[DeTomaso] (DeTomaso) Where can I find a new gas tank?

[Mark McWhinney]

I have an early 71 with a fiberglass wrapped tank with aftermarket headers.
I don't know if the heat shield is original or not.  

The headers touch the heat shield which is only a fraction of an inch from
the tank.  (Done by a prior owner.)  This worries me but nothing has blown
up.

Last year at LV, I went around the parking lot looking at the space between
the headers and tanks and found a wide difference in the amount of space.
Some of the differences could be explained by differences among aftermarket
headers, but it also appeared that some tanks were located further out than
others.  Is that true or were all tanks the same size and position in the
Ford-year models?



-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of Jim Hendrickson
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 6:12 PM
To: MikeLDrew at aol.com; DeTomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] (DeTomaso) Where can I find a new gas tank?



Fit problem could be the headers. My tank shield had to be malletized for
one of the tubes in my headers.



-----Original Message-----
From: detomaso-bounces at realbig.com [mailto:detomaso-bounces at realbig.com] On
Behalf Of MikeLDrew at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 8:21 PM
To: r565h737 at yahoo.com; DeTomaso at realbig.com
Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] (DeTomaso) Where can I find a new gas tank?


In a message dated 11/8/07 11:12:31 AM, r565h737 at yahoo.com writes:


> Can someone tell me where I can buy a new Aluminum or stainless Pantera
gas 
> tank??
> 

Precision Performance (www.precisionperformance.com) advertises stainless 
steel tanks.   I just saw one a few days ago; it looks beautiful.

BUT.   I think they come from the same source as Hall Pantera's tank, and
you 
know what that means.

It doesn't fit.

Or at least, it might not.   I spoke with another Pantera owner at the SEMA 
show (Chris Wilkins) who had a hell of a time, because the new tank was ever
so 
slightly 'off'.   With the tank installed, the exhaust headers ran smack
into 
it.   In attempting to shove the tank sideways to get more clearance, the 
outside of the tank struck the inside of his quarter panel and cracked the
paint.

He was Not Pleased.

He felt the solution was to cut a channel into the tank and have it
rewelded, 
which would sacrifice about a gallon of fuel capacity but ensure mondo 
clearance.   I don't necessarily agree though, unless you also modify the
gas tank 
shield.

Then again, I think lots of people are running around with these aftermarket

tanks with no problems.   It's worth mentioning that the problematic car was

actually pieced together from two junked Panteras, so that might have had 
something to do with the alignment issue.

Buy a new tank, but be very sure to verify the fit before committing to 
installing the motor etc. for good.   Install the tank, then install the 
engine/gearbox combo, and the left header, and only after you're happy
should you start 
to tighten the first bolt!

BTW, is your existing tank so far gone that it can't be repaired?

Mike


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