Rear tank install

[406rich]

I have almost completed my rear tank install, I used one from Bob Drake only because it had a smaller filler with the vent to run up to the filler. www.bobdrake.com/ItemForm.aspx?Item=C4952-9200 , you can get the same tank at
www.tanksinc.com/index.cfm/page/ptype=product/product_id=249/category_id=63/home_id=59/mode=prod/prd249.htm, in both poly, steel and stainless the differance is these have a larger filler intake. To install the first tank you`ll need to remove the spare tire brace and rear crossmember, trim 1/4 inch from lower frame rail to accomidate tank width and allow tank to sit on tank flange, by doing this you will not need to section out the bed rail just above it, there is a one inch hole in the rear left side rail, open it up to 1 3/4 to run your filler flex hose thru, and another for the vent tube about 3/4 inch, shorten filler tube and vent tube on tank, I built my rear crossmember from 2x4 mild seamless tube, this also serves as a anchor point for the tank straps, these tanks will work from `63 to `66, not sure on the earlier trucks. The second tank mentioned will requre a little differant mods as you will have to run your hoses almost over the top of the rail and section the bed sill for tank clearance. This will have to be done with the bed off, filler location is personel preferance. Note these are 18 gallon tanks, already set up for F.I. if you decide to run any of the LS series engines or standard carb.

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[406rich]

I had too rebuild the bed sills as several of them had stress fractures on the pads. Each pad has 6- spot welds 1/8 th inch, as seen in pics, I drilled them out and cut new pads from 1/8 th inch plate, tacked them with eight spot welds on the outside edge, the new material is slightly heavier gauge material but shouldn't`t pose a problem..there is another issue with factory sills as they also break the spot welds and then the sill collapses, luckily that did not happen... I did not have them means to roll the edges so I just used a four inch grinder and tapered the edges so they wouldn`t dig in to the frame pads, replaced all the bed bolts now need to get the muscle here to set the bed back on..then cut the hole in the left rear corner for the filler next to the stake pocket, plans are to build a small locking box for the filler and bottle jack and lug wrench.

[406rich]

This will be the filler from a Geo Prism, 1 3/8 filler to match the tank filler, shortened with vent, this will alleviate any filling issues with the vent running all the way to the top, I`ll locate it the rear next to the stake pocket in a box, I`ll need to drill a vent hole thru the side of it as well...

[406rich]

Filler installed almost transparent, just need to build box around it.

[406rich]

Pic of rear of truck, cannot see the tank hanging down at ten feet back one foot off ground.....I did have five inch drop CPP springs, changed them out to four inch drop heavy duty as the rear tank will add 120 lbs of gas, which left no load capacity.