I Don't Think I'm Going To Move My Fuel Tank

[GASoline71]

Since I'm doing a frame swap and cutting all the rust out of the cab, I had figured now would be the best time to do the "fuel tank under the bed" modification. I had planned on either a 1st Gen Camaro tank or a 1970 Chevelle tank. I was also going to modify the big ol' "farm truck" style rear bumper to make the filler neck come out under the tailgate with a flip down license plate. Either way, I will probably never have my truck stripped down this far (bare frame) again and this would be the perfect time for this mod.

The ONLY reason I was doing this is to keep fuel from sloshing out of the fuel filler neck in the stock location when making right hand turns with a full tank. I've always had to run these rigs with about 3/4 tank to keep from getting petrol all over the paint of the cab and bed side. Also I wanted to put speakers back behind the seat. But the 1972 Parts truck I got has kick panel speaker mounts so I'm thinking about just using those with new speakers. Not moving it for "safety" concerns.

But now I've been second guessing this modification and thinking about tossing the original tank back in the cab after all the body work is done. I've read some stuff as of late where cats have regretted moving their tanks out of the cab and others that have fuel delivery problems from moving the tank.

So now I'm torn. It would save me a lot of time and money to not move my tank... but have yet to find a fuel filler cap that doesn't leak fuel. Oh hells bells... what is a cat to do. Just venting...

Would love any input, good or bad, pro or con, about this swap. I'm all for factory stock. I just don't want fuel spilling down a new paint job...

Gary

[XwalkerX]

i have an underbed tank on my truck with no issues.

[Ironhorse]

Moved my in cab tank about 8-9 years ago and love it. Also did not move it because of the "safety" issues just wanted the room. Gave me room to use Jeff's (bigblock73 member) corner speaker mounts. Storage room behind the seat and get some crazy looks when I hang the gas hose over the side of the bed at the gas station.

[dennislbrooks]

My tank is behind the seat and I have no regrets or issues. I wanted to keep a stock look.

[Texasredneck69-C10]

Mine is under the bed. Love the extra room in the cab, but then again I like nice subs behind the seat.

[Steve Cole]

I had a '67 with the tank in the cab and a two foot long streak of missing paint just below the cap. With my 68 the tank is between my frame rails where it belongs, like every vehicle on the road. There is no reason you should have fuel delivery problems if installed correctly. Do yourself a favor and lose the tank in the cab and gain some much needed storage space behind the seat. I used my new found space for a 10" sub, two 6" speakers, two amps, crossovers and all the wiring needed. Just my .02

[jocko]

I'd leave it stock, personally. If I added another tank, I'd treat it as an extra. That's just me. I'm not sure how much water the safety theory holds, but GM did move it for a reason.. Still, I'm leaving it in my cab.

[swamp rat]

No issues here, i put a Boyd fuel cell in my K20, bent and routed the lines in the passenger side frame, never starved for fuel.

Biggest problem i had was the fuel cell i bought was for a 1/2T and the 3/4T frame is a bit taller so the mount flanges were not in the best place for my truck.

Most of the issues i read about were during fill up where the fill tube incorporates a vent tube, the vent tube usually has to be extended using a length of rubber hose, if you let that hose have a low spot or a dip its possible that gas can get burped into that spot creating a slow fill condition, keep it routed so it will self drain and no problem.

I think you could also do a search on Falcon and Mustang tanks as well for a rear fill. More options.

I moved mine mainly to create space in the truck, but i did get vaper smell off and on.

[trkfrk]

By moving your tank under the bed, you're utilizing wasted space and gaining space in your cab, win-win in my opinion.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by Steve Cole

I had a '67 with the tank in the cab and a two foot long streak of missing paint just below the cap. With my 68 the tank is between my frame rails where it belongs, like every vehicle on the road. There is no reason you should have fuel delivery problems if installed correctly. Do yourself a favor and lose the tank in the cab and gain some much needed storage space behind the seat. I used my new found space for a 10" sub, two 6" speakers, two amps, crossovers and all the wiring needed. Just my .02

Originally Posted by trkfrk

By moving your tank under the bed, you're utilizing wasted space and gaining space in your cab, win-win in my opinion.

