question about 30-31 fuel tank removal

Is the top of the cowl the cowl the top of the tank like on the earlier cars, or is it a separate piece, I cant seem to get it out of the cowl, I have every bolt I could find including the screws along the firewall out...

 

All one piece. Take a rubber mallet give it a few taps around the edge this always helps me.My 2 cents

 

Do you have the clamps on the sides removed as well?

 

Yeah I have the clamps out... I guess I need to also remove the stainless trim around the perimeter of the cowl... Which I couldn't figure out how to do with out damaging it.

 

Yeah, Stainless has to come off. there are also screws along the back edge under the dash rail. The felt cushion for the hood also comes off. If there's a bead along the sides, it might be "glued" to both the tank and the cowl due to age.
Rich

 

The stainless strip (cowl band) should be secured at the bottom on each side with a stub attached to it, the nut would be found on the inside of the cowl.

 

If it's a late '31 (teardrop) firewall, you need to remove the fuel shut-off valve on the engine compartment side of the firewall, then carefully lift the tank up and angle it to clear the firewall. On '30 to '31 (except late) you need to disconnect the line from the shut-off valve (at the bottom of the tank) to the inside of the firewall. Then follow the instructions the other's have provided.

Jim

 

thanks guys, yeah I got the screws from behind the dash rail, I also tried getting as much of the glue out of the crease... This is probably the first time the tank has ever been out of this thing... I am thinking it might just be easier to cut the bottom the tank out while its still in the cowl at this point.

I will give it one more good attempt tonight..

This is what I am playing with. Just picked up a front axle last night so I was playing around and set up some of the stuff.

 

Have you got that curved strip off ? Hood hinge bracket off ? The cowl band clamp is just under the angled floor board bracket and hard to see and hard to get at. A lot easier to work on the car with the tank out.

 

Don't even consider cutting up the tank in the car(IMHO) There is a lot of crap as well as baffles in there that would be a bitch to get out.Here is what mine looked like.

 

Satin46 makes a good point, but I did it (VERY carefully). Here's how:
http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=222387