stock gas tank and saftey???

[OhOneWS6]

Originally Posted by Longhorn Man

a stock height truck at a stop, gets rear ended, from a car doing more than 25 - 30, the car will go UNDER the truck. I have been in 2 accidents like this.

I can vouch for that as well. This was ~25 MPH into the back of a full size GM SUV. Guy I hit had no brake lights and was stopped at a green light. Car went right under the bumper. Happened Sunday.

[Longhorn Man]

i was with a buddy about 12 years ago or so, in his 69 C/1500 LWB GMC. Stopped at a light. Jake didn't have his foot on the brake even, sitting in gear, clutch to the floor. A Ford Escort went under the rear bumper. The Escort's front bumper hit the rear axle in Jake's truck, and the rear bumper of jakes truck was sitting where the glass used to be in the front of the Escort.

[yote1234]

Originally Posted by big_al_71

I rebuilt my truck completely and I did not find it necessary to move my gas tank at all. The only reason why I would move it is to gain some room but I chabged my mind so I left it as is.

i agree. my seat doesn't fold foward so im keeping the in cab tank... a good use for waisted space

[StingRay]

A tank mounted at the rear outside of the pass compartment is what most cars have had for a long time. The Pinto problem is that the top of the tank was the rear floor for the pass compartment. When it ruptured it could be to the interior. It's a bit harder to rupture the old truck tanks because of their location but when it does happen it isn't pretty. I have had the tank in the cab for years and have always had the intent to move it. I still plan to do it. I'd much rather have a tank rupture easier at the rear 8 ft behind me than inside the cab and have the gas all over me. The 73-87's problem was that the tanks are outside the frame rails, ouside the cab mind you but still right under your butt. 73-87 tanks are very vulnerable. The best place is between the rails midship failing that between the rails at the rear.

[rsavage]

StingRay,
Although it is logical that a tank would be safer between frame rails under the bed as opposed to the cab, the vehicle has to be engineered so that in a rear end collision, other parts of the vehicle do not puncture the tank. I was rear ended by a car and it went right underneath the S10 blazer I was in. The replacement tanks that are most usually used are those that hang down fairly low. A collision like I experienced would have cleaned it off. A much more recent example of rear mounted gas tanks exploding can be found in Ford's Crown Vic used by many PD's. Since our old trucks weren't engineered for a below bed tank, if I were going to move it for safety reasons, I would use a fuel cell.
Watched the Junior Tournament from your city - great tourney and your city did a great job. It comes to Buffalo next year which is 20 miles from me.

[Jebb1978]

I actually moved my tank out of the 59 because it was the cool thing to do. This was back when I had virtually no budget and I put a fuel cell in the bed. I failed to see the benefit of it in use and mine didn't look so slick anyways, now that the truck has been down to frame, I replaced the in cab and will run it that way. My 67 has the in cab tank and I have no plan of changing it, with the correct gas cap on it fumes are a next to nothing. Like others have said if General Motors designed the truck to have it outback that's where "The General" would have put it. As I get older I am learned to appreciate the way things came more and I want my old truck to be like an old truck. That's my thoughts anyways.

[brad_man_72]

fuel cell behind the axle. better weight distribution and a lower center of gravity. great during the summer, i have to hold the gas nozzle in order to fill the gas tank, not much fun when its -13 windchill today.

[70gmcjimmy]

I have to agree with the majority that the tank is fine where it is at. It's cool Dad let you leave it. It's cool to move it too if you want the space and such. There are going to be the terrible instances as was said but an impact that would get that far into the cab to cause such a bad rupture is very rare. I have seen lots of them in junkyards that have been t-boned, rolled and broadside slides into poles, with the tanks damaged but I don't ever remember seeing one that was burned from such instances.

One more advantage that I don't think anyone mentioned is gas theft. The lowlifes around here have been just punching large holes in tanks to steal gas anymore so the in cab tank setup has less risk of losing your fuel and a tank too. I can remember the local news in the summer of '08 when gas was over 4 bucks that most all cars in one car sales lot was vandalized in this manner.

Later---DAC

[Rob H.]

I like the in cab tank, I've had to replace so many under the bed tanks because of rust or because they got a hole knocked in it from a rock or a piece of metal thrown up from the road. I've seen one truck that I can remember that was burned that was contributed to the in cab tank. That being said the owner had a rag stuffed in it for cap and smoked, you can see where it was two mistakes of human stupidity and not the design of the truck. I've seen them Tboned and the tank smashed and very little leakage and no fire. I'm sorry about the ones that were lost in the accident mentioned, but as said before it was a fluke.

[tim21391]

just think the tank wont get corrosion from the road grime..