info!!! you guys are awesome!!! So far I really like the tank from Classic Haulers.

Thanks,
Dave

 

Just to throw you another option....I used a stock tank in the cab. I ended up with a new tank from Speedway. While everyone seems to want the tank out of the cab, I figured that mounting the tank all the way in the the back makes it potentially vulnerable in a rear end collision. Hopefully none of us will ever get hit while driving our classic trucks, but...I think one would have to get hit pretty hard to break open the in-cab tank. At that point I'd probably be broken too. Gas tanks were in the cab in some later model trucks as well...I think all the way into the 70's. I had a 69 F100 for a while with two tanks...one in cab and one underneath.

Dan

 

Welcome,
I used to live in Rocklin - before HP and the development, all that was my "backyard" so to speak - many years ago. I would take my daughter to the fields to watch the hot air balloons. Reminiscing.

My original tank is in the cab - smelly as heck! I just picked up a 22 gallon but have not done the work yet.

Slowly getting there...

Paul

 

Has anybody sumped one of the mustang tanks? I am going to have efi with a manual pump and need a rear sumped tank. I was going to buy a fuel cell and put it in the bed but I like the idea of the mustang tank under the bed WAY better.

 

Not a mustang, but does have a sump style - you can use the smaller 25ga bronco (believe the 1980's series - like an 82 - 84 give or take. they aren't as tall as the 33ga that I got, but it uses the large hole sending unit with multiple lines/returns (setup for EFI). Same capacity as the 'stang, multitude of options in the aftermarket (google MTS polyethylene) right fill/left fill/etc. I almost did this option to be absolutely sure it would fit. (Went to the junkyard and measured the 35ga steel tank, compared notes, and decided to go with 33ga poly tank. Used a sending unit from a 90 something bronco (and on my carb setup, just plugged the extra lines)

 

I know everyone keeps talking about using Mustang tanks, but I'm not a welder and I was afraid that the gas would go bad in such a large capacity tank. So, I used a Jeep tank that fit nicely in the rear of my F3 without having to cut, weld, or modify. It's got an 11 gallon capacity which should do nicely with my goals for driving this truck, is only 8 inches deep, and accepts the 73-10 ohm sender screw pattern. By putting it in backwards it has a nice slope that coordinates nicely with the differential. I located the filler in the right rear fender, and you can see the hose heading that way.


I simply used 4 beam clamps and steel strapping to hold it in place, and i put a steel cable around it that goes through the frame to give me an added security measure.