Another mechanic screws me over.....

[McCoyAZ]

I really don't have a sign on my shirt that says "Screw Me", but considering all these so called mechanics I have had work on my truck, you would sure think I did.

I had a guy move the gas tank from behind the seat and install a 53 Chevy sedan tank up under the bed. It didn't take all that long to have it done and this guy came highly recommended from several others who had work done.

After I drove the truck around a few days and decided to top off the tank I pulled up to the pump and started to fill the tank. The nozzle kept popping off and the smell of raw gas was pretty evident.

After about 5 minutes and only getting around 3 gallons of fuel in the tank I decided something wasn't right, and upon further investigation I found out what the problem was.

Take a look for yourself.

[Chevy Fleetside]

wow what a mess. One of the reasons I like doing it myself. I only have me to blame.

[OldChevy61]

I want allow anybody else working on my truck. Me and he would be having a serious talk and he wouldn't like the ending.

[cv65]

Gee maybe He could light a match at the filler neck and blow that dent out! Im bad I would be having strong words with him.

[65 GMC]

Wow that is a mess. The tank is unlevel from side to side and a smashed filler neck.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by Chevy Fleetside

wow what a mess. One of the reasons I like doing it myself. I only have me to blame.

Yep
That's why I'm keeping my truck simple.
So I can work on it myself.
I'll figure it out and do it myself.
I've had my share of bull crap mechanics.

[Chevy Fleetside]

Forgot to mention.. I doubt he is a mechanic. Maybe a Hackanic.

[strat10]

sorry that happened to you. That kind of stuff seems to run thick in my gene pool as well. I understand now why my grandpa always stresses doing it yourself no matter how long it takes.

[MisterC]

Sorry about your misfortune. There's a pretty strong 60-66 following in AZ. I suggest you post up on the AZ or southwest forum and ask one of these good folks near you to help you out. If you buy the proper equipment, I'm sure someone will come to your aid and help you install it.

[TJ's Chevy]

Bet you he was an "Engineer" before he became a "mechanic".....probably one of those guys who though it would be cool to start Stuffing engine compartments full of needless crap. I'd go back and have some words with him. This type of work is a no no. If anything you can get a new tank from Classic Parts for $300.

[LT1 Burb]

Not only that but that is probably a 20 gallon tank at 8# per gallon equals 160# flexing on a 3/8 bolt on the 18 gauge steel,Fail. What a moron that guy was, that tank eventually would have been on the road.

[kerber63]

I'm sorry that you got the severely short end of the deal. It's frustrating to see a "professional" treat a customer like that. I'm sure if it was his rig, he would've come up with something quite a bit better, and not settled for that lame attempt. His answer to problems is clearly "get a bigger hammer."

[luvbowties]

If we just stop and assess the overall situation, you are really a long way towards a done project. Trying to be positive, it appears the tank is easily accessible to work on right now. And its dimensions appear quite workable. Using some 1" tall by 2" wide channel(or close: experiment with short pieces of this given size and close-but-different sizes to determine optimal) can do wonders in leveling, raising and securely mounting this tank.

Really, leaving cosmetics aside, you aren't very far from a very workable solution. **I'd check the inside condition of the tank and also check it for leaks before spending anything further on it.

Depending on where you plan to mount your fill-pipe, get an experienced welder to remove and weld closed the present fill-pipe and its opening; and have him cut a new opening and weld in a fill-pipe in your needed position.

Good luck with your outcome.
Sam

[padresag]

Originally Posted by kerber63

I'm sorry that you got the severely short end of the deal. It's frustrating to see a "professional" treat a customer like that. I'm sure if it was his rig, he would've come up with something quite a bit better, and not settled for that lame attempt. His answer to problems is clearly "get a bigger hammer."

perhaps he wasn't a professional but just another back/yarder.

ron

[McCoyAZ]

I talked to the guy about this and he just blew me off. He isn't willing to do anything to fix the problem.

He isn't the 1st and probably not the last A Hole I have dealt with around here, and small town news travels fast. Karma is a ***** they say.

SO

A quick question...

How far above the top of the frame rail could a tank be? I have a tank I bought from the parts section here, it's just really deep and would hang pretty low unless I can raise it up some.

Anyone know off hand how much room there is between the top of the frame rail and the bottom of the cross sills that I could use to raise this other tank?

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

[Lugnutz65]

Originally Posted by McCoyAZ

I talked to the guy about this and he just blew me off. He isn't willing to do anything to fix the problem.

He isn't the 1st and probably not the last A Hole I have dealt with around here, and small town news travels fast. Karma is a ***** they say.

SO

A quick question...

How far above the top of the frame rail could a tank be? I have a tank I bought from the parts section here, it's just really deep and would hang pretty low unless I can raise it up some.

Anyone know off hand how much room there is between the top of the frame rail and the bottom of the cross sills that I could use to raise this other tank?

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.

