i've always been afraid of things under the bed... well not really, but if possible i'd like to keep my feul tank out of there. does anybody know ony info about the gas tank kits you can supposedly get that go underneath the cab? i've been looking for quite awhile and haven't found anything that really helps me. anything you guys can offer would be great

Bryan

 

The 48-5osomting Panels had the tank mounted mid-ship.


Picture from Bob Jones

 

Never heard of a gas tank that goes under the cab of one of these old trucks. Sounds even more dangerous than having a fuel tank under the bed, but where else besides the stock location behind the seats in the cab or under the bed are you gonna put one??? If you fabricate one, it'd have to be wide and VERY shallow. Would it then be able to be seen from the side if you step away from the truck a bit? ("Hey, what's that thing hanging down from under the cab?"). And/or... could it be designed with a low point for proper fuel feed? And what about the attachments coming off the tank (fuel line, breather, etc)? And, if the fabricated tank IS shallow enough to be even "decently" hidden and tucked under the cab, how much fuel can it hold with those dimensions???

Certainly an interesting idea, and if you find or fab smething that works out (and can be hidden and holds a decent amount of fuel), you may be onto something that has mass appeal and could be marketable.

Good luck with it, and let us know how the project unfolds...
DS

Just some thoughts that popped up in my mind right off the bat that if I were contemplating something like this, I'd want answered beforehand...
DS

 

Hi

1953/1955 F100's had there tank under the cab and was filled thru the left rear corner of the cab.

I'm not sure why you don't want one under the bed. If you put one in the rear you are correct it could hit the rear end housing if you get hit hard enough but you will not be setting on top of a flaming fuel tank. Just a thought.

I have a aluminum 17 gal tank mounted at the rear of my 56

Chuck

 

my 53 came with an under cab tank.... well behind the running boards anyway ??? didn't they all ??? the filler was in the back of the cab but the rectangular tank sat right behind the running board mounts... you might check mid-50 f-100 catalog for pictures and prices http://www.midfifty.com/

later

john

 

The '53-'55 tank straps to the driver side running board supports:



Maybe you hot rodders with the boxed and smoothed frame rails could hide some fuel there? Think there's a market for titanium double-walled fenders that double as gas tanks much like airplane wings? Where's Jet Jock? We need his input. I'm on to something here! Err, well, I'm on something anyway.



Kevin Kessler
1953 Ford F-100

 

'57 to '60 panels also had the tank inside the frame. According to the Ford parts catalog, the identical tank was used on other trucks with van bodies. So, those tanks aren't as rare as you might think. My catalog cuts off at 1960, but it wouldn't surprise me if the same tank was used into the '60s on "bread" vans and the like.

 

I know I might get a little heat for the following comments but, what is so horrible about the inside stock location of the gas tank? They mounted the tank inside the cab up to the early mid seventies and I never heard of any problems, nothing like the Pintos and other sixties and seventies Ford cars that had their tanks mounted behind the rear axle in a flimsy mounting design. The only real problem I can see with the inside location is the sending unit gasket may leak, mine did, and give off fumes and some dunder head may light up inside with very explosive results. The chances of the tank rusting and leaking is very slim unless the cap is left off and water gets in, unlke an under vehicle tank that accumulates dirt and moisture on the horizontal surfaces which leads to rusting in the seams. If the line leaks it leaks below the truck, same as any other tank. The tank also sits high up and pretty much in the center of the vehicle and is in the last place to be hit during a colision, unlike behind the rear axle or mounted along the frame rail. As for having a bomb waiting to blow up sitting directly behind you, having twenty gallons of flameable liquid within ten feet is pretty dangerous no matter what. I would have like to see what OSHA would have done, if it were around a hundred years ago, when the idea of putting a highly flameable liquid in close proximity of people enclosed in a steel box capable of traveling at high speeds.

I don't want to ruffle any feathers, just wondering why everyone wants to go through all the work of changing the location of the tank when I don't see much benefit. I'm a stock guy so maybe there are benefits for a modifier I don't realize.

P.S. Dick, nice picture

 

After I sealed the sender unit and got rid of the fumes I do not have any problem with the behind the seat location at all! The only thing I dont like is not having another place to store more junk in the cab! LOL

 

Bob,

I with you Bob. I don't understand the histeria of having the tank in the cab either and I'm not a stock guy. After all, look at all those Pintos with the tank out back. I'm planning to keep my tank in the cab with me on my 48. If I get ever get hit hard enough to rupture the tank, I'm probably a goner anyway...

Vern

 

Hopefully none of us will stop on a expressway to put the fuel cap on and then be hit by a person reaching on the floor of there vehicle for the joint they just dropped.

My 56's and other ford/ch--y trucks that had there tanks in the cab have also leaked fumes around the filler neck and when I don't seem to pay enough attention to what I was doing gas drips on the side of the truck and the running board (it's a age thing for me).

Hopefully with the tank in the rear I won't spill it all over the bed.

As long as we vent to the outside we will have fumes in the garage. Your idea Vern of attaching a carbon canister is a good one I may try to figure out how to attach one.

Besides the fume issue I really wanted the interior space.

Chuck

 

I was going to trash my stock tank since I did go with the Mustang in the rear, but I decided to keep it to store moonshine so I could just attatch a flexible straw. Plus I wont have to patch the filler hole in the cab.
Actually, I am keeping the stock tank, coating it with FDA plastic, storing a carwash mix of Wet & Wipe" . I am rigging up a 2600 PSI pump on a smog bracket, and putting a 1/4" x 12' steam hose and a small pressure gun in the toolbox. This will clean 5-6 trucks in my group after a long haul to truck runs.