Replacement Fuel Tank

[Jeepadict]

No, I quoted your post about the skid plate. Our FD CUCV doesn't have a skid plate. None of my Squarebodies have ever had a skid plate. All the OE skid plates on GMT400/800 chassis have plastic skid plates on the tanks.

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[Curtisje]

Ok. I learn something new everyday. The skid plates on CUCVs, as far as I know, are steel. The one off my M1008 is steel for sure. And I don't need it or the tank for that matter. Do you need the skid plate?

 

[Jeepadict]

I'll be down in Riverside next month for my military duties. If you still have it when I get down there I'll arrange a time to stop by.

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[LT67]

Both of my M1008s' and my 79 K20 have the same steel skid plate underneath the tank.

 

[nyoffroad]

I just now ordered 2 of the Spectra steel tanks, 2 sets of Spectra straps, and 2 sets of pads from Kentucky Speed Shop. All I need now is a tank skid plate and I will probably reach out to John at Hillbilly for that.
Thanks everyone for your help.

If you don't already have it you will also need the switch valve, switch and wire harness all available from LMC.
Almost forgot, a second sending unit. You seem like a well organized guy and probably already thought of all this, but if your like me you absolutely hate getting started and finding out you forgot a key piece!

 

[Sharecropper]

If you don't already have it you will also need the switch valve, switch and wire harness all available from LMC.
Almost forgot, a second sending unit. You seem like a well organized guy and probably already thought of all this, but if your like me you absolutely hate getting started and finding out you forgot a key piece!

Thanks. But I am way ahead. I already have a new bronze valve that I plan to install in the floor between the bucket seats. I prefer to control the switching between tanks by hand instead of relying on an electric part which could malfunction in a remote area. I will have a toggle switch on the dash to switch the gauge. I also plan to install an electric fuel pump at each tank with another toggle switch to energize either pump. Two tanks, two pumps, one manual valve. I’ve already designed this system and already have the pumps and valve, so as soon as the new tanks come in I will get to work building it. I will be fabricating all my hard lines in shop also. I will document everything in my rebuild thread over in the CUCV modification forum (link below).

 

[Sharecropper]

OK I think I am ready to move forward with installing the new fuel tanks. I am bead blasting the frame brackets and will rivet the new straps to them after they are painted. I always drench all steel parts with Fast Etch from Eastwood’s as soon as they are blasted. This is a phosphoric acid product which converts the surface of the steel to a gray color and prevents rust from ever starting. I then spray paint each part with Rustoleum semi-gloss black.
Question - What is everyone’s opinion about painting the new tanks? They came from Spectre in Canada so they are the highest quality and also galvanized inside and out. I’m thinking it might look better to spray the exterior of the tanks with the same paint prior to assembling and installing.
Let me know what y’all think.
Thanks.

 

[cucvrus]

Paint or coat them. Do make sure to sure a wax and grease remover on everything you paint. The oils in your skin can make fish eyes and pock marks in fresh paint. use known clean white rags to thoroughly dry all items washed with the wax and grease remover. I use PPG DX330 and DX440 as a pre-paint cleaner. I also use the DX330 as a thinner when I spray the Rusfree. It dries in a day or so and is tack free and has no transfer when handling. Looks great also. Good Luck. Button head screws and nylock nuts work best. They make thin nylock nuts and I use them at many places. I am a nut when it comes to selecting hardware and fasteners. Take Care. I have a few of the genuine GM saddles that just need the straps. I collected everyone I seen over the years and now I don't need any of them anymore.

 

[Sharecropper]

Button head screws and nylock nuts work best.

Thanks Rick. I believe I will paint the tanks with the same Rustoleum semi-gloss black. Regarding the attachment of the new straps to the brackets, I will rivet them the same way as they came from the factory. I am planning a big write-up on the tank install and bed modifications over in my rebuild thread whenever I get finished. Stay tuned.

 

[Sharecropper]

OK after re-thinking the situation, I have decided to install the new Spectre tanks without painting them. They are galvanized inside and out, and they will certainly last my lifetime.

 

[Skinny]

I always just bought a tank, installed it, never thought about it again. I dont think anyone is going to criticize fisheyes in the paint either.

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[cucvrus]

Any job worth the effort to do is worth the effort to do it right. I sand and paint oil pans and valve covers on occasion. Still have a goal of a smooth uniform finish. Proper prep is 99% of completing a signature job. Good enough don't cut it. I see lots of good enough work. Going the extra mile is admirable and the right way to do things. But opinions vary from person to person. Fair enough. The new tanks look great. Now I wonder what you are doing with the old tanks. I sawed many CUCV fuel tanks in half to scrap them. I always felt a used fuel tank is not worth the effort of changing out. Be thankful the CUCV don't have a fuel harness like the later vehicle do. Good Job.