Too bad that guy won't own up to his bad work.

Basically, for a short bed, the 2 rear most cross sills sit directly on the top flange of the frame.

I just installed my 1965 short stepside bed. The 2 front cross sills sit on perches. The very rear cross sill is bolted to the bed sides just beneath the tailgate and has mounts that sit directly on the very end of the frame. There is a cross sill in front of that "under the tailgate cross sill" and it sits directly on the frame too. I had 2 thinner cross sills that had no frame contact at all.

[McCoyAZ]

Dang.....well guess plan B will have to work.

Thanks for the pictures.

[Clyde65]

There is supposed to be some 1/4" rubber pads between the cross sill mount and the frame. You "could" make your adjustment with thinner isolators.

http://www.classicparts.com/1954-87-.../#.Ve8gd_lVhBc

maybe use these?

http://www.classicparts.com/1949-72-.../#.Ve8gjPlVhBc

[62step]

Is that one on the left even on the frame? Doesn't look like it from the pics...

[jonzcustomshop]

I think you can still use that tank:
cut the filler tube just before the smashed section. go to the parts store and get some fuel hose-its expensive, maybe 10-20$ a foot- use the hose to route your filler pipe around the frame- I don't see why you couldn't notch the frame a tiny bit there as well.

the tank needs to be mounted right. buy some steel 3/16 to a 1/4 by 2"X 30" (maybe 33"-measure it first), 2 pieces should go across the frame rails, bolt them on. then get some gastank straps and trap the tank between the steel and the straps. you could bolt the straps to the existing crossmember behind the rear, and then maybe install another piece of strap steel- angle iron might work good on this part - to bolt the other end of the straps to.

here is what I did on my 'burb:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=448681&page=5
post # 112

my '60 build:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=280904&page=4
post # 97 picture 5- at the front of the tank you can see the strap I bought from the hardware store to use as gas tank straps

also on my '60 build, how I re-routed the filler neck:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...280904&page=12
post # 281

[72step]

Damn! I'd blast him on your local facebook!

In the past I only had experienced negative issues with local paint and body guys. Shoddy work and they took months or years if you let them. When it came time to work on my 65 C10 I bought me a mig welder and many other paint and body tools and accessories fired up youtube and I ended up with a very satisfactory finished product. I've paid for much worse work!

With that said if you want a job done right; do it yourself.

[cv65]

I agree with others do it yourself if at all possible,I dont know what he charged you but sometimes you have to bite the bullet and get the job done right , one time, clean and you can cross it off and move on to the next problem,our trucks need work all the time ,the more you do your own work the more you learn the eaiser it gets,and when your an old fart like me you might know half of what you need to belive me Ive paid plenty for jobs I had to do over.but I can stand back now and say I can fix that! trouble now is Im too old and crippled up to do some things Ha Ha ! smile shake your head and get on with it!

[Palf70Step]

Originally Posted by jonzcustomshop

I think you can still use that tank:
cut the filler tube just before the smashed section. go to the parts store and get some fuel hose-its expensive, maybe 10-20$ a foot- use the hose to route your filler pipe around the frame- I don't see why you couldn't notch the frame a tiny bit there as well.

the tank needs to be mounted right. buy some steel 3/16 to a 1/4 by 2"X 30" (maybe 33"-measure it first), 2 pieces should go across the frame rails, bolt them on. then get some gastank straps and trap the tank between the steel and the straps. you could bolt the straps to the existing crossmember behind the rear, and then maybe install another piece of strap steel- angle iron might work good on this part - to bolt the other end of the straps to.

here is what I did on my 'burb:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=448681&page=5
post # 112

my '60 build:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=280904&page=4
post # 97 picture 5- at the front of the tank you can see the strap I bought from the hardware store to use as gas tank straps

also on my '60 build, how I re-routed the filler neck:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...280904&page=12
post # 281

, easiest/best solution.

[65Gregg]

I used the same tank in mine. We trimmed the lower channel approx 1/2" and flipped the rear crossmember and built some straps, turned out good. As suggested I would modify the filler tube with hose and move on.

['63GENIII]

That whole deal sounds like it sucked. Im sorry to hear this happens to anyone. Moving ahead though, you're in the right place to get her put back together and you're getting a lot of good suggestions. I did notice that you seem to be missing a rear crossmember? Im a K series guy so I don't know much about the differences between the C and K frames and if there is one there to begin with, but the 4x4 frames have a rear crossmember that I had to remove when I installed my Blazer tank. I installed a new one fabbed out of some 2"x4"x1/8 tubing and welded a couple of 3"x3" angles to keep the tank from going above the rails into the sills. This tank would hang way too low for you but the principal is the same. Stock Blazer tank straps on the bottom too (just shortened a little). Oh and the filler does fit in between the bed and the frame due to the angle. The fuel hose is a good idea. You could also find some metal filler pipe (from a wrecker) of different angles and attach with short pieces of the fuel hose.