57 ranchero gas tank

electricalan · 2013-11-20 15:15

Hello,My name is Al and i am new to the site.I recently got my ranchero fired up after it rested since 1971.It runs great,but currently has a temp one gallon gas can ty-rapped under the hood.I need to order new tank,but the one i removed has a spare tire recess.I am guessing that would be for a wagon.Wondering if i can remove the extra sheetmetal under the bed ,and order a tank without the recess.I think i have seen both available while shopping on line.
Thanks Al

Ford Blue blood · 2013-11-20 15:33

Al the tank is for Wagons and Rancheros 1957 - 1959. The fuel filler is on the drivers side, other tanks that you see for 57 - 59 series of Ford cars have the fuel filler in the rear. The sender is unique to that tank as well. If you have fabrication skills and tools a 1973 - 1976 F-100 rear tank will fit in the hole left after the spare tire well is cut out. You will have to fabricate mounts for the F-100 tank, the fill is on the correct side.

electricalan · 2013-11-20 16:25

Wow, that was fast.just went out to the garage for a bit and bam! Thanks ..good info. now i got decisions to make.Yes i think i can handle some fab work. Thanks for the response.Just starting this project and sure to have many more question in the coming year. Happy hloidays! Al 57 ranchero project.

RICH MUISE · 2013-11-20 16:41

Welcome to the site. You found the right place for alot, if not all your questions...although they don't always come that fast...LOL.
What are your plans for the Ranchero? sitting for 42 years..wow. Inside storage? Have you owned it all those years, or is it a recent aquisition from somebody else that had it that long?

electricalan · 2013-11-20 19:30

Thanks for the welcome.I trailered the car home from sacramento 15 years ago and garaged it.Yes its taken me quite a while to get going on it.Bad priorities,work,house,kids, college.'ha ha'.Anyway i plan to completely restore it ,and drive it all over the place.Love original rigs,but want to add creature comforts,and reliability.I do plan on road trips.The 312 fired up with minimal effort and feels strong.I would like to stick with it,and have a mild rebuild.The only stock items missing are the steering wheel,and headlight rings which were stolen during storage.

suede57ford · 2013-11-20 20:18

What engine code is it? I have only seen a few D-code rancheros. I have sorta been looking for a D code one, as both of my rancheros are C-codes, and most I look at are C's.

electricalan · 2013-11-20 21:18

I am not positive.I have not yet been able to view numbers under manifold.The guy i bought it from told me it was a 312,and since i got it running i have had one guy say its a 292,and another say its a 312,the data plate serial number is psfh129365,the p being the engine code according to what i found on line.I do need to dial it in because if its not original i may decide on a modern engine
whooops thats not my serial number,its one i got on line when i was trying to figure out what i had.

hiball3985 · 2013-11-20 21:46

When I first got mine I filled the tank only to find it leaking, at first I thought it was the Oring on the filler neck but I couldn't be that lucky. The recess in the floor for the spare was rotted away and so was the top of the tank. I cut both out and my son welded in a flat section of stainless on the top of the tank and some 18 gauge on the floor, it holds 24 gallons now.

electricalan · 2013-11-20 21:55

sorry suedes,my data plate says c code,so now i need to get to those block numbers and see if its original

electricalan · 2013-11-20 22:02

hiball,nice work on the custom tank you and your son built.That would work well on the road trips.I dont think i am up to that task of welding gas tanks,but maybe i could get help.I will have to check out the rest of the tank,but its sound like mine went the same way yours did. Thanks for the thought. Al

hiball3985 · 2013-11-21 09:12

I was going to buy a tank but I only found one place that had one. But I really didn't want to spend $300. The patch job we did on the tank and floor was maybe $25. My son is pretty good at MIG welding and I'm not

. Some previous owner had put a bold and nut in the drain hole which trapped the water causing the floor to rot and eventually the top of the tank

This is what the floor section looked like.

electricalan · 2013-11-21 19:24

jim,
Thanks for the ideas.I looked over mine a little harder and i think it might be better than i thought.I only found a few pinholes.We have a performance radiator shop that does them,but the last time i took them one for my 66 ford they wanted way more than a new one.I know new ones are about 425.00 plus s/h.so i will use that as a guide.
Thanks again Al

hiball3985 · 2013-11-21 22:41

Al, lets us know what your radiator shop quotes you. I had it priced at a local shop here, they wanted to sand blast, repair and line it and it was as much as a new one. I was surprised that the inside was spotless which helped toward planning to do it our self.

Ecode70D · 2013-11-22 03:17

Al
Welcome to the site.
You are going to get a lot of help and good advice here.
Jay

electricalan · 2013-11-22 13:31

Thanks Jay,
I am sure I will need lots of that advice and info.I am planning on this taking me at least a year,and although i do have good mechanical skills and a well set up garage this will be my first real complete resto.Thanks for the welcome

Al Al.http://57fordsforever.com/smf/Smileys/default/burnout.gif

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57 ranchero gas tank