[dataway]

This fuel tank certainly is a pain ... if the Ames straps were 1/2" long it wouldn't be bad at all. Maybe the OEM tanks were a bit slimmer? Can get the long bolt in the hole, but just short of the threads on the "tower" style clip on nut.

Using a floor jack to hold the tank in place. I've got the rubber insulator above the tank, and the strap isolators, sure that's not helping.

Any tips on getting that bolt in?

Also ... jeez the tank and fuel lines seem close to the exhaust, in areas probably less than 1" clearance ... normal? I'm using a 2.25" OD Gardner set up pipes. Thinking I might wrap the rubber sections of fuel line in some kind of heat shield.

[Ab69]

I had removed the tar paper, and purchased the rubber sheet from Ames, and original bolts were too short. So I went to Ace hardware and purchased longer bolts. Also I had no luck in finding a build sheet, Baltimore plant 69 Gto,

[68ragtop]

Are these the black straps? I don't recall having an issue with this. I know I had to shape the straps a bunch to conform to the shape of the tank & then the bolts reached. I might have started them with longer bolts & changed them but I don't recall doing that. very little room between the bolts & the exhaust pipes. I will measure somethings this morning. I still have the factory style repop insulator & decided not to use it. I used two insulation strips on the mounting areas & they were the same thickness as the insulation "sheet" so that should be the same. Do you still have an original strap to compare overall length of them?

[dataway]

Original straps are long gone.

Yes I am using that black straps ... they are very very close. I don't really think it's a problem with the straps ... just wish they were a tad longer to get the bolts started, once the strap has had it's first stretch they would probably go on easy. The rear area where you have to bend them to get them around the tank needs a good stretching.

For some reason I didn't even think of using longer bolts first ... I probably have some lying around ... guessing 3/8 - 16.

Doesn't help that I'm on my back under a car that isn't even jacked up ... not a lot of room to get leverage. Quickjack will be here in a week or so

[68ragtop]

Originally Posted by dataway

Original straps are long gone.

Yes I am using that black straps ... they are very very close. I don't really think it's a problem with the straps ... just wish they were a tad longer to get the bolts started, once the strap has had it's first stretch they would probably go on easy. The rear area where you have to bend them to get them around the tank needs a good stretching.

For some reason I didn't even think of using longer bolts first ... I probably have some lying around ... guessing 3/8 - 16.

Doesn't help that I'm on my back under a car that isn't even jacked up ... not a lot of room to get leverage. Quickjack will be here in a week or so

rummaging through my gazillions of photos & realized what I did. I had the body on the rotisserie upside-down & fitted the tank and straps way before paint. I am sure I used the wrong & longer bolts at that time. But I had gravity helping me at the time. I am going to bet longer bolts will work for you to pull it closer so you can install the correct ones after.

[68ragtop]

Here is what I ended up with. Not saying everything you see is 100% correct. I took all the information I could get at the time & I really don't recall the details of what I might have altered from there. There were several things with my car I changed a bit for personal preference, but I always started at original. Not sure if what you see is one of those situations. I am forgetting some of that stuff seeing I am a couple years from completion now.

I will say that the space between the tank & pipes is almost non-existent. Gardner system, but not their most recent one. I know there have been some changes to make them more correct since I bought mine.

[dataway]

Yep, pretty much the same as mine.

I'd feel better if I used a bit of heat shielding between the pipes and tank, and fuel lines. Not so much because I'm worried about fire, but that's got to heat up the fuel pretty good. All that exhaust heat rising into the space between the tank and body where the fuel lines are. Glad those are suction lines and not pressurized Certainly wouldn't be stock looking, but not many people are going to be under my car

Come to think of it ... wonder how hot things get that far back ... steady driving at 70-80 there is probably enough air flow to keep it pretty cool, putting around town probably not enough exhaust flow to get it real hot.

[Andretti]

Your car's looking fantastic, great detail.
Hard to tell from that second picture but I know the straps should locate in the tanks third creased indent. Picture's not clear but is the strap sitting on the raised portion?

Edit: I think it's just the reflections distorting the image.

