Gas tank alternatives for a 72

[nuke82]

Hey guys, I'm trying to fit a gas tank outside of the cab on my 72 swb truck and am having some troubles. The conventional alternative (blazer/surburban tank) doesn't work on my truck. The frame used to be a long bed frame and was cut down to fit a short bed, this was done by cutting the rear 12" or so off. Are there any other tanks that will work on these trucks that anyone has seen?

I've tried tracking down factory saddle tanks to no avail, would a saddle tank from a 73-87 model work?

The only other option I can think of....Since I am running a Ford 9" with leaf springs I no long have the rear coil spring bars (torsion bars?) in front of the differential, would a 90's model tank slip in there? I may have to convince the local salvage to loan me one and do a fit check...

[buckskins4ever]

LMC handles a tank designed to fit behind the rear axle. It unfortunately is a side fill side vent tank. I had to have mine cut and rewelded to relocate so that I could do a bed fill.....I have a stepper. There is another company out there making bed fill aluminum tanks that you can custom order for around 350-500. Good luck with the swap.

[brad_man_72]

So they took all of the length off of the rear of the frame, they didn't change the wheelbase? So from the axle to the rear bumper is about half as long as a normal swb?
You can put a tank in the bed, or saddle tanks, maybe something custom and really small behind axle?
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[nuke82]

She's got a normal wheel base. The hump in the frame is plenty big to slide the differential forward and have enough clearance for travel.

[nuke82]

These cross-members are in the way for the blazer tank, and I'd like to put a spare there if possible.

[WIDESIDE72]

I believe most of the guys running blazer tanksin fleetsides cut the bed crossmembers for clearance. There is currently a swb fleet bed floor and blazer tank for sale on the parts forum with this mod.

[brad_man_72]

Yeah I pulled the crossmembers to mount my fuel cell.
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[nuke82]

Ok, I wasn't sure if the crossmembers could be removed. So that makes the blazer tank the most viable option. Thanks for the feedback guys!

[dylade69]

Check out 67slider for tank install,very good idea

[68Gold/white]

Originally Posted by nuke82

Ok, I wasn't sure if the crossmembers could be removed. So that makes the blazer tank the most viable option. Thanks for the feedback guys!

Those rear crossmembers are riveted on, and CAN be removed. I am planning on a blazer tank for my 68 and 67. I have a tank from a full size van (that was mounted behind the rear, like a blazer) I believe it will work also.

The crossmembers serve a purpose, to make the rear of the frame rigid (maybe just my opinion) I plan to relocate the forward most, crossmember, further forward, if possible. I have brackets made out of large angle iron to install the tank.

The crossmembers from the donor blazer would be good pieces to get for installing one of these tanks. I was not able to obtain them from the vehicles I got my tank(s) from...

I have not decided where my filler neck will be...(it will be flush mounted somewhere, not on an outer body panel, though)

[69pickupnyc]

you may want to look at 1969 camaro gas tank and the filler neck goes through the plate area on the rear bumper. Check out the post camero gas tank, I had spelled camaro wrong, some abuse but great advice. If you use this tank you won't have to cut a hole in the bed.