The Ford Barn - Bob Drake Gas Tanks

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Richard in Florida

10-30-2013 06:53 PM

Bob Drake Gas Tanks

As near as I can figure, the only thing that keeps me from using my perfectly good stock gas gauge sender in a Bob Drake '52-'54 Ford gas tank is the diameter of the sender hole in the top. The hole in the Drake tank is about 1.7" while the stock hole is about 1.9". Believe it or not, the Drake screw hole pattern is identical to that of the stock sender.

I'm sure this divergence exists with other Drake tanks, as well.

Has anyone tried enlarging the sender hole in a Drake tank? Seems to me that with a little planning and preparation virtually all the junk generated by the enlarging process could be captured and removed. Most of what remains could be flushed out, and anything left after that would be caught in the filter installed right at the tank outlet.

The only other option is to live with the incompatible Drake sender, always afraid I'm about to run out of gas.

51 MERC-CT

10-30-2013 07:27 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

If you have all the components in hand and can make the determination exactly what has to be removed and the mounting holes are the same, go for it!
Not having a Drakes tank I don't know how the mounting flange is attached to the tank so you might want to consider
the possibility of inadvertently removing a sealing surface.
On a stock Merc. tank the flange is spot welded and then solder sealed.
A tip- if you grind/rotory file the hole, cover the tank with blankets or drop cloths (makes it lot easier on your and the neighbors ears)

PeteVS

10-30-2013 08:16 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

If you're doing any kind of grinding or similar operation, it might be best to have a low pressure air line feeding air into the tank through another fitting and a shop vacuum sucking the air and the chips or grinding debris out while you're doing it.

Richard in Florida

10-30-2013 09:02 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by 51 MERC-CT (Post 754987)

Not having a Drake tank I don't know how the mounting flange is attached to the tank so you might want to consider the possibility of inadvertently removing a sealing surface.)

A wise thought, indeed. Thanks. If and when my Drake tank shows up, I'll look at that very carefully.

Quote:

A tip- if you grind/rotary file the hole, cover the tank with blankets or drop cloths (makes it lot easier on your and the neighbors ears

ANOTHER gem of a thought. I have some great neighbors so that really applies.

Richard in Florida

10-30-2013 09:04 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeteVS (Post 755030)

Excellent suggestion. Thanks.

TJ	10-30-2013 09:45 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

When you get the tank try the stock sender. As I recall I believe my neighbor used the stock sender in his Drake tank. I'd ask him but he has gone to the big swap meet in the sky.

FL&WVMIKE

10-30-2013 09:52 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

What is the reason that the BD tanks do not fit the original sending units ?
MIKE :)

52merc

10-30-2013 09:54 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

turn the tank upside down on a couple of saw horses or sutch grind from bottom

Richard in Florida

10-30-2013 09:58 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJ (Post 755103)

When you get the tank try the stock sender. As I recall I believe my neighbor used the stock sender in his Drake tank.

I will of course check that first, but based upon the special lipped rubber gasket that came with the Drake sender, I'm not holding my breath.

Lawson Cox

10-31-2013 01:28 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by FL&WVMIKE (Post 755106)

What is the reason that the BD tanks do not fit the original sending units ?
MIKE :)

So he can sell one of his new repo sending units which are typical Chinese junk.

JeffB2

10-31-2013 02:41 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

It seems that almost every aftermarket supplier of 52-54 tanks gets them from Drake and being out of stock is normal for them on a regular basis.I started and moderate this site:http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/g...hp?groupid=332 and have heard the gas 52-54 gas tank woes since day one.We have had some guys use these:http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-1955-For...fabc78&vxp=mtr and swap filler necks,if you don't want to weld you could use a gasoline rated connector hose to connect the filler necks which a lot of vehicles use.Big difference in price too.

flatheadfan

10-31-2013 05:35 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Richard-

The same "quirk" exists with Drake's '36 tank and I did the same thing you are thinking about.

To minimize metal shavings from getting into the tank I sat the tank (with some weight on it), on a couple of saw horses with the filler opening on the bottom. I crawled under the tank and ground out the hole and let gravity do the rest. That was three years ago and I haven't had any problems to date.

Tom

jdl	10-31-2013 06:40 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

If at all possible enlarge the hole & use your original sender. you won't be happy with the after market sender.

jdl	10-31-2013 07:14 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Just thinking outloud... cut the sender mounting ring from the old tank & screw it on to the new tank sender mount ring, to use as a guide for enlarging the new tank hole.

keep us posted..

fourtydlx

10-31-2013 09:22 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Richard: put some magnets close to hole to catch debrie

Richard in Florida

10-31-2013 09:47 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by flatheadfan (Post 755220)

To minimize metal shavings from getting into the tank I sat the tank (with some weight on it), on a couple of saw horses with the filler opening on the bottom. I crawled under the tank and ground out the hole and let gravity do the rest. That was three years ago and I haven't had any problems to date.

This thread just gets better and better! Thanks for that one. WAY better than my scheme which is too silly to describe.

Richard in Florida

10-31-2013 09:49 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by jdl (Post 755250)

Just thinking out loud... cut the sender mounting ring from the old tank & screw it on to the new tank sender mount ring, to use as a guide for enlarging the new tank hole.

I understand your thinking but I want to keep the original tank as a backup just in case. Thanks, though.

Richard in Florida

10-31-2013 09:51 AM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by fourtydlx (Post 755327)

Richard: put some magnets close to hole to catch debris

Now THIS one I really like! Incidentally, a source for incredibly strong magnets for a job like this is old hard drives. Thanks.

Mike B

10-31-2013 12:09 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

I had to do something similar..

I took a piece of flat bar and "eyeball" centered it and tacked into place on the "backside" of the hole, then took a scribe compass to find my center of the hole, and drilled through for a holesaw bit.

Now if you could get by with a 2inch hole, it may work out for you

Richard in Florida

10-31-2013 02:37 PM

Re: Bob Drake Gas Tanks

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike B (Post 755467)

I took a piece of flat bar and "eyeball" centered it and tacked into place on the "backside" of the hole, then took a scribe compass to find my center of the hole, and drilled through for a holesaw bit.

I really like this idea. A holesaw brings neatness, and neatness counts. On top of that, here's another opportunity to buy a new tool!

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