[dataway]

If it's like the tank I recently got there is a wider indent where the straps go compared to the indents on either side.

[Greg Reid]

Late commenting on this but, as you guys suggested, l used longer bolts to cinch the tank up tight and was able to get the correct bolts in afterwards. Those straps are just stiff and require some persuasion.

[Ben M.]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Those straps are just stiff and require some persuasion.

Ditto. I replaced mine 12 years ago and it was rough getting it all back in, long bolts helped get things started and tensioned into place.

[dataway]

Well .. got the tank all buttoned up, used the longer bolt method, everything was looking pretty good. I go to hook up the ground wire from the sending unit ... it pulls right out of the unit, wasn't even soldered. So .... out it comes again. Glad I just got my Quick-Jack yesterday.

Got right right side exhaust adjusted so there is plenty of clearance to the tank, but the left side is still very close to the fuel lines, like almost touching close. So far I'm not seeing any more wiggle room moving the muffler farther forward ... I've got a brand new Gardner system .... do these ever have to be trimmed? If I could take 1/2-3/4" out of the long pipe it would make everything fit pretty nice.

[OG68]

Is the sending unit original?

My ground wire was cut, how long should it be?

[north]

I recall cutting just a thin slice off the front of one of my tailpipes from Gardiner many years ago. Maybe 1/2" just to gain a bit of distance between the pipe and the front of the fuel tank. I think it was the left side also.

[dataway]

Sending unit was from Ames, wire was right about 12" long ... I can measure it if you want. Tank was being a REAL pain so I put a terminal on the factory ground wire that was still screwed to the body and drilled a hole in the flange of the tank outside the sealing weld and used a self tapping screw. Checked the ground of the tank and it's good ... of course it was also grounded before I even put the wire on, probably through the straps.

north .. yep, thats all I need, about 1/2" ... with some wiggling I was able to get it far enough away from the fuel lines ... but still closer to the tank than I would like. I think Gardner may have the left/right muffler offset a bit too much.

BTW .... was there a factory clip/tab up by the downward turn in the fuel lines that held them up against the body right before they terminate by the tank? If I push my lines up there it produces plenty of clearance to the pipes, like 2" .. I was thinking I need something to hold them there when I noticed what looks like the remnants of a broken off factory tab that would have held them there. I'm picturing one of those bend over metal tabs.

[OG68]

Same here. Remnants of a fuel line clamp.

[dataway]

I think I'm going to clean that area off and weld on something that will hold the lines ... maybe a small "C" shaped channel with the legs welded to the body, drill a hole in it and see if one of the normal dual size fuel/return frame clips will work. If it doesn't ... I'll zip tie those suckers up there

Wonder how many "vapor lock" issues with modern fuel are assisted by the exhaust pipe preheating the fuel if that clamp isn't there and the fuel line is a 1/2" from the pipe.

[dataway]

OG ... correction on the wire length, it's 18" long almost exactly.

Checked the 69 assembly manual, it shows the bend over type fuel line tab on several drawings in the exact location we suspect. I assume 68 is very similar. Even credits "Fisher Body" for the tab because it's part of the body

[68ragtop]

This is how I did mine. the two clamps on the spring pocket area held them very rigid. then a clip near the end the keeps the lines together, but doesn't attach to anything. The one thing that I did, was made sure the lines where tweaked upwards a fuzz before I set the body on. They sit right up against the trunk braces now. If yours where bent downward at all I am not sure you would have a way of doing this now that your body is installed?

We had thread on this topic years back & I think there were o lot of original pics posted. some showed the lines going in front of the spring pocked, but there was no way I could do that. I had to go over the top as thats how they were pre bent. worked out just fine & almost impossible to see now.

Do you have the clamp on the frame right before it makes the 90 degree turn towards the tank?

[68ragtop]

as far as shortening the pipes a bit, my only fear would be altering where the tips exit under the rear bumper. Not sure if mine are exactly in the oe location, but both angled / cut edges of the tailpipe are the same distance from the lower edge of the bumper. I can post pics of that later or measure something if it would help at all.

Data, you have this kicked into high gear! up thinking about it at 4:15am your time?