Stainless fuel tank

[Ant]

Anyone done a stainless tank?

My car is similar to a lot of other Cobra's, it has a area under the trunk floor to fit a large flat styled wedge gas tank, due to the large area - fuel surge can be a problem, hence the need for baffles.
Thought about a fuel cell but I need a custom made tank, and I already have the shortest VDO 0-90 fuel sender, to suit my Autometer gauges!

My problem is the stainless sheet at 1.2mm thick is quite heavy stuff, compared to the 2mm aluminium that some other tank builders use:

This is the comparison of 75% of a sheet 2400X1200
S/S 33.6 pounds
Alu 19.2 pounds

Fuel cells are lighter I quess, and stainless is a lot better to Tig hence I can do it - in house!
Some might say just get plenty of horse power and a bit of weight aint going to make any difference

Not a big issue just 14Ib difference, but probably stronger - Ant

[Neal Jackson]

Ant,

I'll be building a stainless tank for our Cheetah - using 304 full soft in 22 guage thickness. Will have two baffles in it and should hold about 22 gallons.

[427 S/O]

Ant, check my pics, 25 gal (I think) SS tank .050 wall with baffles. positioned as you described.

[Ant]

Thanks for your feedback Neal & Perry

Its a bit hard to fit a fuel cell into the rear of a Cobra when one the shape of your car Perry is required, or its easier to go to the outside of the trunk well to fit the tank straps, instead of trying to build a frame to fit a smaller fuel cell.

Perry your tank is quite a bit bigger than I am going to make, mine will be about 7.5" at front and about 5" at rear which has about 1.5" under the rear bodywork, and I am going flush with the outside chassis, this should give between 12 - 15 imperial gallons, which is marginal!

Cheers Ant

[Mr.Fixit]

Are you going to make it with a removable top plate, so you can put a bladder and foam in it like all cobras wish they had? Dont forget to put a bung on it for the filler vent hose.

[Fred Douglass]

.....omce you get that ol' engyne in her---14.4 pounds difference won't even be noticable!

[David Kirkham]

We make a stainless tank for all of our cars. The 427 tank is quite complicated and holds around 40 gallons! That should do you for a while.

We baffle and trap our gas tanks.


David

[Fred Douglass]

First some pleasure...........you deserve a lot of credit or kudos for producing a superb and beautiful piece of machinery! Ditto your charitable efforts. Now--to the business at hand. 40 gallons...in water..is 320 lbs. Gasoline can't be that much different. So-o-o-o do you have smaller tanks and maybe evern a catalog? I'd like to see your line of parts and techno bits, if possible. If you have such, let me know. Thanks.

[Ant]

Thanks David, and I would emagine your tanks are very good, 40'S a bit big, 15-18 imperial gallons will do, I am trying to save a bit of cash building the tank myself, and plus having the fun or trouble of doing it, but sometimes thing turn out cheaper if I had bought in the first place!

Fred your right it shouldn't make any difference the 14Ibs with all the neddies under the hood!

Mr Fixit:

Thats a thought I can get the foam, make the top for access, the next question how does the bladder work?
Also you mention the bung, I assume that is to let air in out, like plumb a hose into it and run up with a coil in it for an air bleed?
I could do that in the filler neck, as I am running a seal lockable cap inside the aston roller cap. One further thing I will be running a baffle system similar to ERA drawing with the hinge gates and fore and aft baffle, so as mentioned not sure how the bladder works!

Cheers Ant