MTFCA Forum

Is anybody going to be carrying the torch with the making of gas tanks, or is that another part that’s no longer going to be made anymore?

ThreePedalTapDancer wrote: ↑

Tue Dec 22, 2020 2:57 pm

Is anybody going to be carrying the torch with the making of gas tanks, or is that another part that’s no longer going to be made anymore?

I know there's a shortage, but has the supplier stated that they'll no longer be produced by them?

Snyder’s informed me that the maker passed away and they don’t know when or if they will resume making them.

My guess is that any company that could easily make such a thing will run away if you used the name "Gas Tank".

Containment device, Liquid (n.o.s.), Cylindrical (or oval), with inlet/outlet apetures (threaded), 9-10 gallon range.

I made my own from galvanized sheet metal, some wooden forms, a big soldering iron and some time. So far so good.

We have pondered the idea of stepping up to the plate..., a few things come in the way. Price of quality galvanized sheetmetal, solder and flux, making the inlet and outlets. Now patterns have to be produced, a pretty good size work station for cut out and assembly. Next, good shipping boxes and packing. Now as far as I am concerned the deal breaker for us (Hank and Donnie)..., Fighting the shipping companies about damage.

I did a time study on production, all by hand about 4 man hours each with a 12 pound pressure test/de-fluxing rinse to include packing. Using a CNC plasma cutting table less 1 hour. Round, oval, center door, coupe square, custom speedster, 26/27 roadster cowl tank all doable and have perfect originals for examples. With all the hyper inflation and lack of supplies, the price would start around $250.00 and up. Not enough demand going on to get up and running and the space required would take up a 10' x 20' foot area.

Not being a Debby Downer, being realistic.

Hank

Didn’t someone take over the company in Arkansas making them after the original owner died a couple years ago? Has he died too?

I’d pay three hundred for a quality new tank. At the moment I will have to use something intended for a dune buggy and customize it to work. If someone has a new oval tank they aren’t gonna use, I will PayPal you tonight!

I’m in the waiting list for Snyder’s in hopes the long list of people who want one will entice someone to build them

Is howells not making them?

You'd think someone could make money at it under the right circumstances but I trust Hank knows what he is talking about. Nonetheless, I fear for our hobby if fuel tanks become unavailable.

IMHO $250-300ish is not out of line for a new high quality gas tank. Trying to clean and reuse a 100+ year old tank is penny wise, and POUND FOOLISH. Been there, done that ! ( only once)

The gas tanks that we have bought for years were made in a small shop here in Arkansas. I knew the original owner (Ed) and his helper (Billy) since the late 1970s. When Ed passed away several years ago the business was willed to his helper Billy. Billy kept making the tanks till he passed away several months ago. A few years ago I helped Eds wife dispose of some of his estate. At that time I was at the gas tank shop several times a week for over a year. I got to watch Billy make some of the tanks. All of the tooling was old worn out tools and homemade dies and was very labor intensive. Billy was a master at what he did. But there was no one helping or working as an apprentice with him, like he had done with Ed. He was a one man shop. He worked 7:00. to 3:30 5 days a week and turned out about 500 model T tanks a year and about 300 custom tanks for one off speedsterss, fire trucks, ECT. We talked about no one to take over when he quit. I think he was 56 years old when he died. He had planed on about another 10 years of making tanks. He died too young and will be missed.

After watching how the tanks were built and how old and worn the tools were. As well as the time and labor involved, I really doubt that there is anyone who can take over his shop. It will require someone who is basically starting from scratch and all new tooling. Or at least someone who has a lot of tooling that can be adapted.

As far as I know there is no one making gas tanks at this time other than some of the aluminumn speedster tanks.

As far as new gas tanks are concerned. I see a long time before they are readily available again.

Thanks for the report Donnie. That is what I also heard but it was 3rd hand and I did not want to report just a rumor. Dan.

Wow Donny, sad to hear about young Billy's passing at 56. Heck, 50 y.o. is just when life gets going good! Poor fella. R.I.P.
Like Steve, glad I got the new tanks I needed back when I did. My current 2 cars both have very good, relatively new tanks
so they're good til most of us drop dead.

Not good news for anyone who finds a project with hopes of getting it back on the road. This is one of the first things many folks buy.

I can think of a few other must have parts that are on a single contingency as well.

Mac's website says Gas Tanks are available, but allow extra time. I don't know where they get them from, but I wonder if it is China. I haven't bought anything from them in about 6 or 7 years.

I’m about to buy a $100 eBay 15 gallon fuel cell and just make some brackets for it. It’s the same general measurements as the oval tank but not oval and has an extra 5 gallons of capacity. Only issue is they’re top feed so you’d have to tig weld a new bung in the bottom so the gravity feed works. Either that or use a small fuel pump. They come with a sending unit too so it would be easy to add a fuel gauge. No it isn’t original but it’ll get the job done until the new tanks are available again or I find a suitable used tank.

My 2¢

Brad

Im pretty sure Macs got their tanks from Billy. They are such a big corporation that they may still be unaware that tanks are not available from him. There may be a China supplier but I am unaware of one if there is.

Billy made the tanks in batches of 10 at a time. He usually shipped them 4 at a time to the vendors in a special box that held four tanks. There were variations to that but he said that was the normal way. From my discussions with him, it sounded like everyone bought his tanks. I also felt like he was under priced on his tanks.

In the near future I see the hobby needing to fix what we have, build our own, or get lucky finding the few new ones in peoples stashes. Back when I was helping Eds wife with the estate I brought the tank issue up in a few of my posts. I suggested then that in the not so far future that new tanks would go away for awhile. I just never dreamed Billy would pass so soon. I suggested then to get a extra for future use. At that time I bought a new round and a new oval tank. I bought them at the time for myself, or so I would have one if some member of our Arkansas Tin Lizzies club may need one. Im glad I got them then ..

I have heard from a very reliable source (A Christmas Elf) there is hope in that someone is in the works of stepping up to the plate! It will take awhile for the tooling, patterns, and the logistics so be patient folks. If for some reason their plans do not go through as planned (I will give them respect in getting up and running), then I will do a thread on how to remove just the lower section, remove the bad, clean, and reattach a new bottom or how to re-skin using the original ends. Be kind to those pixies!

Hank the Messenger!

Henry K. Lee wrote: ↑

Thu Dec 24, 2020 6:00 am

I have heard from a very reliable source (A Christmas Elf) there is hope in that someone is in the works of stepping up to the plate!

Hank, whoever that elf may be, the T community will appreciate their effort! We are very fortunate to have those among us that make parts to keep our T's on the road. It is easy to take that for granted until those parts are no longer available.

It is only thru the efforts of such "elfs" that the hobby will survive. Christmas is a time of hope so this is good news. Merry Christmas!

I purchased a polished Stainless Steel Tank for a truck we are building it is a T tank the same as in my 24 fordor, i don't remember the company name i did a search for ss tanks and several came up, it was $315.00, it even has the proper mounting straps.

Rick

The tank i purchased was from Speedway Motors in Lincoln, Ne, it was ordered through,
Micheal Harrison in Madison, Wi., part number 141-3898 1025 gal ss tank 10x 33.

Rick

To Henry K Lee and others,
If anyone will make "improved car" high quality cowl tanks for $250 each I'll take four. I will sign a contract.

I bought a new oval tank for my 24 from Rootlieb about a year ago. At that time all the regular vendors were out.

John

Maybe Rootleib will pick up the torch ...

They have them listed on their website.


http://www.rootlieb.com/accessories.html

John

I'm not 100% sure but I think Billy made Rootleibs gas tanks.
It would be nice if they did make their own.