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Ok guys. I started to install my new gas tank that will have the filler neck in the upper drivers side corner. I removed the old tank and started to place the new tank in position, but it doesn’t fit in the “tank nest”. The new tank has a different shape on the bottom. I have attached pics of the “tank nest” and the new and old gas tanks side by side. As you can see the bottom of new tank extends all the to the right and will not sit down in the “tank nest” I looked at the manuals, but don’t see this situation addressed. Have any of you run into this and what did you do? The option I see at this point is to cut out part of the right hand portion of the “tank nest” so the new tank will fit or I guess the “tank nest” could be removed all together. I haven’t tried this yet as the “tank nest” is riveted in place at present. Thoughts/suggestions???
Well……..I answered a couple of my questions. I bit the bullet and removed the rivets and took the “tank nest” out and then set the new tank in place and the tank hits the steering column, so modifying the “tank nest” or removing it is not an option. Not sure what to do now. I guess I can get a tank like the existing one and have it modified to put the filler neck in the correct location. Still thinking and welcome any bright ideas. Thanks.
SamHow much is it hitting ? maybe bend the bottom just a bit?
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What’s the build manual say? Does it say to relocate the filler neck on the tank you have? That might be the easy route.
I’m having the same problem. And I’m using a 63 VW fuel tank. The tank has NEVER fit in the tank nest/tub. Best for me was to not use the tank tub. BUT…if the tank outlet leaks then gas will enter into the passenger compartment which is NOT a good thing. I’ll cross that bridge when I finish the front grille and fender issues. The doc says no surgery uintil possibly October so I’m good to continue work on the TD. Let me know what you come up with.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackRoy called me this afternoon and we discussed several ideas. One was bend the bottom of the new tank to clear the steering shaft, but I’m not really hot on that idea. As i mentioned earlier, the manuals do not address this situation. They just talk about shortening the filler neck on the new style I bought and moving the filler neck to the opposite corner of the later tank that was in the car. According to the manuals both tanks should mount in the “tank nest”, but that doesn’t appear to be the case. However, the PO did not relocate the filler neck on this tank per the manual. He just cut the filler neck off and clamped a right angle hose on the remaining part of the filler neck and clamped a cap on the other end so it is really hard to put gas in the tank plus since the filler neck is on the lower front corner on the driver’s side it isn’t possible to really fill the tank. My guess is that you can get about 5+gals in the tank before it would run out the filler neck as it is now installed. My plan now is to take the new tank back to the guy I bought it from and see if he has another tank in the correct configuration that will fit the “tank nest”. I’ll take the tank nest with me since I now have it out. He has been working on VW’s for 45+ years, so he may have a solution. If not, I’ll see if I can trade the new tank for a new one like the tank that is currently in the car and get it modifided to move the filler to the correct location. I’ll keep you posted.
SamI did a quick search for Beetle, Karmann Ghia and Thing gas tanks. NONE of the results matched your new tank. And ALL of them matched the one you took out of your TD.
I don’t have any advice on determining the model year for a Beetle gas tank.
But it definitely sounds like your new tank is not the right one.Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
I’m in a somewhat similar situation right now. The PO of mine had used the ’69 model gas tank and rotated it 180 degrees. He did not try to have a side-filled tank (which the ’69 model was designed for. Instead, he brazed in a filler neck, and used a piece of rubber and a short length of tubing to block off the old filler neck and vent hose. My challenge was that the cap for the tank was missing and I couldn’t find anything that fit it. I actually took the tank out and took it to the auto parts store – they could find NOTHING that fits is, but did determine that it is likely a radiator neck and cap, rather than a gas cap…
So, after reading the build manuals here, I bought an aftermarket replacement tank for a pre-67 Bug, only to find that it won’t work either. It can’t be rotated because it will hit the steering column underneath, and the shape of the tank doesn’t allow brazing in a filler neck on the “high spot” on the tank. So, I have a friend now modifying the original ’69 tank by cutting out and using the filler neck and cap from the replacement tank, while adding blocking plates over the original filler neck and vent tube. The rubber that the PO had used to block those is really deteriorated, and I wanted a permanent solution there…Bottom-line is that 68 and later bugs were designed for side-fill from the passenger’s side. If that’s what you’re hoping to do, then one of those tanks may be your best solution, though you might need to trim the “tank nest”…Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Paul, I have since looked at several websites that sell VW gas tanks and I agree…what I have for the new tank does not look like what the websites picture for ’67 and earlier tank. They show a tank that has the main depth of the tank centered in the middle similar to the old tank I took out. I looked at the new tank again and the guy I bought it from has it marked as an “earlier VW tank” not as a ’60-’67 tank as I found on the websites, So, Monday I’ll make a trip back to see him and hopefully he has the correct tank. As I mentioned above, I’m also taking the “tank nest” as well. Let’s keep our fingers crossed. Glad I didn’t start modifying the new tank before I took the old one out!!
SamAnother story: First let me say that my gas fill is through what would normally be the radiator fill.
