Hot Rods Model A fuel tank

Hey guys I've been reading around online about removing my model A (1930) fuel tank. I decided to mount a 32 style tank in the rear of my coupe. The original tank was super rusty and has a leak near the column drop. I want to know if it is possible to take the tank out from the bottom with out taking the cowl off. I really don't want to do this because the car is painted. It seems as tho it would b a lot easier if I could just drop it and pull it out through the inside of the car. Maybe it's not possible, that's why I'm asking.


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It is not possible. The top of the cowl and dash are the gas tank. I just did a 31. Its not that hard to remove it from the top.

 

has to come out from the top

 

Well, if it is a Briggs or Murray body, In which case it's possible but still a bit of a pain. I have a Briggs cowl that I pulled my tank out of. They have a one piece cowl that they fit the tank inside of and use a 3 section firewall. Neither of the bodies you've posted look like this.

If you're worried about your paint, I'd suggest you drain it and clean it out as best you can, then just leave it in. Your column drop and gauges mount to it. Once you're confident that there's nothing flammable in there, you might be able to cut away at the bottom to get access to the inside if you want to put holes in the dash for more instruments or convert the filler neck to a vent.

 

Ok, out the top it goes.


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The 3-section firewall sedans are 28-29 bodies not 30 as this man has. The gas tank on them is simply a stock 28-29 like all others with a cover over it. They often rot out around the filler because there is a large fiber pad there as an anti-squeak which collects moisture.

The top of the cowl is the top of the gas tank on all As of all years, with the exception of the 29 cabriolets and fordor and town sedans of 28-29.

 

So if I want to remove it I have to take it out the top. If I am going to get rid of tank completely will I have to find a new cowl? My intentions are to put a different dash in the car.


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No you can still use the top and just cut out the tank section. If your good with the cutoff wheel you can cut the side of the tank that is facing the driver out without removing the whole thing. Now it will be open for a dash.

 

I'm a little hesitant to cut it out due to yrs of fuel being in tank.


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You can buy the top piece to replace it you just cant buy the entire tank. If it is not rusty inside a Model A restoring guy will give you a decent dollar for it.

 

Hopefully that steering column is mounted some other way now.

 

fill it mostly with water, leave the cap off, and cut.

 

You can run a hose from a tailpipe of a different car into the tank. Let the car run for 30 minutes are so. The tank will not blow up after that. This comes with a warning. I have welded many tanks after doing that to them.

 

Here's what the bottom half inside of 30 coupe tank looks like after top part is cut off.

 

...
& top half to keep.

 

You'll get wet, plus water will run into your saw blade and maybe into the tool itself?

 

Relieved to hear that! My pal Rich in high school had a nice 2 gallon Moon tank with a hole in it...
Filled it with water, proceeded to make a nice repair with a small aluminum patch.
Oxy-acet torch warmed the surface for a second or so..."BOOM!"
The ends blew clear off the spun aluminum tank...Luckily, nobody got hit.
Rich's ears rang for days...

Best way is the exhaust pipe hose (2" hose from a shop vac) filling tank with carbon monoxide. Safe to cut then.

 

for cripe sake..fill with some soap n water flush, empty... then refill. you wont have an issue. good gawd some of these comments. good ole sniff test will tell all you need.

 

You think I made that up? There's a history of stale fumes igniting.

 

I've heard of the exhaust fumes technique. Still dangerous. Sniff test is by far the most crazy thing I've read on here hahaha hope that guy is joking.


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When cutting apart old steel underground gasoline storage tanks that have been removed from the ground, they were often stabilized by adding a few pounds of dry ice before cutting them with a torch. PEI (Petroleum Equipment Institute) had an adopted standard method on doing this activity many years ago. I have witnessed folks safely cutting up large gas tanks this way.

It would not take a lot of dry ice in a Model A tank to displace the oxygen in the tank and render it safe for cutting. It takes several minutes for the carbon dioxide (dry ice) to melt enough to force out the air and fumes.

In the alternative, in the '60s, I did some brazing on an old dry (no smell) tank after filling it with water. I still had a few scary 'burps', but no big explosion.

 

i'm not cutting with a saw.