 

[Sharecropper]

Any job worth the effort to do is worth the effort to do it right. I sand and paint oil pans and valve covers on occasion. Still have a goal of a smooth uniform finish. Proper prep is 99% of completing a signature job. Good enough don't cut it. I see lots of good enough work. Going the extra mile is admirable and the right way to do things. But opinions vary from person to person. Fair enough. The new tanks look great. Now I wonder what you are doing with the old tanks. I sawed many CUCV fuel tanks in half to scrap them. I always felt a used fuel tank is not worth the effort of changing out. Be thankful the CUCV don't have a fuel harness like the later vehicle do. Good Job.

Rick - the used tank I got from you was a little too rusty for my taste. You know how I am. But I am bead blasting and painting your brackets which I needed anyway. My original drivers side tank is not in too bad shape, but since I had my bed off I decided to swap it out too. I will probably just throw the old tanks away.
The néw Spectre sending units arrived today and I learned something. Did you know that when you order sending units for a dual tank truck, there is a right and a left? I didn’t either. When they came in I at first thought that one had been shipped wrong because of different part numbers. But upon removing them from the boxes they are identical except the top inlet/outlet tubes are opposite. Evidently the GM engineers wanted the float to be pointed in a certain direction. I will not know which is which until I remove one of the original sending units.
I will let everyone know when I update my rebuild thread regarding the new tanks.

 

[MarcusOReallyus]

Yeah I’m leaning towards the MTS plastic tank from Gas Tank Depot. It’s actually polyethylene, a stronger cross-linked high density polymer. And they are Made In The USA. I think I’ll order 2 of ‘em tomorrow and order the brackets and straps for the passenger side from LMC. I’ll document all this in my rebuild thread.

Good choice, IMO. I think you'd be nuts to use a steel tank, gavlanized or not. Polyethylene will outlive our grandchildren.

 

[Skinny]

You guys understand that even though the tank is poly the sender and hardware is steel. Yes some may be zinc plated but the fuel line stubs or studs/nuts will eventually rust anyway? So the tank material is again nothing to be losing sleep over. The straps, lines, and hardware is still made of metal.

So 3 decades later when you have to fix any one of those or like in 5 years when all those junk senders fail you arent goint to replace it all and go yeah lets stick the poly tank back in there. So its irrelevant.



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[Sharecropper]

You guys understand that even though the tank is poly the sender and hardware is steel. Yes some may be zinc plated but the fuel line stubs or studs/nuts will eventually rust anyway? So the tank material is again nothing to be losing sleep over. The straps, lines, and hardware is still made of metal.

So 3 decades later when you have to fix any one of those or like in 5 years when all those junk senders fail you arent goint to replace it all and go yeah lets stick the poly tank back in there. So its irrelevant.

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Very well put Sir. I decided to install Spectre steel tanks and let some other boor pastard deal with it after I am dead and gone. I am 70 and with more health issues than I can count, so if the tanks will last just a few years while my truck is locked up in my heated and cooled warehouse, I will be happy.

 

[Sharecropper]

Good choice, IMO. I think you'd be nuts to use a steel tank, gavlanized or not. Polyethylene will outlive our grandchildren.

Well Marcus, I guess I am freaking nuts.

 

[Mad Texan]

Rick - the used tank I got from you was a little too rusty for my taste. You know how I am. But I am bead blasting and painting your brackets which I needed anyway. My original drivers side tank is not in too bad shape, but since I had my bed off I decided to swap it out too. I will probably just throw the old tanks away.
The néw Spectre sending units arrived today and I learned something. Did you know that when you order sending units for a dual tank truck, there is a right and a left? I didn’t either. When they came in I at first thought that one had been shipped wrong because of different part numbers. But upon removing them from the boxes they are identical except the top inlet/outlet tubes are opposite. Evidently the GM engineers wanted the float to be pointed in a certain direction. I will not know which is which until I remove one of the original sending units.
I will let everyone know when I update my rebuild thread regarding the new tanks.

FG05K - Drivers
FG05L - Passengers

As per web site... under classic parts.

 

[Sharecropper]

FG05K - Drivers
FG05L - Passengers

As per web site... under classic parts.

Thanks. Yes those are the part numbers that came in.

 

[Sharecropper]

OK here's another request for opinions regarding the new Spectre fuel tanks. Instead of painting them, what do you guys think about spraying them with undercoating prior to assembling them in the saddles and straps? I have the undercoating on-hand, and was just about ready to assemble the tanks into the saddles, so if I am going to do it I need to do it now. Thanks in advance for the opinions.