My 77 highboy looks as if it had a saddle tank outside the frame behind the cab on the drivers side. There is a hole in the box side that obviously was a filler hole. There is no fill tube or tank because the original owner removed them both. There are sending wires hangin there for the sending unit. The mounting straps are gone. As is the tank switching valve. There seems to be two rails on the underside of the box that seem to have holes where the straps would attach.

Here is what I am thinking. Now that I am a proud owner of a TIG welder I am looking at welding up a new tank to fit in that location. I am wondering if making it out of 1/8th aluminum is a sutible material? What was the orginal tank's size in gallons? Does anyone have a truck with a tank in this location that would be willing take some measurements for me to replicate? I am assuming that any old sending unit will work as long as the float arm is the right length to rise from the bottom of the new tank to the top.

I also have the false door on the bed side for a rear tank but cannot mount a tank there due to the elaborate receiver hitch mounting that occupies the entire rear section of the frame. This is a custom made hitch constructed from 2.5" square tube with 3/16" wall. Lots of gussets and cross members. Way over kill in design in that it looks like it could easily handle a 12K trailer. Damn hitch prolly adds 300 pounds to the rear of the truck.

Any thoughts on my driver's side saddle tank idea would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Bill

 

You should be able to find trucks with the correct tank and hardware in the salvage yard. Replicating all of the specialized hardware will be difficult.

The tanks all seemed to be 18-20 gallons.

 

My 74 Highboy had a saddle tank when I purchased it. The tank was mounted between the rear of the cab and the rear axle. The tank was u shaped and straddled both sides of the frame. I do not think it was factory. It mounted with four bolts that went through the tank and then through the bed. I have the tank out now. I will take some measurements and post. I have a good digital camera and will try to post pictures. It may be a few days before I get to it.

 

You are right, that does not EVEN sound stock. The Ford OEM tank sits inside the frame rail.

 

I wish I knew where the tank came from. I dont think it was home fabricated. The bolts that held it on looked like a carriage bolt with a square hole a 3/8 rachet fits into. the bolts went right through the tank with seals that would be hard to make at home. The set up looked factory to some one that is not an old FORD freak. I can take pictures. I am not sure how to post them. I will see if the wife will help me figure it out.

 

i have that exact saddle tank on my 76 highboy. i dont like it.

its 20 gallons and hard to fill and definately not oem but very well built and diamond skid plated.

 

I was worried about the weight issue. That tank and hardware with a full fuel load would weigh in about 200 pounds. Makes little sense to carry that weight on the same side as the driver. Perhaps I will make do with the cab tank. What is the volume of that tank....25 gallons? Perhaps another option would be to make a bed tank like the style that contractors haul diesel in. I could fabricate a diamond plate tank that spaned the bed and was say about 6" thick and the height of the bed rails. Maybe that would be best. It would be far more balanced and would hold hold more... perhaps 35 to 40 gallons. I simply find it a little annoying when I have to fuel so often with the 429 drinking hard. I am hoping that all my work on the truck and a new carb will get those mileage figures up a couple three higher. What would you guys expect out of a stock 429 with good compression. It has Doug Thorley tri-Y headers and 2.5 inch exhaust thru Flowmasters. It will be wearing an edelbrock 600 Cfm carb soon. I am hoping for 15mpg ...more would be a bonus. I am doing about 12-13 now with the motorcraft carb.

Thanks
Bill

 

The 77 I got has two saddle tanks that bolt to the bed and fit between the bed and the frame. Both are 17 gallons and there is a tank select switch in the cab on the floor next to the drivers seat. If I knew how to post a picture I would show them to you.

 

If you fabricate a tank put some baffles in it so it does not slosh around too bad.

 

my driver side saddle tank (20 gallons) has made that whole side about 2 inches.

 

I've got one of these on my 77 highboy as well, mine bolts to the bed. I still have to put it back in after I did the body work on mine. I hated filling the thing, so when I did the body work I had a gas filler door out of a 80's model I had cut out that I grafted in the bed. If you look at the drivers side pics in my gallery you will see what I'm talking about. My tank still has the sticker on it so If I get a chance I'll look and let ya know what kind of a tank it is

 

I actually have 2 side saddle tanks on my 77 hiboy, one on each side. They are made of fiberglass and I am pretty certain they are stock.

They are shaped to fit exactly between the bed and frame. They fill from the wheel well.

I worry more about these than I do about the tank in the cab. If Im ever T boned it will be a barbecue.

 

Fiberglass would not be stock. The stock tank is steel and fits inside the frame rail on the driver's side.

 

I have exactly the same tank on my 74 F-250. It mounts to the bed with 4 carriage bolts and the bolts run right through the tank. The steel tank raps around the frame rail and can be seen hanging just below the bed. My sticker says it was made as an aftermarket tank in California. I think mine only holds about 17 gallons though.

 

Let's see some pic's.