Club Cobra - Gas Tank / Fuel Cell Sizing

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Gas Tank / Fuel Cell Sizing

Discussion Tools

10-27-2014 03:29 PM - permalink

cycleguy55

Anyone know the dimensions of the original 'fuel cell' in WC cars or, better yet, the maximum dimensions of a tank that will fit in the original location (above the rear axle, under the roll bar) and still fit through the trunk opening?

BTW, I received a quote for a tank like the 'inverted L' one Xack has in his car. In stainless steel, w/o a sending unit or filler plate, the quote I received was CAD$1,496. I realize it's custom fabrication, but that still seems high to me.

10-29-2014 02:28 PM - permalink

Xack

I can have you one made for ~ $400. I'll see if I can find my contact info. I also have a 16 or 17 gallon steel tank I can sell you. It is a "universal" I got from Tanks Inc. I was going to modify it to put a fill tube to act as a baffle so gas would not slosh out... if your interested. I'd be glad to get rid of it if you can give me enough for shipping cost.

11-03-2014 03:34 PM - permalink

cycleguy55

I think I've found a tank that will work in my WC Cobra. It's a 17 gallon RCI tank (http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...172a/overview/), and it's 30" long (side to side), 17" wide (front to back) and 7" deep. The trunk opening, of course, is less than 30" wide, but I'm hoping I can put it and turn it into position. I will have to remove my existing tank and filler, and mock up the RCI tank dimensions in cardboard first to make sure I can get it in, but it looks good eye-balling it.

I won't use their filler but will leave it capped and mount my current filler immediately under the centre-mounted cap on the car. There's 11" between the shelf there and the fibreglass under the filler cap, so I have 4" to install my current filler (which looks an awful lot like this one: http://www.summitracing.com/int/part...036a/overview/) and connect it to the Mustang filler the previous owner installed.

11-05-2014 04:05 PM - permalink

BOBOCobra

I have decided this winter I am going to mount one outside the car under the trunk deck. We are going to cut the trunk floor and raise it and weld brackets to mount the tank. the trunk floor will be at about the same level as the trunk latch but I don't use it that much anyway. Will have cubbies on each side at the wheel well. Filler neck will run up from below through the "shelf" but I can hide it nicely and make the trunk really nice. From time to time I can still smell gas in the trunk and I want to get it out of there. I figure about 23 gallons will be the new volume. It will lower and move the CG towards the back a little, but should not make that big of a deal for handling as I don't race it anyway. Other reason is I am going to install a tank return line and a PRV on the fuel rail to keep fresh fuel to the carb and it is also there if I ever go to EFI. I will post pictures as we work through this.

11-05-2014 09:16 PM - permalink

cycleguy55

In doing my tank research, I discovered the poly tanks are permeable to gas fumes, though apparently some are lined in order to make them impermeable - though that seems like a recent development. They're really made to be put either in a shell or case (effectively sealing them) or, alternatively, used in an open environment where the gas fumes can escape. Putting them in a trunk just allows the gas fumes to work their way through the poly and then be captured in the trunk.

IOW, while Vern may have been using good tanks, the ones he was using were never really designed to be put in a sealed trunk, unless enclosed in a steel or aluminum shell.

11-07-2014 09:24 AM - permalink

Xack

I understand your point. However on that last comment...
"While Vern may have been using good tanks...." If he left it alone or if found one which would work without being cut up or designed for a filler on the side... he bastardized it by cutting a hole which crossed contours in the top and sandwiching across the corners in the contours with "Dum-Dum". "Dum-Dum", really!... While I forgive Vern for many other things, that tank I got is just plain unsafe and I could not figure any way to make it safe and work. When you pointed out the facts about the materials... The tank was never designed to be by itself in a trunk and serve as a feul tank. It was part of a larger system for racing, not street applications. That makes perfect sense.

11-07-2014 11:37 AM - permalink

cycleguy55

It takes good materials and installation to make a quality finished product. If either the materials (e.g. wrong tank for the application) or the installation is sub-par, there is no way to end up with a quality finished product. Or, as I have often said, if you haven't got the time to do it right, when will you get the time to fix it.

Just my $0.02.

12-12-2014 08:43 AM - permalink

kingsbolt

Cycleguy I have a original tank in my car I am pretty sure I can measure it

12-18-2014 07:49 AM - permalink

scottsdale Bob

Cycleguy:
My car is 1988 vintage. Tank is 24" Wide 18" Deep 9" High. Hight and Width is maxed out at these dimensions. Tank could be a few inches deeper if you want it to hang out over the trunk area.
Bob

12-19-2014 02:28 PM - permalink

cycleguy55

scottsdale Bob: Thanks for the update. Some time soon I'll pull my battery, gas tank and filler assembly out and start mocking up a new tank in order to have one built or ordered. I'll start with those dimensions and see how big I can go and still fit it through the trunk opening and up on that shelf.

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