So, early on Friday morning I was at the gas station fueling up and getting ready for Bill & his son to stop by before we caravaned (if it’s not a word, it ought to be) to Carlisle, when a guy named Artie, came over and said there is gas running out all over under your car. I hit the panic button, stopped fueling and stepped back. At least a gallon under the car. Other cars fueling just on the other side of the pump. Concrete pad under the pumping area. Big puddle. At this time two other guys came over and helped me push MiGi far away from the spill area. Another guy and a girl came out of the station and spread absorbent on the gas. By now, I had popped the hood and the source of the leak was clearly visible: The prior owner had put a rubber hose on a pipe that lead from the tank but was not needed in my TDr installation. He had crimped off the hose with a hose clamp. All’s well, right? No! I should have noticed this and fixed it as soon as I got the car but did not. There was no leak and who’s to know that the “crimped hose” was no thicker than a bicycle tube. It eventually (at the station) failed, filled up all the low spots in the fiberglass under the bonnet before going on the concrete. I’m talking about a lot of gas and a lot of gas soaked polishing rags, blankets, clothes etc that I had stored up there. I finally managed to get it cleaned out and made the trip to Carlisle OK. BUT, it scared me nearly to death.Please be careful and make sure that whatever modifications you make to your gas tank are good and permanent.I agree with Roy. I didn’t mention it as it really wasn’t part of my tank fit problem, but when I removed the old tank the PO had put a cork in what was the overflow outlet by the filler neck (it was not visible as the filler neck was on the hinge side of the hood) and the cork had a tube glued in the center and a rubber tube was attached to carry any overflow to the ground. Besides being a hokie fix, the cork fell out so I’m sure any overflow would have gone into the storage space. Another reason to get a correct tank fix in place.
SamOK. Took the new tank I had purchased back and explained the problem. He had the correct tank in stock so we swapped it out. He was even somewhat perplexed with the shape of the tank I had purchased. None of his other stock looked like the tank I returned. I’m thinking his supplier has shipped him a wrong tank in error.
Ok now for the filler neck mod. I know it can be cut down and rewelded. Are there any other options since I don’t have a welder and will have to find somebody to weld it? One thought I had was to cut the filler neck down as much as necessary and then see if I can come up with a sleeve that will mate the filler neck stub on the tank to the filler neck and cap piece and epoxy the assembly together. Any other non weld options? Thanks.SamSam. Not to burst your bubble but something else to check is if the nest fits into the body all the way. The bottom of my nest contacts the body before the nest is all the way down. I’m about 3/4-inch too tall. Without the nest it’s still really close. But like I said, I’ll gget to that after the grille install. Hope your nest fits in okay.
Allen Caron
VW based 53MGTD - "MoneyPenny"
"If one thing matters, everything matters" - from the book The ShackSam,
It’s your gas tank. And it’s sitting over your feet. That’s not a place to cut corners.I would get the filler neck cut and rewelded. The tank is new, there are no residual gas fumes to deal with. It should be a pretty cheap job. And will be more durable in the long run than an epoxied joint.My two cents.Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
PMOSSBERG wrote:Sam,It’s your gas tank. And it’s sitting over your feet. That’s not a place to cut corners.I would get the filler neck cut and rewelded. The tank is new, there are no residual gas fumes to deal with. It should be a pretty cheap job. And will be more durable in the long run than an epoxied joint.My two cents.Agree. That’s why I’m paying for someone to correct the PO’s DIY work on mine…Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...Allen, my nest was already installed in the body so that is not an issue.
Thanks, for the input on the filler neck. The weld solution was my first choice. I was just looking to see if there was an alternate solution that somebody had used that was just as good as the weld. I’ll have to find a welder here that will do this small job. I had looked at getting the existing tank modified to the way it was suppose to be and the weld shop wanted more than the cost of a new tank. Seems nobody around here wants to do a small job and if they will they want to charge like it’s a big job. Welcome to Raleigh…..I’ll keep looking.Samfor a welder on that you might just walk into any local muffler shop. They weld alla time & supposed to be fume-tight. Probably a $30 job.
Sam: A couple of options that are available> Radiator shop may be able to weld tank. Old time shop espicially good. Also welding / vocational school. students usually are looking for projects to complete. Either one would get the job done with good results.
Liquid refreshment or a good sandwich goes a long way in getting different price.Any friends weld?Sam You might want to check out your locale high school metal shop. It won’t be real clean on the welding But with the teachers guidance they do a good job.
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Sam: Welding options noted. Thinking outside the box an option of no welding would be to cut filler pipe and use GAS hose and 2 clamps to connect the pipe. Gas hose available at parts store along with clamps and could be done at home. Use magnet to keep metal from tank.
That would work George.
There is a length of hose connecting my filler pipe to the tank.
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
Congrats!
Love to see progress!
Paul Mossberg
Former Owner of a 1981 Classic Roadsters Ltd. Duchess (VW)
2005 Intermeccanica RoadsterIf you own a TDr and are not in the Registry, please go to https://tdreplica.com/forums/topic/mg-td-replica-registry/ and register (you need to copy and paste the link)
looks great! Suggest you run a small rubber hose from the vent outlet on the filler neck down, around the tank, to the outside of the chassis somewhere. Though they normally just vent fumes, under certain situations, such as very full tank with the car sitting in hot sunshine, they can actually vent gasoline from the fuel expanding in the tank!
You don’t want either fumes or raw gas in the trunk, around all the electrical connections and such…Early FF TDr on 69 VW pan
Slowly coming back from the ashes...
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