Rear Fuel Tank swap

[Joe67]

MackL - any contact information for this Kenny's Truck place? Google comes up empty.

Dallas71 - Are you referring to www.thetruckshop.com? I sent them an email today I was just checking to see if it was the same place you were referring to.

Thanks.

[jorgensensc]

The Truck shop in Cali is where I got the tank and all for the writeup in the FAQ. They do not have the best customer service (I found out later) but they are cheap if that is what you are looking for. The setup for 166 was complete at the time, including sender, etc. If you want a really great setup, go with FCG, he makes a great product. If you want to do a blazer style tank you have a few options available to you. I always try and support local vendors, but am not a hater of the truck shop. I just know they have poor customer service, but I've never had a problem with their product quality (My oinion only though, others have). With a 6 inch drop I would probably lean towards FCG. I don't fel the blazer tank hangs to low, (about 3-4 inches lower than back bumper), but I wouldn't risk it on a 6 inch drop personally. Hope it helps a little.
Shawn

[MACKL]

Here is the info for Kenny's trucks. I found them at a swap meet and they had the best value. They also have great customer service. As good as Kenny's is, I would buy my next one from the fuel cell guy or weld a larger filler neck on the one from kenny's.
http://KENNYSTRUCKS.COM
918-827-2600
Good luck...Kelly

[Joe67]

Thanks guys, I'll check it out. I'm not necessarily looking for the cheapest, but the best value

[TEXAS 68]

What does one from FCG cost,(ballpark)?

[Joe67]

Originally Posted by TEXAS 68

What does one from FCG cost,(ballpark)?

I think it runs about $375 + shipping with sending unit. Here is a thread

[68w/sbc406]

375 is what he estamated me too

[ChevLoRay]

We don't want the tank in the cab because they can make the cab smell like gasoline. That would be because the fuel lines are old, and/or the fuel fill hose is old/leaking. When the trucks were new, they didn't smell like gas.

As for relocating them to the rear of the chassis, it frees up space behind the seat, and/or allows for different seating.

Simply relocating the tank to the rear of the chassis doesn't negate the possibility of damaging the tank in a rear-end collision. Fuel Cells, as I understand them from a racing concept, are supposed to retain the fuel, even if damaged. A tank, if damaged, will leak. Whether it leaks, or not, will be determined by the construction of the tank, versus the force of the impact.

In my first vehicle, I carried a one-gallon gas can. It was placed in the back left corner of the trunk, directly beneath the tail light. I had a '54 Ford 2-dr. I got rear-ended by a then-new '65 Impala. Ford was nose-down, in braking to keep from hitting a car that had stopped just over the rise of a hill. When I hit my brakes, the Impala driver hit his. His front end was nose-down. When he got hit by a fourth vehicle, it drove the front of the Impala into the rear of my Ford, and knocked me into a '64 Chevelle. The rear of my Ford was crushed to conform to the front of the Impala.

That can of gas?? It, too, was crushed to conform to the damage in the trunk of the Ford. It didn't leak. I have never kept a can of gas in a vehicle, since then.

Having once owned a '71 Pinto, which Ford recalled to install a thick plastic shield between the rear axle and the gas tank, I have to consider the location of the gas tank as very important. I think I'm just gonna replace the rubber and leave my tank in the cab.

[Russell]

Personally I'd rather have an explosion at the back of my truck rather than underneith my butt...

[guyryan100]

If you go with a blazer tank (I am but haven't put it in yet) I found the best price, with shipping, to be from American Classics. I checked all the board vendor's web sites and found this to be the cheapest. The Truck Shop wanted near $280 shipped for theirs (I had read that their kit was $166 but I talked to the guy on the phone and he informed me otherwise).

[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by guyryan100

If you go with a blazer tank (I am but haven't put it in yet) I found the best price, with shipping, to be from American Classics. I checked all the board vendor's web sites and found this to be the cheapest. The Truck Shop wanted near $280 shipped for theirs (I had read that their kit was $166 but I talked to the guy on the phone and he informed me otherwise).

