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    Thread: Gas tank fab...

    1. #1
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Posts
      543

      Gas tank fab...

      Anyone fabbing their own stainless gas tank? What are you using for the filler lip, and for the place where the fuel sender goes. I can fab the tank fairly easily and weld it up, but I don't know about those parts.

      Does anyone sell these parts for weld-in?

      I thought about just reusing those parts off the stock tank, it IS possible to bond stainless to regular steel using the correct alloy wire (I'd have to look it up, but I think E308 stainless works best). But then I'd loose the corrosion benefits of having the stainless tank.


      Mathius

    2. #2
      Join Date
      May 2005
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      IL
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      Just build it out of steel than have it powder coated. Than you can use your old parts from your old tank.
      Rick

    3. #3
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
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      543
      Quote Originally Posted by BadRS69
      Just build it out of steel than have it powder coated. Than you can use your old parts from your old tank.
      Well, like I said, I'd loose the corrosion benefits of using stainless. Powdercoat would help, but a gas tank can still rust from the inside out, and you can't powdercoat the inside. Could seal it I suppose, but that's never easy to tell how well it coated.

      Also, another concern is cutting up the old tank because it'll be a very touchy thing to make sure all the gas fumes are out of it.

      Mathius



    4. #4
      Join Date
      Jun 2001
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      I've made tanks in stainless and aluminum.

      I used aftermarket sending units (Auto Meter), and standard race style filler openings.

      jp
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    5. #5
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
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      543
      Quote Originally Posted by parsonsj
      I've made tanks in stainless and aluminum.

      I used aftermarket sending units (Auto Meter), and standard race style filler openings.

      jp
      John, do you know if the autometer sending unit will hook up to a stock gauge? Not sure what I'm doing with the dash yet.

      Also, what do you mean by racing style filler openings? Can you post a link?

      Thanks,
      Mathius

    6. #6
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      Yes, AutoMeter sending units will work with most factory gauges. Their tech support can get you set up.

      Try http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku

      jp
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    7. #7
      Join Date
      Dec 2004
      Location
      Houston Texas
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      368
      I used one of these on my last fuel cell. http://store.summitracing.com/partde...5&autoview=sku
      But if your building a tank to go in the stock location you can just weld on a piece of stainless tubing and run a gasoline safe hose.
      Any of the 0-90 ohm AutoMeter sending units will be compatible with your GM gauges. (if that is what you have)
      68 Camaro - never to be finished
      06 Silverado - Forged 370, L92 Heads, big cam, 4l80e ect. eventual donor for the above
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmB2y7uX38I

    8. #8
      Join Date
      Jun 2006
      Posts
      10
      a good stainless to mild rod is 309.

    9. #9
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      Jun 2006
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      NW burbs IL
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      What recommendations on gauge for stainless and aluminum and grade.
      Matt


      Current project: " Chain Reaction "

      A.K.A. " BIG " by wife, biatch in garage.

      1969 RS Camaro L92 T56 Quadra-link, CW sub, Ford 9" a progressive build.

      Ex track car: 1995 Camaro LS1 T56

    10. #10
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      Jun 2005
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      543
      Quote Originally Posted by Bow Tie 67
      What recommendations on gauge for stainless and aluminum and grade.
      18 gauge is probably ok for stainless I'm guessing, 16 would be better.

      I'm guessing aluminum should be somewhere in the 12-14 range.

      Mathius

    11. #11
      Join Date
      Dec 2004
      Location
      Houston Texas
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      Stainless I wouldnt do anything under 16 ga. (.0625) 304

      The last aluminum cell I built was 11ga (.090) 3003
      68 Camaro - never to be finished
      06 Silverado - Forged 370, L92 Heads, big cam, 4l80e ect. eventual donor for the above
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmB2y7uX38I

    12. #12
      Join Date
      Feb 2007
      Posts
      10
      I also plan on fabbing my own fuel tank. Mine will go in the stock location. It will be an internal baffle design with a sump in the bottom of it. I planned on ordering a sending unit from Jegs or Summit, but have yet to do so. Mine will be made of 16 ga. 304ss. I work at a sheetmetal fab shop, so all I have to do is take some final measurements and go to work. I figure about a week worth of lunchbreaks and I'll be good to go.

      309L is the proper rod for welding stainless to carbon steel, Other types can be used but you run the risk of the weld cracking. If you use stainless I would rec. using 308 filler rod, don't just fuse it like a popular manufacturer does. It may work but adding filler rod makes for a much stronger weld, and a fuel tank is not an area I am willing to take a risk.

      Chris

    13. #13
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      My aluminum tanks are made with .060 5052 but with tubular frames. My stainless tanks are 18g (.049) but with load-bearing baffling.

      jp
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    14. #14
      Join Date
      Jun 2006
      Location
      NW burbs IL
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      1,732
      Thanks for all the help guys. JP do you know how heavy your aluminum tank was when completed?
      Matt


      Current project: " Chain Reaction "

      A.K.A. " BIG " by wife, biatch in garage.

      1969 RS Camaro L92 T56 Quadra-link, CW sub, Ford 9" a progressive build.

      Ex track car: 1995 Camaro LS1 T56

    15. #15
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      Jun 2001
      Location
      Orlando, FL
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      JP do you know how heavy your aluminum tank was when completed?
      No, other than to say it was pretty light, which means nothing. It's got 15 gallons of 93 octane in it right now, so it's a bit heavier now.

      jp
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    16. #16
      Join Date
      Feb 2007
      Posts
      10
      parsonsj,
      Not trying to hijack, but I am looking for some ideas on the baffling you do. I have a pretty good idea of what I think it should look like, but would appreciate some design input. Also the sump. I probably will use an external electric fuel pump, so I believe this is the way to go
      Chris

    17. #17
      Join Date
      Feb 2007
      Posts
      10
      18ga ss weighs 2.1lbs per sq ft
      16ga ss weighs 2.625lbs per sq ft
      can't find my aluminum chart but if memory serves correctly I think it is 60% of the weight of ss
      My personal opinion, if I were to use al. I would use .090
      Chris

    18. #18
      Join Date
      Jun 2001
      Location
      Orlando, FL
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      I am looking for some ideas on the baffling you do
      Have a look here: http://www.iimuchfabrication.com/Tanks/

      Hope it's useful.

      jp
      John Parsons

      UnRivaled Rides -- Modern upgrades for your ride.

      UnRivaled Rides recent project -- LS9-powered 69 Camaro

    19. #19
      Join Date
      Jan 2007
      Location
      Phx, Az
      Posts
      924
      Quote Originally Posted by parsonsj
      Have a look here: http://www.iimuchfabrication.com/Tanks/

      Hope it's useful.

      jp



      WOW!!! that looks sweet. I will need something like hat for my falcon
      1973 C10,400sbc, Baer Brakes, 4 link,TOYO tires
      2010 Charger RT
      __________________
      Joe

    20. #20
      Join Date
      Jun 2005
      Posts
      543
      John,

      That link was very inspiring and should be helpful when I get to my own project. The only thing I want to do different is I don't want the filler in the trunk. But you seem to have a full firewall in yours. Is your car still streetable?

      The smaller plate near the filler neck is the aftermarket fuel sender you were talking about, yes? Did it rivet in place?

      Mathius

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