I'm ready for a fuel tank for my Altered Falcon project, and I'm not sure what type of tank they would have used in the 60's. Would a fuel cell like a Jaz be OK, this my first choice, or would a stock tank be closer to right? My car is going to be street driven so I want like 16 gallon or so capacity.
You could go with a larger aluminum 16 gal Jaz fuel cell. Ditch the factory fuel tank and put in a new trunk floor with some aluminum. Mount the fuel cell. No old fuel tank and lose some weight.
I would prefer to run a fuel cell, but didn't want flamed for it not being period correct. I saw a post recently where someone was catching hell because his ladder bars wasn't right.
Who cares what other people think. Run what you want, it's not 1960 whatever. Build a safe fun car. History shows us 1962 Ford Falcons were not raced as AWB cars anyways and AWB cars were not Gassers. So do what you want. You've got a really bitchin car have fun with it.
Cool, thanks for the replies, it's exactly what I wanted to hear. Again thanks. Wasn't some on the altered wheelbase cars straight axle cars? Couldn't someone have built an Altered out of a 62 Falcon? Doesn't matter I'm buiding what I want, just wondering.
Just FYI, the "gas" classes started out as fully legal production vehicles. Here's an EARLY set of NHRA rules: http://www.thehemi.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=3967 The first altered wheelbase cars weren't actually altered wheelbase, they were altered wheel location. The front axle was moved forward an equal amount, so they would still fit into the current "gas" class rules. The NHRA quickly said "nope" and (I believe) moved those cars into the "altered" category (see above rule pages). Keep in mind all that the rules were changing as more people found ways to get around them...just like always.
When I started on it I just wanted a straight axle car, I may have to move the front axle forward some more and stretch the doghouse no big deal. It would give me more room for the radiator and drive pulleys.
You can catch hell for any minor infraction. If it makes you happy the hell with the rest of the crowd. If I happen to be the rest of the crowd when it is time to oint out inaccuracies then the hell with me. Do you catch my drift here? In answer to your question you may have been running a moon or eelco tank back in the '60s. But there were larger fuel tanks as well. A lot of what you would have seen in a budget racer would have been something made up in the garage or robbed from another car that was suitable in size. One of the fellas is building a street/strip gasser coupe for instance. he robbed the 10 gallon tank from my Willys/Jeep pickup. I had an 8 gallon tank I robed from a Euro-import when the wife and I were running the gas class Ford when we were kids. We planned a gas stop on the way to the track before we started towing it. There are a multitude of options with your fuel cell only being one of them. Don't confuse them with the facts. They can't grasp the facts that a straitght axle car or a lifted car doesn't fit the confines of the rules in a pre '64 car. I just throw out examples and let them ignore them. Works for me.
On my altered wheelbase Comet, I still run the stock fuel tank in the trunk. But- not for much longer. Its just too heavy, and you need to run quite a load of fuel in order even to keep my extended pick-up under to pull fuel consistantly. I actually run the car at NHRA santioned events, and have had the car scrutinized, but the rear tank has never been the issue. I've been called out on VALVE STEMS on my rims, but never the tank being a safety issue. But-- as racers, WE all know that a near full tank of fuel, as opposed to a five gallon cell is a large bomb. I"m a firm believer in the era-correct look, but, safety is first. Install a small fuel cell, you will be happier for it. Dale
In the mid 60'S we brazed 2 1-gal Zerex Antifreeze cans end to end added a filler cap and outlet and used it in our Flatnead dragster.
So of or when you won and someone protested you had to make sure someone topped you off before you met the tech guys, right? We actually added weight to make class in our old ford. Not much just 15 pounds, but otherwise we would have been the heaviest car in the next class up.
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