Advice Needed for Gas Tank on 40 in TN

[TrailRunner40]

Hey Guys,

I'm really needing some of yall's guidance on how to proceed with a gas tank issue. I purchased this July '74 baby a few months ago and was very happy with the condition. She runs great and just a few oil leaks that I will address next month. I despised the color and I'm in the process of taking it back to originalish in Dune Beige.

Day 1:
Pics look good but the actual color is more kubota orange.


The PO did a lot of great things but I can't understand why he relocated the gas filler to the back when he added a new auxiliary gas tank (it's a nice aluminum unit). Filling up is challenging and it makes no sense why he put the filler cap in its current location.

See it in the middle back floor?

So, my questions are...
- Go back to original? I have an original tank in great shape.
- Run filler line from original location back to new tank?
- Cut in a new gas cap on back panel to access the new tank?
- install original and use it as primary filling tank and pump over to auxillary tank?

I'm getting ready to paint so I'm leaning towards leaving everything in it's current location but feel free to talk me out of it.

Thanks in advance!

 

[jbee]

[QUOTE="

Day 1:
Pics look good but the actual color is more install original and use it as primary filling tank and pump over to auxillary tank?
[/QUOTE]

This gets my vote. The more original you can go , the more support you're going to have from factory service manuals other mud members etc. Any custom or one off stuff requires a lot of pictures and explanations to get any help. At least that's my experience.
I love the idea of having the factory tank, and then having an electric pump that just pumps fuel from the auxiliary to the factory tank. There are plenty of inputs on the factory tank to be able to get fuel in there. I once saw one that had a switch on the floor next to the driver seat that turned on the pump to be able to fill up the main tank from the auxiliary tank.

 

[Pierps]

I'm curious what it looks like from underneath- the aluminum units I've seen have the filler off to the side so that you can plumb it to through the wheel well and out through the side.

So unless it's a custom unit, he would've had to modify the tank to do this... which would be even more baffling.

I think you're on the right track though in terms of making your OEM tank the filling tank, and just pump fuel from one to the other. The key is to figure out a modification that won't involve cutting or welding the tank. When you go that route, you should to take it to a pro (which will cost a lot of money).

 

[TrailRunner40]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I had asked the PO about the tank before the purchase and he had it custom made; therefore, there are no extra inlets or side filler. I'm definitely leaning towards yall's recommendation of using the original tank as the main tank.
Seems that is the least invasive approach and I keep the factory cap assembly.

Thanks again,
Chris