DO YOU HAVE AMERICAN CLASSICS PHO. # or web address?? JOHN

[Joe67]

http://www.americanclassic.com/

[Chevyguy111786]

whoever it was that said the smaller necks are a pain to fill up. My 78 has small necks...every time you try to fill up it just clicks off. i found out that if you put just the tip of the nozzle in...so that it's just inside the little flap/baffle deal...you can fill up without it clickin off...now sometimes, if the pumps goin fast enough, a little bit of gas will back flow out. but other than that, works much better than taking 30 min to fill up the tank. just a little trick i learned

[MACKL]

Originally Posted by Chevyguy111786

whoever it was that said the smaller necks are a pain to fill up.

That would be me. I doesn't mater what you do, it pukes gas out. The only correction I have found is to locate the gas station with the slowest pumps and and lock the nozzle on the lowest notch. Then it only pukes a couple of times. I am worried it will ruin my new paint. Your '78 does not have a fill hole that is only 1 1/4" OD. That is about 1 1/16 ID. That is a little over an inch. Your 78 is closer to 2 inches. Big difference.

[Chevyguy111786]

oh ok, didn't know, just knew it was small and clicked off on fast pumps. i misread your post about it puking, i thought you were talking about them clicking off all the time.

[Joe67]

Thanks for all the input guys.

I just placed an order for a tank from Mark aka FuelCellGuy (Payment is on the way Mark)

Game on....

[nate68]

i dont hafta worry about that because i have no fill neck

[Mudder]

I havent read this whole thread but am wondering if you guys are venting the fill tubes. The air in the tank has to come out somewhere as the gas is replacing it.

[clay68c10]

Has anyone thought about the set up like the 70's Internationals? Filler neck is behind the door (in the same area as our trucks), but the tank is under the floor and bed... I always thought that would be an interesting way to do it. Hard to do if you have dual exhaust. Maybe a 73-87 tank would work.... Just something I thought of when working on pop's 73 IH.

[Nixon]

Maybe a 73-87 tank would work.... Just something I thought of when working on pop's 73 IH.

As I recall, Chevy has been sued for their outside the frame rail tanks on these year models. Seems in a T-bone collision they do a pretty good job of blowing up. I have seen some video and its not pretty. It wasn't really a recall because of the vast number of these trucks out there. It wasn't financially feasible. So what Chevy did was send all registered owners of these year models a $500 gift certificate towards a new vehicle if the owner also traded in his affected truck.

To make a long story short. I certainly wouldn't entertain this idea for a second if a class action suit has already been won against the factory's version.

[Joe67]

Yep - Considering the location of those 73-87 tanks, I wouldn't put one in mine intentionally

[obsesive23]

I installed a new poly blazer tank in my 68 and even though it installed ok and works fine, It does hang low and when it gets a v8 I'm gonna give fuel cell guy a call.

[Kas68c10]

I will add my two bits....The video you refer to was worse because- I think,it was Dateline NBC actually put explosives in the car to make the explosion look better, for ratings. However, they did explode on impact and that is bad enuff. I called the National Transportation and Safety board when I put my tank in the back. They have no records of in cab tanks exploding, but then the records dont go back past the 70's. His concern was of a leak/gas smell in the cab, and a dropped cigarette, not so much side impact. He did recommend moving it though, and using a outside the frame rail tank was a no-no. I found a van tank at the wrecker and used it, no one even saw the tank but it only held 11 gallons.I odered a poly tank from GMC paul, put a hitch around it, and I can hold over 20 gallons now. I am at stock height though, if I lowered it I would probably go back to the other tank. If anyone wants it, let me know.....

[Russell]

I just finished installing a 31 gallon Blazer tank from a 78 Blazer, other than sitting at a slight angle (I wanted to use the skid plate, otherwise you can use the factory brackets already on your truck and have the tank sit perfectly level, at least with a 73-87. The tank sits about an inch higher in the front than the back, no big worry. I can fix the incorrect gauge reading by adding a resistor or capacitator as needed to make the tank's sending unit have no resistance when the tank is empty) I found the tank only sits about 2" below my step bumper, not even worth thinking about as far as clearance is concerned on a stock 3/4 ton with 32" tires...

I'm also wondering if those 67-72 blazer tanks have a vent or not, becuase my buddy is running the exact same blazer tank as I installed, and it doesn't click off at all at any gas station. I've also found that just the empty fuel tank improved my ride quality by putting a but more weight at the back.

[Kas68c10]

My tank came with vent holes, will take gas as fars as you can pump it