And where does the spare tire go? GM engineers thought the whole thing through and made a place for everything to fit. A lot of paint has been ruined over a $15 gas cap. The only time I've had gas come out a bad cap is when I filled it up right before parking with the driver side down hill. Never had it leak while driving. The seal would have to be way past shot for that to happen. I figure the tank "belongs" where GM put it, and you can put it "where you like" if you want. I installed my first under bed tank in a pickup in '77, so don't get the idea I'm a stick in the mud on this. I also have a new Blazer tank install kit I may use on a truck to suit it's design. I have run great sounding stereos with speakers under the seat. I've driven pickups all my life, dealt with what space is there, and done just fine. Pickup means small cab in my mind. Extended cabs are what they came up with to get car people buying trucks. Car people need more space and want things more car like in a truck. They put skid plates under 4wd Blazer/Suburban tanks for a reason. Ever have a tank punctured while off road somewhere? Ever have that happen going over a rock creating a spark? I've seen it happen and the charred remained my still be out there, yet. Definitely a reduction in safety factor moving a tank up under the truck over leaving it safe in the center of the truck surrounded by a cage. The reason tanks were moved up under the truck along the frame rails is because they came out with the crew cab. Tanks had been in cabs all along up till then, in all makes and models.

[primetime]

I thought about moving the tank out the cab and into the bed right up against metal 'head board'. standing as it would in the cab, but below the rear glass. maybe an enclosure could be placed to protect it from objects in the bed sliding into it. i have a wood bed so i see that being altered a little so that the tank tucks into place nicely.

[Mmorgan32]

Originally Posted by special-K

And where does the spare tire go? GM engineers thought the whole thing through and made a place for everything to fit. A lot of paint has been ruined over a $15 gas cap. The only time I've had gas come out a bad cap is when I filled it up right before parking with the driver side down hill. Never had it leak while driving. The seal would have to be way past shot for that to happen. I figure the tank "belongs" where GM put it, and you can put it "where you like" if you want. I installed my first under bed tank in a pickup in '77, so don't get the idea I'm a stick in the mud on this. I also have a new Blazer tank install kit I may use on a truck to suit it's design. I have run great sounding stereos with speakers under the seat. I've driven pickups all my life, dealt with what space is there, and done just fine. Pickup means small cab in my mind. Extended cabs are what they came up with to get car people buying trucks. Car people need more space and want things more car like in a truck. They put skid plates under 4wd Blazer/Suburban tanks for a reason. Ever have a tank punctured while off road somewhere? Ever have that happen going over a rock creating a spark? I've seen it happen and the charred remained my still be out there, yet. Definitely a reduction in safety factor moving a tank up under the truck over leaving it safe in the center of the truck surrounded by a cage. The reason tanks were moved up under the truck along the frame rails is because they came out with the crew cab. Tanks had been in cabs all along up till then, in all makes and models.

I filled up with gas the parked at a slight down hill on the drivers side. I had gas pouring out. I went a bought a $15 gas cap from early classic ( it's 5 min from my house) hasn't done it since.

[Thanos]

Originally Posted by trkfrk

By moving your tank under the bed, you're utilizing wasted space and gaining space in your cab, win-win in my opinion.

ZING!

[special-K]

Originally Posted by trkfrk

By moving your tank under the bed, you're utilizing wasted space and gaining space in your cab, win-win in my opinion.

Originally Posted by Thanos

ZING!

Win-win till you realize that wasn't wasted space at all, it was for your spare tire. Will that fit behind the seat where the tank was?

These trucks were win-win the day the engineers turned in their final designs.

[trkfrk]

Originally Posted by special-K

Win-win till you realize that wasn't wasted space at all, it was for your spare tire. Will that fit behind the seat where the tank was?

These trucks were win-win the day the engineers turned in their final designs.

