Expansion tank converted for cleveland

[rdorman]

Has any one else ever taken a FE expansion tank and converted it for use on a cleveland. I have one and am going to do just that. I was wondering if I am in uncharted waters or have some else attempted this conversion. If so, please share your experience.
Thanks
Rick

[cobrajeff]

Rick -

I put an FE expansion tank on my Cleveland.



The inlet neck had to be cut and pieced together in several pieces to get the right shape. I then had a Cleveland water inlet brazed to the end. I designed a new mounting bracket to pick-up available mounting holes of the front of my Cleveland. It also required some gyrations with my custom alternator bracket to clear the inlet pipe.

If you send me your e-mail address, I will send you some more pictures.

regards,

Jeff

[bittentoo]

cobrajeff,

I'm putting a cleveland in mine also, so please send me some pics. The weavers at Unique priced me out a "canton expansion tank", is it for an FE?

e-mail: jo-kelly@earthlink.net

[Woodz428]

I think a lot of aftermarket expansion tanks use hose inlets, so they don't mount off the thermostat flange like the factory type FE ones.

[rdorman]

I knew some one out there had to do it! Email is rfdorman@aep.com.

Jeff, I LOVE your car. One of the nicest I have seen. Everytime I see it I wonder if you would notice if I took your induction system and replaced it with mine

So you kept the bottom outlet to the thermostat. I was thinking of taking it off the bottom and running it out the back and done to the thermostat housing.

I scored an orignal FE tank in good condition off Ebay for $30. So nothing to loose but some time.

I have heard about the tanks leaking. Has any one coated the inside with some sort of leak proof material?

Look forward to more pictures!

Thanks
Rick

[cobrajeff]

Rick -

Thanks for the compliments on my car. Sorry, but I think I'd notice if my Webers were gone - I've had them for about 25 years, and I am rather attached to them. Some nights, I go out to the garage and lift the car covers just to do "bed checks"

I collected about six FE tanks at swap meets while I was preparing my car. I picked the very best one out (no dings anywhere) and took it to my welder to have the brackets and inlet modified. When I picked it up, there were two big depressions in the top of it - I was sick, 'cause I had thought about polishing it, but that wouldn't work now that the top was no longer "virgin". Ended up painting it black.

I have not heard of anyone coating the inside to prevent leaks. I have done that to a fuel tank, but never a radiator tank. I guess I wouldn't recommend it for a water tank. Any radiator shop can easily repair a leaking expansion tank with solder - if it had a coating inside, it probably would have to be taken apart and stripped of coating before a repair could be made. On top of that, a cooling system is pressurized (where a fuel tank is not), and runs at elevated temps, so the coating may not prevent a leak anyway.

regards,

Jeff

[tchrome]

jeff,

i can't tell you how much your reply to this 351 cleveland expansion tank means to me. i knew someone out there had a cleveland other than me. i would really appreciate any pic's you ccould send me of the expansion tank you did. i read your reply to rdorman. thank you for your time. email any pics or information to me at tchrome@aol.com again, thank you so much.

tony

[ENTDOC]

Rick,check out the weber setup on EBAY for a cleveland; that is a great price,if I still had mine I would get that. chuck

[my427cobra]

Hi Rick. I too modified a 427 overflow tank to fit my 351C. My alternator mounts lower than Jeffs, my upper pivot bolt goes into the front of the head and the adjustment bracket goes from the bottom of the alt to a lower water pump bolt. I used an aftermarket 90deg swivel billet thermostat/ block outlet and then proceeded to modify the tank. I cut the 427 flange and pipe off leaving only about a 1" section of pipe on the bottom of the tank, then used a 90deg section of rad hose to connect the tank to the block inlet.
I modified and reinforced the lower tank bracket to fit my 351C water pump bolt locations and to get the right hieght so I could close my hood (about 3/4" clearance).
I'll take a few pics and post them for you.
Greg

[my427cobra]

Hi Rick. Here's a [IMG][/IMG]pic.

[my427cobra]

Rick, I'll post some better ones tonite.
Greg

[my427cobra]

Rick, here are 2 more pics.[IMG][/IMG]

[my427cobra]

Here's the 2nd. Greg[IMG][/IMG]

[cobrajeff]

I came across my old sketches for the water tank conversion. The dimensions I used, that worked on my ERA, are included in some views.



Here is a shot from the rear with the intake out of the way:



There is another sketch and a few more pictures in my gallery.

regards,

Jeff