Should I leave the Fuel Tank in the Cab?

[Kokomoooo]

Putting mine under the bed. My Dad constantly moaned about my gas tank being in the cab, I found out a couple weeks ago after I told him that I'm reloacting it that he saw two people burn to death in a chevy truck like mine.

As far as drivers air bag, I would if I knew how, but I am considering putting a roll bar behind the seat for side impact protection, and adding a 5 point harness.

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by lakeroadster

The best location, based on crash testing, is between the frame rails, in front of the rear axle.

Unfortunately that is tough to do, especially on "truck arm" suspensions like ours.

I've thought about there also, but was concern about if the drive shaft came flying loose.

[Grimpala]

Originally Posted by Bad70sbchevy

I moved mine and I love it. I did it at first for safety reasons since its my daily driver and thats the last thing I want to have behind the seat in a crash. I did notice a major improvement in ride quality once I put mine in the back. Also like mentioned before you will get some added traction in the rear. If you do change gas tanks, I highly reccomend using a 1969 Camaro gas tank if you do want to change yours to the rear. It lets you hide the filler neck behind the license plate (no holes in the bed), the fuel sender works with the gas guage, and it does not hang down hardly at all compared to the Blazer tank conversion (Also its cheaper than the blazer tank).

Along those same lines, has anyone looked at using a tank from a 94 = 96 B body car (caprice, impala, roadmaster) They are poly, hold 23 gallons and have aa rear mounted filler neck that could be used with a flip down license plate.

[67chevy1series]

KEEP IT IN SO ITS NOT GETTING WEATHERED lol

[stich626]

I'm in the middle of moving mine..
I did it because mine was leaking and I want somewhere to put some tools and them to be out of sight...
I also don't like the idea of fuel behind me,, and track time.. if it was a sealed system and the gas cap couldn't be knocked off in a wreck.. then maybe it stay..
but moving it. gets me weight over th e rear wheels and room for a tool box and some extra parts a jack and lug wrench.. and two side speakers

[Steve Hafner]

I'm keeping mine in the cab. I figure, if ten gallons of gas goes BOOM, I'll die just about seven tenths of a second later then if it had been moved to the rear. Since there is room, a lot of todays front wheel drive cars have the tank in front of or over the rear axle for that same reason . . . and don't forget the . . . P I N T O !!!!

[Red68]

This is an interesting thread, for all of the trucks I have seen with the tanks relocated under the bed on the board and in magazines, mine included, the general consensus is to leave it behind the seat!!

I moved mine under the bed first with a poly tank and tried to use the marker light for a fill location, did not work well for me. Then I had an alum tank made and installed a filler in the bed floor. Worked much better, and as others have said gave me room for a sub behind the seat and a little storage room.

[1972RedNeck]

Originally Posted by 72lb4x4

Just for perspective, the 73-87 side tanks are also considered unsafe. So in the cab, in the back, and on the side are all unsafe.

Where should the tank be?

We should all drive electric cars

Originally Posted by RBC67

seriously, if the sloshing bothers you, your exhaust is to quiet....

I like the gas filler where it was from the factory, I think it"s cool! Either way, it is an old truck and that is awesome.

I am going to leave the tank in the cab and put one in the rear and maybe one on each side too. Here in Montana you have to drive 100+ miles to get to a Walmart (YEE HAW!!) and at 8 MPG I can't even make it on 1 tank. I'd like to be able to hold at least 80 gallons.

Didn't some Internationals have the filler neck right in front of the door? Where were those tanks located at?

[ls1nova71]

Originally Posted by Steve Hafner

I'm keeping mine in the cab. I figure, if ten gallons of gas goes BOOM, I'll die just about seven tenths of a second later then if it had been moved to the rear. Since there is room, a lot of todays front wheel drive cars have the tank in front of or over the rear axle for that same reason . . . and don't forget the . . . P I N T O !!!!

Well that pic puts a real damper on my idea of the Pinto gas tank mod. Was thinking of cutting the rear frame rails out completley, and just putting a roll pan behind it to protect it. Gonna have to go back to the drawing board....

Originally Posted by 1972RedNeck

I'd like to be able to hold at least 80 gallons.

When I read this, it came out as "I'd like to be able to have a $300 fill up"

[LostMy65]

Originally Posted by lakeroadster

The best location, based on crash testing, is between the frame rails, in front of the rear axle.

