Yes I suppose so. I call it mildly built because as you know it was sort of a budget build. I could have poured much more money into it and made more peak HP too, but I was trying to keep it as a best bang for the buck engine, ya know? If I had spent any more money on it I think it would have made more sense to buy a 351w.

 

That just how you do the filler door.
In my case because of the fiber glass fender I fiber glassed it in.
Thing is you need to get the door off the same body style bed or it will not have the right shape.
Dave - - - -

 

I will throw my 2 cents in here. I recently replaced my rear 19 gallon tank with a spectra 38 gallon tank which I got off amazon (was cheaper than LMC) . It was a bear to get in, the dimensions were just off slightly, but I did get it in. I endup using POR-15 and a coat of VHT chassis paint on the gas tank before I put it in, I have no desire for this to wear out in my lifetime. Also the new taller tank came with 3/8" copper pipe and instructions on how to modify sending unit. This also was a pain in the a$$. The sending unit line size is smaller than the 3/8" copper pipe and the soldering ended up working, but it was an hour job just extending the sending unit. I ended up getting a new filler hose since I was under there, and had to goop the heck out of the top vent. I'll say it was worth it, but it was much more complicated than I anticipated.

 

Why did you have to "goop the heck out of the top vent"?
Was the old rubber gasket the wrong size or bad?

On extending the sender I have heard it can be a bear.
What if you used steel tubing and compression fittings?
How does the float / gauge part of the sender work?
Is the gauge close of way off and if off is it at the full or empty?
Dave ----

 

I saw a youtube video of a guy putting the top vent in a tank without first removing the gasket. Yes you remove them together but when re-assembling you take the vent out of the rubber doughnut, put the donut in first and then push the vent right in. No goop needed.

BB2

 

I was also wondering if the fuel door was available as a body repair part? Still you'd have to get a match.

BB2

 

I did not have any issues removing 3 and installing 2 in my tanks.

I have not checked if it is a repair part but as a guess if you can get anything it would be just the door.
The style side & flare side doors are different sizes and 1 has a different shape / curve to it.
Because of this the openings are also different to match the doors.

BTW I think the duel rear wheel fuel door & opening is the same as the style side but is fiber glass as it is in the fender.
Dave ----

 

My original gasket was shot and the store was closed, so I gooped it. The directions for modifying the sending unit had me cut the very top bend out of the tube, which only left about 1/2" of length from the "bottom of the top". I knew I should have taken my own photos, but I just wanted to get it done. Here is a stock photo from the one I bought on amazon and just marked in red where it was to be chopped off:


As far as functionality it works. The gauge shows full at about half a tank, but then the needle moves accordingly from there. I put in a few gallons to make sure it worked, then I added another 14-16 gallons. Here is a to this sending unit, which was about $35. The tube isnt really a standard size, I suppose someone with more gumption could replace the tube in its entirety if they wanted to. I found it cheaper to just solder the ba-jesus out of it. Definitely not pretty, but it wont come apart bouncing around in the tank where nobody can see it lol.

Something to add, here is a link to a website that hosts a database of junkyard parts car-part.com. They dont usually list the small stuff like manual window handles or sun visor clips, but its a good source for larger end items. I dont think I've seen the link anywhere on this site before.

 

I think I remember a post some where about the sender where they also made the wire the float is on longer so it would read right over the whole fuel level. But like you as long as I know it was close to empty I don't care if the full reads right or not.

Now that I think of it and looking at your picture I wonder if he only extended below the resister so the sock was at the bottom but the resister was in the stock location?
Then extending the float arm if room allowed, it would read right.

What gets me is they make a 38 gal tank but no sender for it.
Even if it worked backwards you could use it as a pattern to make the right one work in the large tank.
Dave ----

 

I was only able to find one video on youtube, that guy just extended from the bottom of the sending unit and then adjusted the float and bent the float rod. I'm sure now that I have everything installed and working they'll come out with a sending unit specifically made for the 38 gallon tank. Thats usually how my luck runs lol

 

My luck is about the same LOL
Dave ----

 

You should price them on RockAuto.com first. If they have them in stock, you'll be amazed at the price difference.

 

The one's I saw when I was looking at getting one for my truck came with a kit to extend the sending unit. Not all of them came with it, but some did.

 

I agree, I don't buy much from LMC any more as they either A) don't carry the item or B) its cheaply made or not even made correctly. The door panels I got for my truck, I saw the ones a customer at work bought for his '82 they were copied from old worn out door panels and you could see paint and dirt that was in the simulated threads of the plastic door panel they used to make the mold. Then they used a flimsy plastic that was slick and paint didn't stick to and they used aftermarket door speakers all for a tune of like $250. I got a pair of mine from Dennis-Carpenter for $120 in black but they were made off the original mold and you could clearly see the individual strands in the simulated thread in the panel. Also was a very hard rigid plastic that would stand many removals without breaking.

Rock Auto how ever I am wary of them cause the last few things I bought from them have been incorrect. Ordered a 430 belt that was 43" in length and I guess the person that pulled the order was dyslexic or something cause they packaged and shipped me a 340 belt that was 34" in length. Then had to fight with them im like why do I have to jump through hoops you sent me a 340 belt when you can see my order was for a 430 belt.

But I will still check them out later on. Right now I am trying to source a few different items while keeping this on the back burner just incase. I hope my fuel tank isn't rotted out cause the fuel is about 1 year and 3 months old but I put some stabil 360 in it when I parked the truck but the gas I bet is bad cause the truck barely runs on it when I had to move it. If the tank is rusted which it shouldn't be with the stabil 360 then I think instead of investing in a new saddle tank I might just get a rear tank and figure out some way to connect the oem factory filler hose to a rear mounted tank.

 

If I had to chance a guess, I'd say exhaust pipe is cheaper than filler hose