Do You Carry a Container of Gas in your Trunk?

[19Fordy]

Do any of you good folks carry a spare can of gas in your trunk just in case you "run dry" on the road? If so:
What size container?
Metal or plastic?
Do you get a gasolene smell?
Is it air tight?
Plus other suggestions welcomed such as what specific BRAND container have you found to be the best? Harbor Freight products scare me.

Thanks.

[4t7heaven]

Originally Posted by 19fordy

do any of you good folks carry a spare can of gas in your trunk just in case you "run dry" on the road? If so:
What size container?
Metal or plastic?
Do you get a gasolene smell?
Is it air tight?
Plus other suggestions welcomed such as what specific brand container have you found to be the best? Harbor freight products scare me.

Thanks.

noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!
Remember the Pinto?

[Kube]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Do any of you good folks carry a spare can of gas in your trunk just in case you "run dry" on the road? If so:
What size container?
Metal or plastic?
Do you get a gasolene smell?
Is it air tight?
Plus other suggestions welcomed such as what specific BRAND container have you found to be the best? Harbor Freight products scare me.

Thanks.

Yikes! That's a huge NO for me.

[PeterC]

Absolutely NO for me - I watch my fuel carefully - I never trust my gauge - always estimate by mileage leaving big margin for error - and fill up often.


The thought of an accident with fuel in the trunk terrifies me - bad enough its in the fuel tank!

[Brendan]

nope i get gas every 100 miles. i always keep it full. i have a Friend that only put 10 bucks worth of gas in his car! i don't understand that. when i get gas i allays fill it up

[V8 Bob]

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Originally Posted by 19Fordy

Do any of you good folks carry a spare can of gas in your trunk just in case you "run dry" on the road? If so:
What size container?
Metal or plastic?
Do you get a gasolene smell?
Is it air tight?
Plus other suggestions welcomed such as what specific BRAND container have you found to be the best? Harbor Freight products scare me.

Thanks.

Carrying a can of gas in the trunk would scare me! Add, or improve your gas gauge so you can trust it, but NO spare gas can in the trunk, unless it's an empty "show" can.

[19Fordy]

OK, you all convinced me. Yes, I do remember the Pinto. Ford's first exploder.
NO GAS CAN IN TRUNK.

Thanks.

[39portlander]

Originally Posted by 19Fordy

OK, you all convinced me. Yes, I do remember the Pinto. Ford's first exploder.
NO GAS CAN IN TRUNK.

Thanks.

I learned how to drive in my uncles shit brown 77 Pinto, little did we know then might have opted for the country squire wagon instead, but that wasn't cool.

I will say we always made sure we had a spare can of gas in our outboard when going out fishing growing up

[my4dv8]

It doesn’t cost anymore to keep the tank topped up. No gas in the trunk.

[RalphG]

This will come as no surprise to some that know me but I do have a plastic container of gas in the trunk of the 52 Merc. In fact it is my gas tank! The original tank rusted away to dust years ago and I just strapped in a 5 gallon plastic marine tank to get by with back in 2015 until I got a "real gas tank". So far it works so well that I have not got around to replacing it. Yes, there is a bit of a gas smell when I first open the door to get in but the Merc is well ventilated and the smell soon goes away. I need to replace some metal in the trunk before trying to adapt another tank (from a Meteor) into the Merc.
In this photo I did not yet have the strap installed to hold down the tank.

[Kube]

Originally Posted by RalphG

This will come as no surprise to some that know me but I do have a plastic container of gas in the trunk of the 52 Merc. In fact it is my gas tank! The original tank rusted away to dust years ago and I just strapped in a 5 gallon plastic marine tank to get by with back in 2015 until I got a "real gas tank". So far it works so well that I have not got around to replacing it. Yes, there is a bit of a gas smell when I first open the door to get in but the Merc is well ventilated and the smell soon goes away. I need to replace some metal in the trunk before trying to adapt another tank (from a Meteor) into the Merc.
In this photo I did not yet have the strap installed to hold down the tank.

It is apparent that you do not realize it is the FUMES that are far more combustible than the liquid.
Please do not park or drive anywhere near me.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by Kube

It is apparent that you do not realize it is the FUMES that are far more combustible than the liquid.
Please do not park or drive anywhere near me.

1 cup of vaporised gas explodes with a force of 25 lbs of Dynamite !!

[50fordcoupeman]

Originally Posted by RalphG

This will come as no surprise to some that know me but I do have a plastic container of gas in the trunk of the 52 Merc. In fact it is my gas tank! The original tank rusted away to dust years ago and I just strapped in a 5 gallon plastic marine tank to get by with back in 2015 until I got a "real gas tank". So far it works so well that I have not got around to replacing it. Yes, there is a bit of a gas smell when I first open the door to get in but the Merc is well ventilated and the smell soon goes away. I need to replace some metal in the trunk before trying to adapt another tank (from a Meteor) into the Merc.
In this photo I did not yet have the strap installed to hold down the tank.

Please be careful Ralph..........if you can smell fumes then it CAN explode!!

[19Fordy]

Ralph,previous replies to my initial question have convinced me that you are taking a BIG risk. Hurry up and install a replacement steel tank. Here's one:
https://www.ebay.com/i/233366531863?...SABEgImzPD_BwE

[51 MERC-CT]

Biggest risk is as stated, gas fumes.
That tank should have a vented cap that can be shut off when not in use.
Being plastic really is not that significant considering that new cars have had plastic fuel tanks installed for a number of years.

[RalphG]

40 years ago I'd agree, gas fumes were pretty volatile. We used to light fires and use a little gas as an accelerant out in the bush piles. And yes, throwing a lit match would have an explosion before the match hit the ground. Today's gas is not that bad. I weld and grind and have sparks all around the workshop where the Merc is parked. Never a problem. Not that I'm advising anybody else to do it but I'm comfortable with it. But yes, I do have intentions of getting a "real gas tank" back in the Merc.

[leon bee]

I carry gas in the trunk whenever I need to. I live in the Ozarks.

[Mart]

I carry gas in the trunk often. It's always in a specifically designed container for that purpose though.

If you really thought about it you'd never drive a Model A or a 32/33/34. The gas tank is very exposed on the latter and above your knees in the former.

If you do carry spare fuel in a can it should be a fit for purpose can and secured with a strap or something similar.

Mart.

[TJ]

Big no, no on putting a container of gas in the trunk. While waiting at a gas station I recently saw an idiot, during our power outages, put 6 containers of gas in the back of a small SUV! You can't fix stupid.

[Mart]

There seems to be a big built in resistance to carrying fuel in a gas can. Ok, I'll try and understand, but tell me how is someone supposed to fetch fuel for their lawn mower, snowblower or (as in the case of the "idiot" above) a generator?

Are you saying in the open bed of a pickup is fine, but in a closed trunk a no-no? Is that the difference?

Mart.