I just finished installing a new gas tank under the bed of my 56. I used a 25-gallon 78 Bronco tank just because I didn't want to use the easier method that Fergie and Tacson did.

I did the album as another step-by-step job so that people even as dense as me can follow it. Enjoy:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/user_gal...&albumid=24084

 

Looks good though Randy. The GM tank I used was the one concession I made in my truck. If I could have found a Ford Tank that would go in as easy as the GM I would have used. Oh well, great work though on your part

 

Very nice. I have been considering doing the same with the 68 F-250 Joey left behind. I want to get the tank out of the cab. I'll keep your gallery in mind when putting the tank under his old truck.

Gear Up

 

Randy,

Don't sell yourself short, you my friend, are a Master Craftsman!! Not only do you have the imagination and the talent you have the the magic touch of summing it all up with a few words and a handful of detailed pics.

Another job well done

Thanks for sharing
Bobby

 

Randy,

Great job on the tank. That exactly the install I would like to do on the 52. I really like the pains you took with the frame.
Bike

 

Nice job Randy...

Vern

 

Great looking job Randy !!
Your really making some good progress.

Mike

 

Thanks for the kind words, guys.

 

Randy,
Great work.
Why did you use the 25 gal. Bronco tank instead of the 33 gal. tank?
Was it because your tank is 3 in. shallower than the 33 gal.?
Was it possible for you to mount the tank a little higher than where you finally mounted it?

I'm looking to do a similar tank in my '48 F1 and I am trying to get as much info as possible before I start that phase of the project.

Thanks for your input.

Phil

 

Randy,
Nice job once again!
Bruce

 

Yes, the 33-gallon looked to be too deep for my install. I thought, at first, that I could stuff it up higher toward the bed, but i would have needed to section out the center of the rear bed crossmember to make a pocket for it. That also would have made some clearance problems with the bed floor fitting the sender wires, outflow tube, filler neck and vent tube. After I mocked up the bed crossmember on the frame (the angle in the pics), it was easier to see where the tank really needed to be. The outflow tube and the sender wires almost routed themself.

I won't know untill I have the bed and bumper back on what the view of it all is from the rear, but I'm optomistic.

One bright spot was how easily the rear frame crossmember was to move. I wanted to maintain a crossmember support at the rear spring hangers. All I had to do was move the crossmember from the forward set of hanger attach holes to the rear set. It bolted right up.

I would suggest that you look at the same crossmember spacing, then get tank dimensions. This or the Chevy van tank install (Tacson or RMF) will be good contenders.

If you are running aftermarket gages, either is a no brainer. You can just get a gage that matches the tank sender. Stock gages are a different deal. You may need to consider adding a new gas gage to go with the new tank. OR, maybe you or a wirehead buddy can figure out how to modify the new sender to match the stock gage? Let us know which you pick.

 

I'm curious here. We just installed a Bronco tank (don't know the year) in my buddies 50 F1 in the back frame. He also made the filler go into the rear fender. After we got it installed, we went to put the bed wood and rails back and found that we were unable to reach the wood/rail bolts to tighten down the bed wood. We installed the tank from the top going down. Anyone else have this problem? Anyone do a gas tank install leaving the bed wood in? Last I heard, he's removing the tank and getting a No limit custom made tank.

 

I have a No Limit it my 56. I guess I made the mistake of mounting the tank and running the lines before I thought about the bed wood. Now if I decide to install the ash wood strips and the polished strips that are in the basement the tank will need to be dropped. Oh I also have a molded rear roll pan which dosn't help the wood install.

That's why I have a plywood floor with home made strips (ok modified production strips) and I think it will stay that way.

Chuck

Boy, there sure are a lot of "I" in this note.

 

Is there any way to convert it to a "bottom going up installation"?

Vern

 

Ed and Chuck -

Since my bed has a plywood floor and I designed it so the whole bed comes off the truck as an assembly, I hadn't thought about that. I did, however give a lot of thought into how to remove/install the gas tank from below with the bed in place. The outflow fuel line and sender wires are long enough to allow the tank to lay on the ground for removing or attaching them and the filler/vent neck hose clamps are accessible from below. So, if I had nice bed wood, I probably would have to have the tank out to fit the wood.

Maybe some more thought along those lines would help your problem. So many folks have rear tanks and nice beds that somebody must have figured this out.