Fuel tank construction

[SShep71]

So I dont feel like spending 1300.00 on a gas tank from ricks. I have decided to make my own. Im gonna see how it stands up to a ricks tank. Good thing I learned about this stuff in school!. Anyone out there wann help out a bit and get me some basic dimensions? I dont exactly have access to a car at all right now. Just a length/width/height of their 68-72 A body tank? I will let autocad do the rest. If anyone has any measurements for the ring that the sending unit seals against that would be a big help as well.


Pwetty pwetty pwease!

[T_Raven]

I've been wanting to make one myself. A few hundred dollars for a 5th gen or CTS-V fuel pump and $100 sheet of stainless is a lot cheaper than buying one.

[SShep71]

I priced everything out that I (you) (anyone) would need to build the tank. The zo6 pump/rings/o-ring is 300.00 the 18 gauge 304 stainless sheet is 230.00 online, misc parts 100.00 so for 630.00 you can build your own stainless tank with baffles, trapdoors, and anything else you want. If you can get the pump seperate, and do the machine work on the rings you can save some cash. If you have a good connection for the stainless you can save somemore there. For me tanks.com and ricks are out of the question which means I have to make my own stuff. There are several different pumps out there so you can save some more cash that way as well. It all comes down to what you can do vs what you can spend. Besides im a sticker for making my own stuff! When I finish the auto cad drawing ill post it.

[T_Raven]

Yeah I like making stuff to make it, saving money is a bonus lol. I have a Rick's tank for my 69, I think I paid $1200 but it's the old style, not the vapor works tank. A tank is just such an easy thing to make for someone that can fabricate, it's hard to justify $1500 to buy a tank when I have $8000 worth of welding equipment. Gotta put that stuff to use to justify having it lol. I never priced a sheet of stainless. $230 is more than I would've expected but still not bad.

The thing I wasn't sure about was how to secure the pump to the tank. Do you have a source for the tank part of the lock ring?

[69stang]

My SS tank modeled


Tacked up and test fitting




Its made from 18 ga. 304SS they were throwing in the scrap bin at work (previous employer). I'm having a friend tig it up for me. I did some shopping on ebay for a 6 x 10 fuel cell plate and fill valves (changing the top for 2 fill ports). I've got somewhere around $250 into it so far including 2 aircraft fuel caps & receptacles.

[Samckitt]

If I could only TIG weld, and knew someone with a roller to make the nice corners. I know someone with a CNC plasma to cut it out.



With the CAD software I have, I can even unfold it to make the flat pattern.

[CarlC]

Nice work Scot.

If those are remote pickup brackets in the corners you may want to consider removing one of the mounting points on the bottom of the tank. That makes the bracket like a spring. Just slide the pickup under the horizontal tab, let it center on the tab hole, and let the spring force from the tab hold the pickup in position. It makes assembly and maintenance a whole lot easier. The bracket would look something like this but with a hole in the top horizontal to receive the pickup.

[Samckitt]

Nice work Scot.

If those are remote pickup brackets in the corners you may want to consider removing one of the mounting points on the bottom of the tank. That makes the bracket like a spring. Just slide the pickup under the horizontal tab, let it center on the tab hole, and let the spring force from the tab hold the pickup in position. It makes assembly and maintenance a whole lot easier.

Good idea, thanks.

[SShep71]

I have a source for that ring, there is a place online that sells the pump/ring/o-ring and hardware for 315.00 Ill put the link up later. I made a ton of progress on my Autocad drawing of the tank parts. Its 38" x 19 3/8 x 7.5 they are the dimensions from a 72 Nova tank. I almost forgot about my watts link kit that a stock A body tank wont fit. The design has baffles, and a recess for the pump, and a sump.. Im gonna finish off the drawings tommorw and send them to get quoted for water jetting or laser cutting. Anyone know anyone out there with reasonable prices for one off items. last time I got prices quoted for water jetting I almost pissed my pants then I got the "well just do 200 of them and sell the rest to recoup your expenses" Nice try! If the price isnt that bad for materials and work ill post everything up. If you want teh autocad drawings msg me and I will send them to you.

[RobNoLimit]

One comment on BAFFLES. Remember that the baffle has two purposes. One is to strengthen the tank, and the other is to stop the fuel for sliding around in the tank. Fuel, at appx 7 lbs per gallon can act just like a hammer, and distort the tank shell in extreme conditions (like an auto-x coarse) Baffles should be almost solid. Small openings at the bottom, and larger, for air travel during filling, at the top. Really cool looking baffles that are cut out to look like a wing spar, are cool looking, but not much use as a baffle.

