Fuel tank install

Chris Smith
Chris Smith Expert Adviser
edited December 2013 in HUDSON
I am ready to install my fuel tank back in my 54 and am wondering what insulation you recommend between the trunk floor and the top of the tank, and between the tank straps and the tank. Anything at Lowes or Home Depot work?

Comments

  • mdwhit
    mdwhit Expert Adviser
    I went to home depot and bought the tub/shower liner to use on the straps and also, between the tank and body.
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    If you are going for originality, the top of the tank had a piece of black tar paper. Between straps and tank: nothing.
  • bob ward
    bob ward Senior Contributor
    I used single sided foam tape top and bottom of the tank. If you do use some sort of packing make sure your tank is still earthed otherwise your fuel gauge won't read.
  • Probably why factory put nothing on strap's ?
  • Kdancy
    Kdancy Senior Contributor
    Were the tanks just galvanized finished?
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Kerry-

    All the ones I've seen were black.
  • Chris Smith
    Chris Smith Expert Adviser
    I had my straps powder coated. Is that going to be a problem?
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    It might be. You might have to run a ground from tank to frame.
  • lostmind
    lostmind Expert Adviser
    It would be a good idea to run a separate ground wire from the sender unit to ground
    at the frame , no matter what. It will save problems in the future. It won't get any easier than it
    is at this point.
  • Chris Smith
    Chris Smith Expert Adviser
    I will for sure add a ground wire from one of the sender screws to the frame. Thanks for the heads up suggestions.
  • Chris Smith
    Chris Smith Expert Adviser
    OK, now I would like to know what is used to fill the gap between the trunk pan and the fill neck. It looks too large for caulking to work.
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    I think '54's were the same as earlier step-downs. There are three flat metal plates with holes on each end. They all fit together end to end and there is a flat piece of sheet rubber that those metal straps hold in place around your fuel neck.

    Need a '54 person to confirm this.
  • onerare39
    onerare39 Expert Adviser, Member
    Russell is correct. Do you need a picture?

    John Forkner

  • Glowplug
    Glowplug Expert Adviser
    edited December 2013
    The attachment shows how the fuel filler tube on all Stepdown Hudson models are sealed to the trunk. The rubber is then sealed to the fuel tube with rubberized caulk.
    (sorry about the corrupt file should view now as a JPEG)
  • Chris Smith
    Chris Smith Expert Adviser
    Would love to see a picture or the document, when I try to open it, it makes my computer flip out to the point I have to turn it off and back on.
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    Oldfarmer-

    Can't open the document. It's not coded properly.
  • Glowplug
    Glowplug Expert Adviser
    BTT updated attachement
  • Chris Smith
    Chris Smith Expert Adviser
    Thanks Oldfarmer, looks like the rubber seal is glued to the bottom side of the floor pan and held by the straps. I have the studs still in place but no straps so I will visit Vintage Coach next week and see if I can find some originals.
  • Glowplug
    Glowplug Expert Adviser
    Chris: You are welcome. I have seen the seal placed on the top and the bottom. In all cased the assembly line person responsible for the "TAR SEAL GUN" seals the rubber to the fill tube with a thick coating of tar that sits on that rubber seal. When I have R&R'ed a tank my idea was to seal it with something that is flexible and will maintain the seal to the filler tube. So, I use a flexible black colored caulking material.
This discussion has been closed.