[DeTomaso] pre L Pantera aluminum gas tank
Will Kooiman
will.kooiman at gmail.com
Fri Sep 18 10:37:39 EDT 2015
My 427 Cobra has an aluminum gas tank. It does not have a bladder
It is not that old, so I cannot comment on durability. I know they are fairly common on Cobras, though.
Sent from my iPhone
> On Sep 18, 2015, at 10:11 AM, Thomas Tornblom <thomas at hax.se> wrote:
>
> Oh, and aluminum really doesn't like standing water.
>
> We once used some aluminum kitchenware to hold water for our plants when we were gone over Christmas, and they all were either severly pitted or had pinholes where the water had drained. That was just 1-2 weeks and with tap water.
>
> I have the fuel pump attached to the drain hole in my tank and I think that will drain any water nicely.
>
> Thomas
>
> Den 2015-09-18 15:07, Thomas Tornblom skrev:
>> FYI:
>>
>> Late model cars also have aluminum tanks.
>>
>> Not sure when they switched back, but my 1984 GT 5 (#9321) has that. It
>> is also sprayed with a fairly thin layer of some type of yellowish coating.
>>
>> Thomas
>>
>> Den 2015-09-18 14:51, cengles at cox.net skrev:
>>> Dear Robert,
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Ah, fitment issues with a pre L push button and parts
>>> meant for later L model Panteras.
>>>
>>> I happen to know that a friend and his son discovered
>>> that a real problem does exist. IIRC, they had a leaky late model gas
>>> tank and a non functioning pre L with an aluminum gas tank. The plan
>>> was to put the pre L tank in the L Pantera. The tanks are not the same
>>> and it was not a simple "bolt in" swap. I suspect that if the exercise
>>> was done in reverse, i.e. late model L tank installed in an early pre L
>>> Pantera, then there would be a PITA fitment issue.
>>>
>>> IMHO, I would pull the tank, remove the fiberglass and
>>> have it cleaned and repaired and bolted back in. I just did this with
>>> my late '74 Pantera. The removal was duck soup *after* removal of the
>>> drive train. IIRC, a new tank was at or north of $1000. Repairs were
>>> $450.....and aluminum is easier to weld, work with and repair than steel.
>>>
>>>
>>> Warmest regards, Chuck Engles
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>> On Fri, Sep 18, 2015 at 12:38 AM, Robert Stroj wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Hi All,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> thanks for all suggestions!
>>>>
>>>> One thing I am not sure about; would later steel tank (or SS replica
>>>> sold by
>>>> vendors) fit directly into my early 71 car or would I need to do any
>>>> modifications to make it fit?
>>>>
>>>> I will probably try to somehow firs locate the hole without taking the
>>>> tank
>>>> (and engine) out of the car, although this might be impossible since
>>>> there
>>>> is a protection shield and then fiberglass in place...all squeezed
>>>> really
>>>> close to my 180 degree headers.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The point is that leak is really, really small as it only makes
>>>> corner of
>>>> fiberglass wet, but is not enough to make a drop.
>>>>
>>>> I guess I will monitor it carefully and then go through trouble of
>>>> getting
>>>> the tank out, removing the fiberglass and then inspecting carefully
>>>> the tank
>>>> to find out what is actually wrong.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> All the best, Robert
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> From: Julian Kift [mailto:julian_kift at hotmail.com] Sent: Thursday,
>>>> September 17, 2015 8:32 AM
>>>> To: Jack Deryke; npdrs at maui.net; De Tomaso List
>>>> Subject: RE: [DeTomaso] DeTomaso Digest, Vol 135, Issue 16
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> As it is an aluminum tank, it is less likely the leak is from
>>>> corrosion, so
>>>> maybe a seam or as my steel tank did a contact wear point. My steel tank
>>>> wore through on the shoulder where it narrows and was touching the inner
>>>> fender. It would weep and smell of gas in the garage the next morning
>>>> after
>>>> filling the tank more than 3/4 full. I was fortunately able to remove
>>>> the
>>>> tank strap and move the tank over enough to be able to sand and effect a
>>>> bondo repair (the stuff specifically for gas tanks) until the next
>>>> time the
>>>> engine was out.
>>>> Julian
>>>>
>>>> Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2015 14:21:54 -0400
>>>> To: npdrs at maui.net; detomaso at poca.com
>>>> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] DeTomaso Digest, Vol 135, Issue 16
>>>> From: detomaso at poca.com
>>>>
>>>> Early tanks were indeed aluminum, and the geniuses at the DOT forced
>>>> Ford to
>>>> wrap the aluminum with fiberglas as 'protection' against cracking. It
>>>> is one
>>>> layer thick and likely has long ago debonded. I would remove ALL the
>>>> useless
>>>> fiberglas so the actual leak can be located. Then since it seems small,
>>>> Devcon or Bondo are both totally fuel-proof when cured- even the witches
>>>> brew we're sold as "gasoline" these days. A pinhole in our tank was
>>>> fixed
>>>> with Bondo 15 years ago and still no leaks. Of course, TIG welding can
>>>> also
>>>> be done. Std steel tanks can replace it as well but early tanks are
>>>> different shape than later ones. See the write-up in your Newsletter a
>>>> few
>>>> years ago on what Ted Mitchell had to go thru to adapt an early tank
>>>> to a
>>>> later car. Good luck- J DeRyke
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: Robert Stroj <npdrs at maui.net>
>>>> To: detomaso <detomaso at poca.com>
>>>> Sent: Wed, Sep 16, 2015 5:42 pm
>>>> Subject: Re: [DeTomaso] DeTomaso Digest, Vol 135, Issue 16
>>>> Hello,
>>>> I got early 71 car and my fuel tank looks as it is wrapped in
>>>> fiberglass and
>>>> painted black. I tried with the magnet and actual tank is
>>>> non-magnetic; is it aluminum?
>>>> Problem is that it must have a tiny leak as I see
>>>> one corner on the bottom
>>>> always being wet, but it is not enough to actually
>>>> make the fuel drip.
>>>> Are there any suggestions on best way to deal with this
>>>> problem?
>>>> I understand one needs to take the motor out to get to the tank?
>>>> Is
>>>> there a good way to repair/reseal my tank or is the best option to
>>>> replace it
>>>> with new one?
>>>> What is best option/where to buy a replacement tank that would
>>>> fit in stock
>>>> location. Thanks,
>>>> Robert
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>
> --
> Real life: Thomas Törnblom Email: thomas at hax.se
> Snail mail: Banvallsvägen 14 Phone: +46 18 32 31 18
> S - 754 40 Uppsala, Sweden Mobile: +46 76 209 8320
>
>
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