[T_Raven]

Baffles are one thing I've wanted to learn more about. Also remote pick ups. Are the ones in the vaporworx tanks a stock GM piece?

[T_Raven]

I hadn't seen vaporworx's website until just now. I just read most of it and it cleared up how the remote pick ups work. I see they sell their "retro worx" kit which would supply the mounting ring, and also a fuel pressure regulator adapter. Their site says they are apparently using 5th gen fuel pump modules with 4th gen pressure regulators.

[Samckitt]

Walbro makes the pickups.

http://www.autoperformanceengineerin...l/pickups.html

[dontlifttoshift]

This is a cool thread so I will put up the only useful knowledge I have about gas tanks.

Length x width x height x .004329 = gallons......it's almost sad that I didn't have to look that up.

Shep, your tank comes in at just under 24 gallons, that's huge!

[Samckitt]

Good to know Donny. I have to model it in 3D & do an analysis on the body to figure volume. If it wasn't contoured shape would be easier?.

[SShep71]

I was in a hurry last night and put the wrong dimensions up, (38 x 19 3/8 x 7 3/8). I factored in the relief for the pump on top, the angles cut into the corners for stability, the volume lost due to the mass of the pump, the actual working capacity of the tank less than 95% (a general rule I learned at school), and I came up with about 21 gal. I am looking at ctuuting it down some, but the 68-72 A bodys came with a 20 gal tank. I still have some work to do on the sheet drawings. The baffles are going to be structural and functional, I am looking at using 16gauge .060 304. I havent done the elasticity "Y" calculations yet but I am pretty sure in the short distances the .060 when welded properly will do a great job of retaining structural rigidity and controlling fluid flow. One thing I am considering that I havent seen on any tanks yet are removable access covers above the areas where the corner pickups are to allow for maintence. Done properly I dont see any issues putting them in.

http://www.retrofuel.com/4.html

This is the site that has the rings and pumps in a package. I dont like the fact that they are 11 gauge, I am gonna have to think about that for a little. I emailed the site for dimensions for the ring, I am trying to find a print, or drawing for the ring that will allow me to draw and machine my own. Anyone out there have anything. Hopefull I can get a set of drawings and parts so someone with the willingness can put their own tank together. Maybe even take my drawings and put a tank together so they can trouble shoot problems and save me time when I get back to the states ...eehhhhh ...ehhhh.. .any takers?

Ohh ROBNOLIIMIT.... I may be making my way up to your shop when I get back, i am gonna have a bunch of time in between this deployment and my next contract that needs filled with epicness. I am right in Temecula now!

[T_Raven]

A ring with studs like that would be fairly easy to make. I'm seeing used 5th gen pumps on ebay for around $150. Supposedly low mileage units that were upgraded for forced induction applications.

The question there would be if you can get by with the 5th gen pressure regulator. vaporworx site explains that they use a 4th gen regulator.

[CarlC]

Changing the regulator to a 58psi unit is needed unless the pwm controller is used.

I sell the mounting rings separately along with wiring harnesses, regulators, etc. If interested send me a PM and work something up for you guys.

[SShep71]

Thats what I had figured, Carl i sent you a PM. Raven I looked and those pumps arent bad for the $$. its half the cost of the ones I found new. I am concerned about longevity espically since its a pump. I am gonna have to pick up a better TIG when I get back now. With ramp up/down and pulse in addition to the other options. More $$ I dont wanna spend. Ill put it to good use i guess. I am going to have to use a sump because of the recess for the pump IOT achieve the 7 3/8 reccomended depth of the tank. That bring my tank to 9 3/8 at the tallest, I am concerned that i may hang too low on the car now.

[T_Raven]

Changing the regulator to a 58psi unit is needed unless the pwm controller is used.

I sell the mounting rings separately along with wiring harnesses, regulators, etc. If interested send me a PM and work something up for you guys.

I'm very impressed with the info on your site. Supplying that much info isn't something a product maker has to do to sell their product but it makes me respect them and want to give them my money lol. If I end up making a quality tank for my 67, I'll definitely buy what I can from you guys. If I can't make a good enough tank, I'll just have to buy the whole thing from you guys lol.