Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

I recently bought a '40 Tudor Deluxe sedan that was restored in the 80's, but has pretty much been sitting on blocks since then. My plan was to go through the fuel system, brakes, new tires etc and get it ready for the road. Thanks to some help here with the distributor, I got it started with a temporary fuel source.

Instead of trying to deal with the varnish filled fuel tank, I figured that I would be better off just ordering a new tank from Bob Drake. So, I ordered it before I read any of the old threads here that discuss how the tanks are too big to install from the bottom. Well, I guess they never changed them because they are still about 1/2" longer than they should be. I will be in touch with Drake on Monday and see about returning this one.

Meanwhile, I still need a tank, so I guess my next option is Tanks, Inc. Has anyone bought one of their tanks for a '40? If so, can they be installed from the bottom and are you able to retain the original sending unit?

As always, I appreciate the help and the knowledge that is shared.

Bobby

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

I have a Tanks plastic tank and installed it from the bottom. It has been 20 years, but I think it has an original bolt pattern because I had to use an adapter for an aftermarket sending unit.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

I have put steel tanks brand In 40 fords from the bottom. Its a tight squeeze but they will go In. They have the sending unit in the stock location but uses a late model style sender. Also the fuel pickup is from the top and you need to install that before the tank goes in. The sender can be serviced from the stock location in the trunk floor

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

It was very tough to get the old tank out, so I know there's no way to fit one in that's 1/2" wider.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

I installed one of Bob Drake tanks in my 38 coupe. They have extra metal around the edges and you can see the seam how it was spot welded together.
I just ground off the extra metal and it went right in from the bottom. It would have been near imposable before I trimmed the tank to fit!

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

I just put a Dennis Carpenter steel tank in my '39. I believe it is the same as your 40. It has the cage nuts....very helpful...and went in easily. Also the filler neck connection worked great too. I think the shipping was a flat $15 from NC to AZ. The pickup fitting is 1/4 npt and my fuel line mated up perfectly as well.

Agree with your decision to scrap the old tank.....just more problems down the road.

Dick.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

The problem with the tanks is the bottom is shifted about 1/2 to the fill side and under the fill it hits the frame. What you could do is pinch the tank together with vise grips then under fill bottom half of tank were it hits. You will see were it hits , take 2 ball peen hammers and form it back about 1/4 to 3/8"
Stand tank on end and use my favorite tool the hammer LOL. Then trim pass side little. The caged nuts are wrong also to small and the bolt kit is junk to.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

So, Drake will take the tank back and refund my money, but only for the tank. They charged me $45 to ship it to me, and I'm guessing it will cost me the same to ship it back. So $90 to learn that Drake sells a product that will not fit without beating the hell out of it with a hammer. When told that I learned it was well known that these tanks wont go in from the bottom, the so-called customer service rep tells me that's not true, and the tanks fit 85-95% of the cars out there.

I have a '41 wagon that I will be restoring soon and will need plenty of parts. Guess who will not get another penny of my money...

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

A while back (8 years or so) I had to remove the tank from my '35 3W to clean and seal it. I remember having a difficult time removing the tank from the frame rails. I ended up prying one side of the frame rails, after removing the bolts holding the tank in, and the tank slipped out easily. The tank bolted in position makes the frame more rigid in that area, so removing the tank bolts made it less rigid and thus flexible enough to allow the tank to be removed from the bottom. Did the same to install the tank. Worked for me. Good luck. Pat

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

This problem goes back for me about 9 years ago
I had just put the body back on my 39 sedan and was reading about the tank problem. I had bought the tank 6 months earlier and thought I would put it on later.
When I heard about the body needed to be lifted .
I went and tried it and could see the problem.
Sounds like a lot of hammering but it was only 1" x 1/2" about the size of your thumb. I was NOT going to lift the body again. But I would rather have a steel tank then plastic.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

It looks like my best bet will be seeing where I can grind and hammer this thing to get it to squeeze in to place. We'll see...

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

If you put the tank up on fill side there is a pointed area under the fill bottom half of tank.
This hits there and doesn't have enough room to let the pass side to drop or go in place. Very little trimming on pass side. The bottom half is close but not like the original.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

Thanks George, that gives me a good place to start. Hopefully I can get time to work on it in the next couple days.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

When I put my Drake tank in my 40 Sedan,
I pushed it towards the fill pipe side ,
bent the bracket on the opposite side up , then the tank would go in place.
then i bent the bracket back down.
It was not my best work but it fit.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

I trimmed some off of my tank flange and it went in. It's not easy but it went. Drake in a 40 fordor. But if you wanna spend the 90$ on shipping and more on another tank to find out it doesn't fit either,go nuts.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

This entire discussion begs the question why Drake's tanks don't fit without bending, grinding, cutting, or other modification. Perhaps he or someone from his organization would like to offer an explanation.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

You're right, of course. It just makes more sense to bend, spindle, and mutilate the one that I already have instead of spending more money. Plus, I guess this is an opportunity to use my new plasma cutter.

I guess the guy from Drake's was right when he told me that the tanks fit 85% of the customer's cars, he just left out the part about needing a BFH and a grinder.

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

Just be careful with sending it back to Bob Drake. If there is any blemishes from trying to fit the tank they will refuse to credit you and will send it back.
I had this happen to me when I returned a chrome bumper they claimed they found a scratch that wasn't there before and refused credit. Any excuse to not take it back and refund my money didn't set well and cost them in future sales with me!

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tank...Sigh
 

I bought some turn signal lights from Drake. They came with 12 volt bulbs. I could no t find 6 volt bulbs locally to fit and a call to Drakes said they did not sell them. They charged a 20% restocking charge even though they would not fit what they sold them for.