Unfortunately that is tough to do, especially on "truck arm" suspensions like ours.

Originally Posted by LostMy65

I've thought about there also, but was concern about if the drive shaft came flying loose.

I'm currently searching the forums to find if anyone has done that.
I found this for an older truck:

[Bad70sbchevy]

Well there's an easy way to accomplish that, just bolt a fuel cell in the bed. The only thing that sucks is you lose the use of a bed, but you do get the pro street look.

[xb9rguy]

I keep going back and forth on this too and my main reason was for leg room but after reading this ya I won't gain any no matter where the tank is since the head rests already touch the rear window lol. And as far as smell goes I love the smell of gas I just wish I could smell it, and the sound of sloshing I agree can't hear it over the exhaust. As far as safety you can never predict where you may or may not get hit so if that is the death of me at least I will die happily in my good old truck! Glad I found this thread cuz now I will definitely keep it in the cab and save the money and time for something else that it needs like heater controls and a million other little things.

[aventur1]

Where can you find those card board covers for the gas tank?

[Sequoyah]

Originally Posted by rbagley

If your pickup were to end up on its side somehow the gas cap would get yanked off and gas would spill out and probably all over the driver. If you were sliding and generating sparks there would probably be a good chance of becoming dead.

lol well said!

[WAAF]

everyone is focused on the boom..
how many are scared crapless of the big C???
they didn't move the tanks in 73 because of fire hazzard... it was because of lung cancer.. from fuel... not the boom.. truck goes boom .people die..
people get sick.. they can sue..

[no moa]

I'll probably move mine for the space behind the seat, and my spare as someone said will be AAA.
I've seen one of these trucks on its side, gas pouring out (plow truck) he didn't get hurt, but it spilled about all of it in the tank freaked him out, so he put and outbard tank in the back to plow the driveway/road. lol

[leddzepp]

Here we go again...

[no moa]

Originally Posted by Grimpala

Along those same lines, has anyone looked at using a tank from a 94 = 96 B body car (caprice, impala, roadmaster) They are poly, hold 23 gallons and have aa rear mounted filler neck that could be used with a flip down license plate.

I know its been awhile, but i saw this thread. The tank is poly, but it also has a bladder in it. i actually have a tank out and am going to see if it will fit between the frame rails, but i think its to wide. when i look closer at it last weekend.

I'll post up pics if it works.

[domeier]

If I had some money, I'd move mine out for the safety factor. But then again... the biggest safety problem in these trucks is no shoulder belts and and non-collapsing steering column. I guess I probably won't care about fire when the steering wheel is already shoved through my chest.

[Gobbles]

I moved mine, I considered the safety factor for a little bit but then went back to welding! Anyway, I moved mine so that i can have some dry storage space, that's basically it. I couldn't hear the sloshing because the BBC was TOO LOUD!!

Also, as for lung cancer, don't the vents do a good enough job to make any damage negligible? I mean we breath the exhaust all day every day, I can't image the little bit of vapor in the truck causing much/any damage. Just a thought, no actual facts.

[domeier]

If you light up a cigarette, you can't smell the gas and get cancer.

[72chevyk10]

Originally Posted by domeier

If you light up a cigarette, you can't smell the gas and get cancer.

thats terrible but funny

[pat 70/71]

I changed the location to under the bed on all three of my trucks mostly because of the safety factor & the vent line that runs over the cab on the cali trucks just plan stinks up the cab. plus I like the way the trucks look without the filler cap on the cab. cheers, Pat

[ItsRandy]

I like this thread...very entertaining, reading everyone's opinion. So, here's my opinion: Getting the gas tank out of the passenger compartment and as far away from the passengers as you can has got to be safer than having the gas tank inside where the passengers are. Moving the tank to the back may expose it to rear end collisions (rear end collisions are more common than side impact or head-on collisions), however, it is relatively far away from the passengers, the bed of the truck is covering it up and you have the back wall of the truck cab protecting you from the splash/spray of gas and possible fire. Let's face it, no matter how hard you work building safety into your old truck, a meteor is gonna' come smashing through the roof of your truck to ruin your day. I moved my gas tank to the back to move some of the weight, it's aluminium and let's not forget...it looks cool, really cool.

[David67]

Originally Posted by leddzepp

Here we go again...

What have I done

Mines staying in the cab!