[DeTomaso] Aluminum gas tank repair and question

MikeLDrew at aol.com MikeLDrew at aol.com
Mon Sep 15 14:47:16 EDT 2014


In a message dated 9/13/14 16 44 15, rlbpantera at earthlink.net writes:


>    I'll start with the question. The US Panteras were retro fitted here
>    with a wrap of fiberglass, supposedly for safety reasons. Something I
>    read made me think that the European cars with aluminum tanks were
>    never wrapped. Anyone know if this is true? I removed all of it when I
>    started looking for the leak. It is only one layer thick (0.03") and
>    rips very easily. It seems impossible for me to believe this would have
>    any benefit in a crash severe enough to rupture the tank. So I'm
>    considering not re-coating it and just painting it, probably silver.
>    Any thoughts are welcome.
> 

>>>It wasn't done for safety reasons.   It was done because the tanks 
weren't especially well-built, and they were leaking.   So they were hastily 
wrapped in fiberglass to seal them.

My '72 was retrofitted with a wrapped aluminum tank from a '71 during its 
restoration.   It has always leaked fuel when I filled it to the top, and I 
have finally concluded (without doing a formal investigation) that the tank 
is compromised somewhere near the top.   I have a steel tank from a later car 
ready to go in, but it requires engine removal, and I didn't reach this 
conclusion about the apparent failure of my '71 tank until after I'd already 
re-installed my new engine.   DOH!

I don't know the answer regarding what the Euro cars had.   The early cars 
that I've seen (1256 in particular) used a steel tank that is different from 
the later ones; the filler neck is angled to the rear and is welded to the 
tank, as opposed to being bolted on.   I'm interested to hear what other 
Euro '71 owners have though?

Mike
-------------- next part --------------
   In a message dated 9/13/14 16 44 15, rlbpantera at earthlink.net writes:

        I'll start with the question. The US Panteras were retro fitted
     here
        with a wrap of fiberglass, supposedly for safety reasons.
     Something I
        read made me think that the European cars with aluminum tanks
     were
        never wrapped. Anyone know if this is true? I removed all of it
     when I
        started looking for the leak. It is only one layer thick (0.03")
     and
        rips very easily. It seems impossible for me to believe this
     would have
        any benefit in a crash severe enough to rupture the tank. So I'm
        considering not re-coating it and just painting it, probably
     silver.
        Any thoughts are welcome.

   >>>It wasn't done for safety reasons.  It was done because the tanks
   weren't especially well-built, and they were leaking.  So they were
   hastily wrapped in fiberglass to seal them.
   My '72 was retrofitted with a wrapped aluminum tank from a '71 during
   its restoration.  It has always leaked fuel when I filled it to the
   top, and I have finally concluded (without doing a formal
   investigation) that the tank is compromised somewhere near the top.  I
   have a steel tank from a later car ready to go in, but it requires
   engine removal, and I didn't reach this conclusion about the apparent
   failure of my '71 tank until after I'd already re-installed my new
   engine.  DOH!
   I don't know the answer regarding what the Euro cars had.  The early
   cars that I've seen (1256 in particular) used a steel tank that is
   different from the later ones; the filler neck is angled to the rear
   and is welded to the tank, as opposed to being bolted on.  I'm
   interested to hear what other Euro '71 owners have though?
   Mike


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