Win-win lol

[Davidf]

I did a complete ground up restoration on my '52 Advanced Design 1/2 ton and left the tank behind the seat...no fuel smell or leaking issues if done right. So, the tank on my '71 will stay behind the seat as well. I had the leaking cap issue when I first purchased, bought a replacement cap but fuel still leaked. I used a piece of scrap EPDM roofing rubber and cut a new rubber seal for the cap. Place the new seal on top of the original cap seal and no more leaking fuel issues. Give it a try.

[Clavo106]

Im planning on running dual exhaust out the back. So the tank is staying put..

[primetime]

I will try this with the factory tank in the bed like this... i just have to find a method of protecting it from sliding objects in the bed. but it fits nicely.

[special-K]

Originally Posted by primetime

I will try this with the factory tank in the bed like this... i just have to find a method of protecting it from sliding objects in the bed. but it fits nicely.

Put one next to it facing the other way and you can fill dual tanks on either side. Now that the tank is out of the cab, can you use the extra cab space to carry the things that won't fit in your bed?

[primetime]

actually i am thinking to weld a filler neck off from the other tank so that i would be able to fill the tank from either side of the gas pump. the tank has to be protected with a wall of metal or wood though. i'll work on making it pretty after it proves to be functional. it only takes one person to make it look good and be functional before everyone else jumps on board to copy it

[skinnan]

Originally Posted by special-K

Put one next to it facing the other way and you can fill dual tanks on either side. Now that the tank is out of the cab, can you use the extra cab space to carry the things that won't fit in your bed?

right, like fire extinguishers

[davepl]

Keep in mind that the fires, burns, and class action lawsuits happened AFTER they moved the tank from the cab to the saddle area.

[toolboxchev]

Originally Posted by davepl

Keep in mind that the fires, burns, and class action lawsuits happened AFTER they moved the tank from the cab to the saddle area.

Well said. If I could put a internal frame extra tank without cutting up body parts to make the fill work I would have done this a long time ago.

[GASoline71]

Thank you for all the replies. I'm still up in the air about it, but am leaning towards putting it back in the stock location.

I like the idea of "being different", but sometimes... leaving things alone is just as good.

Gary

[Lattimer]

Originally Posted by GASoline71

Since I'm doing a frame swap and cutting all the rust out of the cab, I had figured now would be the best time to do the "fuel tank under the bed" modification. I had planned on either a 1st Gen Camaro tank or a 1970 Chevelle tank. I was also going to modify the big ol' "farm truck" style rear bumper to make the filler neck come out under the tailgate with a flip down license plate. Either way, I will probably never have my truck stripped down this far (bare frame) again and this would be the perfect time for this mod.

The ONLY reason I was doing this is to keep fuel from sloshing out of the fuel filler neck in the stock location when making right hand turns with a full tank. I've always had to run these rigs with about 3/4 tank to keep from getting petrol all over the paint of the cab and bed side. Also I wanted to put speakers back behind the seat. But the 1972 Parts truck I got has kick panel speaker mounts so I'm thinking about just using those with new speakers. Not moving it for "safety" concerns.

But now I've been second guessing this modification and thinking about tossing the original tank back in the cab after all the body work is done. I've read some stuff as of late where cats have regretted moving their tanks out of the cab and others that have fuel delivery problems from moving the tank.

So now I'm torn. It would save me a lot of time and money to not move my tank... but have yet to find a fuel filler cap that doesn't leak fuel. Oh hells bells... what is a cat to do. Just venting...

Would love any input, good or bad, pro or con, about this swap. I'm all for factory stock. I just don't want fuel spilling down a new paint job...

Gary

I modified my gas cap and it no longer leaks. Mine is a vented non-esc cap. All you need is an o-ring kit.I put an o-ring around the sealing face, then I stacked several o-rings behind the gasket on the cap. This gives it enough pressure on the gasket and additional sealing against the tank neck so I no longer have any leakage, even when full and turning hard right.

It did take a couple of tries to get a replacement cap with a vent that actually works right. And the o-rings wear out over time, so I do have to maintain them.

My issue with relocating the tank was the filler. I do not want the filler in the bed, and my fab skills don't support anything fancier....