Hi all. I just bought my first truck. A 56 f100. Now starts the planning. Well the planning started long ago. But now starts the scheduling of when I'll do the things I want. Ie wife lets me.

First thing will be to move the tank out of the cab and under the bed. I've seen some trucks that do this but still keep the filler in the stock location. Like the foose f100. I really like this look. But I can't find any info on how this is done or how the fuel neck is run. I will be using a new aluminum tank and not doing the mustang or bronco tank option. I found a few tank places that will customize their tanks filler location so I have flexibility there.

Any tips or ideas would appreciated!

 

Welcome Outlaw! Can't comment on your question of filler tube - I'm sure that someone who has done the relo will be better able to help.

Other than the tank, what are your plans for the truck? Oh, and pics?

Happy Motoring!

DW

 

Thanks DW! I actually just got my truck yesterday. Still can't believe I finally own one! And as luck would have it we got 6" of snow the day before. So I have only driven it from the front of my house were the delivery truck dropped it off to my second driveway behind my house. A total of maybe 300 yards. The underside is just way to clean to drive through the slush and salt.

But here she is.



Well I did a bit more research. It looks like some of the trucks I was looking at for inspiration actually have the tank still in the cab. I really like the Foose F100 (Duh) and how he used the Cobra style flip cover and frenched it into the B pillar.


So I may actually just keep the tank in the cab. The tank is brand new. I've read all the posts on here about why should you move it and what's the point of moving it. Now that I see that I would not gain any more leg room from moving the tank I'm not to concerned with moving it. If I move the seat back any further I would have to sit upright much more.

But I do like the idea of better weight distribution. As I plan to upgrade the suspension quite a bit. I'm a former motorcycle road racer. So carving corners is something I will be doing with this truck. No track duty. But I will be taking it through the great back road hills of CT.

But as I dive into the truck a bit more. I'll look into ways of doing both. But if anyone has any input I'm all ears!

 

Good looking truck! Congratulations, since you can't drive it due to the weather you should have plenty of time to take more pictures and post them on here.

 

Ya I took plenty of pics yesterday. Spent more time just looking over everything! Just did not have time last night to upload them off the camera. I'll get to it tonight for sure!

 

Congrats.. I'm looking forward to more pics.

 

Hey Outlaw,
Welcome! It would be a shame to mess up that nice paint moving the filler cap around. Have fun driving it when the weather breaks.

We moved our tank out of the cab & back under the bed - '70 Mustang tank.
The pros & cons were:
o 40% more range with a 22 gallon tank vs stock 16 gallon.

o More room in the cab - It's not much but it does give you real space behind the seat for stuff.

o In our case the tank really smelled bad when you filled it up so it was nice to get that out of the cab.

o The negative for us was having to go with side exhaust vs dual out the back. There just wasn't much room to get the exhaust by the under bed tank.

If I had a pretty nicely re-done truck I'd just drive it a lot & make changes as needed.

Looking good over there in Connecticut!

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

Thanks Ben! All good points. I plan to have the exhaust come out under the truck anyway. But good to know about the smell. And space may be one fo the things that makes me move it. I plan to paint the truck at some point anyway. Just not a fan of the color. Which stinks cause it is such a nice paint job. My good friend and project buddy is a auto painter and has a full size spray booth in his garage. So getting the paint to match after the filler move should not be to big of a deal. I guess I'll have to see how that goes!

Ya my plan is to just drive it this coming spring/summer. And start collecting parts to make the modifications over the winter of 2014/15. I plan on doing full independent suspension, bigger brakes, bigger wheels.

 

Hey Outlaw,
Our first shot at exhaust was just to have it turn down under the truck. That didn't last long. If you are working on the truck in your garage you don't want the fumes right there. If you are stuck at a light the exhaust is right under you. It sprays up the gravel or dirt everywhere.
It just wasn't pleasant. I'd point the exhaust away from the truck.

Hang in there & congratulations on your truck. You'll have the coolest truck in your neighborhood.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

Great points Ben! Love the first hand experience tips! What are your thoughts about under the bed still just after the cab. But point the exhaust more out rather than straight down? Not horizontal to the truck but more of a 45 degree angle so the exhaust would still be blowing down and out towards the sides?

Still have the issue with running in the garage. But I have a few of those exhaust hoses that attach to the exhaust and can then run out the garage door.

 

Welcome Outlaw. Congratulations- you have a very nice looking truck there. It's taken me 10+ years and I'm still not there. It's curious how Ford flip flopped on the tank-in-the-cab design. It's under the DS running board on my 54 but that's an unlikely option for you because you'd need a good donor for the filler tube opening and that area tends to rust out. I had to do a outer patch panel up to the bottom of the hole. Now my truck came from the PO with a custom SS oem type tank, only 16 gal but way too nice to scrap.

From the inside. Double wall keeps fumes out of the cab but filler tube is pretty low.

 

Thanks Dan. I'm having a hard time picturing where that picture is? Is your tank now under the bed between the rails? Under the Driver side running board? How is your filler tube run from the opening of the nozel to the tank?

Thanks for the reply and I apologize about all the follow up questions.

 

That's a good looking truck Outlaw - color is always a matter of individual taste. If you can, including your location in your 'User CP' info helps to understand where in the world we call home.

So, you are way ahead of many. At this point, you have already driven your beauty and won't be limited to making 'vroom-vroom' sounds while sitting on a milk crate in the otherwise empty cab.

DW

 

Sorry, I guess this photo is difficult to read unless you've seen the cab from this perspective. The photo below probably makes more sense. My tanks is mounted on the driver side running board brackets, between the frame rail and the door sill, so actually under the cab floor on the drivers side. The back quarter panel has a tunnel through it for the filler pipe. If in good condition no gas or gas fumes can get into the cab. I can't remember hearing of anyone putting one of these on a 56.

IMO
plusses: tank is not in the cab, leaves a lot of room between frame rails for e cables and tail pipes and (in my case) torsion bars and their cross member, its OEM on my truck.
minuses: 16 gal, outside frame rails is considered hazardous to some, it doesn't help move GC to the rear, you'd have to pull the cab off to remove the tank (but mine is a new ss fabricated tank so I doubt I'll ever need to take it off.).

 

Thanks again guys! Ya I like the color I just don't LOVE it. Still up in the air as to what I will do. right now I'm leaning towards a silver with a red interior.

When I was doing my research for what to buy nad what to look for I was always told and read "Buy the best truck you can to start". When I saw this one it was perfect. And met what I really wanted. A driver I can run for the first summer while I collect parts and then start to make it mine.

Thanks for the pics Dan! I like the lower fuel access. I may look into doing something like this with an filler neck that goes to the tank under the bed. Anyone got any ideas about that?