Fuel Tank 1984 GMC Pick Up
 

My friends' son just purchased a 1984 GMC Pick Up. The truck is in very good shape. They were unaware of the fuel tank failures that can occur from a side impact. In light of this,
what can be done to make this truck safe for his son? There is one tank on the drivers side.

The side impact gas tank urban legend is just that...an urban legend. The whole study and publicity was 99% untrue IMO and most others. If I were you I would not worry about it at all, but if you must, there are a few of us who have removed the tank and put either fuel cells under and/or in the bed or installed Blazer tanks out back.

Welcome to the board. :)

...Jeff

Gomer
 

Just saying hello.

Gomer, If you need help locating parts, just give me a buzz.

Tommy Davis

i have to disagree with BB73 there was quite an exhaustive investigation into the side impact explosions where many people lost their lives and GM did settle suits stemming from those accidents. Some owners have run Blazer tanks to the rear in the frame which works and ya can either get an aftermarket tire holder for the bed or leave the tire lay in the bed. My sons truck will have that morification

The whole side impact thing was media hype. It is certainly a possibility in just the right sort of wreck, one of those chance in a billion type of things. Jeff and myself have put poly fuel tanks under the bed between the frame. The reason I removed my factory tanks was due to ground clearance more than anything else. Let us know if you need any help with a tank swap!

Ditto on what BB73 and Low87 said. If they were THAT dangerous GM would have had to fix them and not offer a $1000 cerificate for the purchase of a new truck, which is basically saying if it is that unsafe, buy a new one.... NOT!

This is how I did mine: (for weight distribution not safety)
http://www.captkaoscustoms.com/blazertank.html

This is bigblock73's:
http://www.captkaoscustoms.com/bigbl...lcellinst.html

Wasn't this the same investigation that 20/20 started? The one where 20/20 could not reproduce the results, so they resorted to igniting the fire themselves? I'm pretty sure GM won that case against the producers of 20/20.

Gomer, there are a gazillion 73-87 GM trucks on the road still today. There were even more in the past. Most of these trucks have put 100's of thousands of miles in without incident.
There is no doubt that a side impact can cause the tank to rupture, and maybe even catch on fire. GM did have to settle with some individuals because of this causing injuries and even death.

As Chris has stated, if this were "Common" the feds would not have allowed GM to get away without a total recall. Instead, they offered a 1000.00 voucher toward the purchase of a new GM truck. Take the facts to your friend, and let them decide how concerned they should be...

ive had my truck a long time, but its all stock, im just now looking at rebuilding the engine and fixing/moding some broken guages and what not, but i have a question. I have heard people refer to the fuel cell mod and have seen picutures of it, but havent been able to understand what it actually is?

Is it just the whole alternative fuel thing? like running off propane? if it is propane, i cant remember, my grandfathers truck runs off some form of gas.

Well, if it is what we are referring to, it is just relocating the tank to the rear of the truck. I can only give the reasons why I did it, and that is for weight transfer. I am trying to get as close to 50/50 weight transfer as I can, and with a BBC in the front, I need all the help I can get. Plus, it is different.

If you go propane, you are going to have to have a LARGE/HEAVY container for the gas.

Gas Tank
 

I was thinking of relocating my gas tank in my 73 to the rear to put more weight over the rear wheels and hoplefully make it ride a litter better. I Have 2 tanks now. How big a gas tank can you put back there.