"37" gas tank build

[WillH]

Not having any luck finding a '37 type gas tank for my Simplex board track racer build, I decide to modify a late tank to approximate the '37 configuration. I had a solid dual fill tank that needed cleaning inside but was solid metal, so the project began. 

[WillH]

Dermal with a cut-off wheel removed the original filler necks...................

[WillH]

Grinding away the original flange weld to separate the halves...........................

[WillH]

Two halves and the baffle; very obvious that both sides were identical before the opens cut................... 

[kartjockey]

Excellent beginning!  What size are the holes in the baffle plate and how far are they from the bottom?  Interesting about the two little ones.  Wonder what that was about.

[WillH]

A better picture of the baffle; edge of hole to edge of plate is 1/4" on the forward 1/2" hole and 1/2" on the 4th.  and 3/4", edge to hole on the 1/8" holes. Plate is 1/8" or so larger than the inside of tank because of the flange. Tank halves and baffle made of terna plate (lead coated steel).

[Ricks]

Nice Job!  Are you going to put a baffle back in when you reassemble?

Could you make a pattern of a tank half and post it with a ruler over it so I can make a copy for future use?

[oil-lamp]

I thought the tanks had a right and a left profile? If there the same mold I have a friend that was going that o make me some molds to press some metal tanks. I put it off because there was supposedly someone that was building molds already. Let me know if you get a metal tank going as I would like one.

[WillH]

Nice Job!  Are you going to put a baffle back in when you reassemble?

Could you make a pattern of a tank half and post it with a ruler over it so I can make a copy for future use?

I'm not going to use the baffle; it was primarily for a reserve feature. Tank should hold just over a gallon............

I will make a 1" grid drawing of the tank profile and post it.................

[WillH]

I thought the tanks had a right and a left profile? If there the same mold I have a friend that was going that o make me some molds to press some metal tanks. I put it off because there was supposedly someone that was building molds already. Let me know if you get a metal tank going as I would like one.

I don't know about all the Simplex tanks over the years, but the one I'm working on is the same stamping for both halves. It always appeared that way to me just looking at a tank, and made economical sense; look at the picture of the halves nested.................   

[WillH]

Here is the baffle on a 1" grid. Remember that 1/8" or so has been ground from the outside profile......................

[Ricks]

Nice Job!  Are you going to put a baffle back in when you reassemble?

Could you make a pattern of a tank half and post it with a ruler over it so I can make a copy for future use?

I'm not going to use the baffle; it was primarily for a reserve feature. Tank should hold just over a gallon............

I will make a 1" grid drawing of the tank profile and post it.................

Thanks!

[WillH]

Once the tank was apart, I sat the halves flat on the work bench, then elevated the narrow end 1". I then used a 1 1/2" thick wood block with a silver metal marking pencil laid flat on top, to mark a true line all the way around the tank half. I used a 4 1/2" angle grinder fitted with a cut-off wheel to carefully cut the line out;  I then used my angle die grinder with a rolock disc to clean up the cut and true the edge to fit flat on my work bench.

Picture shows one side cut and the other marked....................