RPM is a sponsor, and he has built many custom tanks to fit about anywhere you can think of to put one.
DonnyRay
Well-Known Member
Ron Pope made a custom windshield frame for me. His standard windshield frame for his big boy 23 t body was 20 inches high. I asked him for a windshield that was the original width (fits the big boy body) but was only 14 inches high. He gave me what i requested. Ron Pope Motorsports is a 5 star company because it has a 5 star proprietor.
fletcherson
Well-Known Member
There was a new sponsor a few years back but they obviously didn’t stay long. They offered a very shallow tank that was designed to basically fit up in between the frame rails, under the floor. I am not in the market, it just came to mind. And I second the Ron Pope praise. I haven’t purchased anything for a while, but he was awesome when I did and he will custom fab stuff. A real life saver.
AltBantam
Active Member
I’ve got a guy who works a different shift than me who rebuilds boats on the side. He builds his own custom aluminum fuel tanks for the boats when needed. He is a Tig welder by profession. He is the one I spoke to about possibly building me a tank. Unfortunately he works weekend shift and our paths haven’t cross since I drew out the tank design. That said, if it doesn’t work out with him, I will check with Ron. I have bought a few thing from him before.
AltBantam
Active Member
A quick update. Still working with bondo. I think I’m about done with bondo work. The cowling is looking good. It’s not perfect but I am not a body guy with 20 years experience either. The bottom of the body, where the I exerted the side to lower the rear half of the floor, is okay too. I added a little more bondo Sunday. Needs one last sanding, hopefully. I have a template for the dash cut out of cardboard. I will cut out a piece of thin plywood and attach that to the body soon. I have ordered 32’ Ford windshield mounts. I hope they will work without too much modifications to the body. If they won’t, I will have to look at something more custom. Good news, there are plenty of different options here on this forum to use. But if the Ford mounts work, I can measure for a windshield frame. Speedway had their universal seat mounts on sale, basically half off. I will need to narrow them a few inches… that easy. With spring right around the corner, I hope to get back in the workshop more often.
Now is the moment to take a little extra time with the Bondo. It will pay dividends when the car is finished. I'm afraid I get a little impatient with body work and tend to say "It's good enough" when a few more hours of work would have really helped the final product. Just sayin' . . .
fletcherson
Well-Known Member
Yes, and better material, better tools, added effort pays off in the finish. And as expensive as materials have become, it’s imperative to do it as right as possible. Don’t neglect your lungs...
AltBantam
Active Member
Weather. Pollen. It's been crazy the last month. I wish I had more to post. I have my custom aluminum fuel tank. It was built to allow for the maximum amount of fuel in the space between the kicked-up frame and the sloping rear of the bantam body. Should hold about 20 gals, if I did the math correctly. That might get me 150 miles, plus or minus a few. I will try to remember to take a photo to post. Painted the inside of the firewall and the brake/clutch pedal assembly. The bondo work was placed on hold. The 'yellow' fog has been enveloping my house for three weeks now. I have stated working on windshield mounts. I bought a pair of unfinished 32' Ford lower mounts from Speedway. I found they are close to fitting to Bantam cowl. I have cut and reshaped the base to fit the raised area on the body where stock mounts would be placed. There was a gap at the top corner. Had a friend at work Tig fill the area. A little blending and it looks like it was made that way. I found a few boo-boos on the frame paint job I did a few weeks back. Sanded and re-primed before the 'yellow' fog descended over Georgia. Hopefully the pine pollen will be gone in a week or so. Another good storm like the one we had yesterday might do it. That's it for now. I will try to take a few pictures to post. Everyone loved to look at pictures.
AltBantam
Active Member
Here are two photos of the new gas tank. It is currently sitting on its side in my my garage. I rotated one picture so the tank appears horizontal. Two 3/8" NPT bungs on the bottom for AN8 fittings, fuel out and return. One bung on top for the vent. A vertical fuel sender. Two baffles welded inside. The guy who built the tank Tig welds in my shop on day shift. He has a side job rebuilding boats. He fabs all of the fuel tanks. It took nearly 3 months to get the tank but it was worth the wait. One more piece of the puzzle ready to be placed.
Attachments
Indycars
Well-Known Member
Sure is pretty !!
I would shoot come clear Cerakote MC-5100 on it to keep it looking this pretty.
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I would shoot come clear Cerakote MC-5100 on it to keep it looking this pretty.
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fletcherson
Well-Known Member
Nice! I had mocked up a cardboard template for a custom fuel tank but it has gone somewhere? My T has been sitting idle for too long. Too many pressing life issues keep creeping up on me. I need a pause button for it so I can focus on my projects again.
AltBantam
Active Member
I needed to post an update. Not much to list. Reinstalled the front suspension on the chassis. I painted the axle and springs the same color as the frame. I bought new 31 spline axles to go with a new 31 spline trac-lock rearend. The original rearend was 28 spline locker with a stock Ford gear. This unit is a bit beefier. I painted the rearend mounts the same color as the frame. The 32' Ford windshield mounts need a little fitting before they will be ready to install. They tilt outwards just a little. Some grinding will fix that. My Edelbrock heads are being shipped back with a complete port and valve job. Dropped off my Buick block at the machine shop this week. Two to four weeks and I should be ready to start assembling the engine. That means I need to move into second gear and start finishing up the body work. Unfortunately, my wife and I start our vacation for 2 weeks. I'm looking forward to the trip but I am thinking how much work I could get done if I was off and at home.
Get that out of your mind. That little woman you married is way more significant than any hot rod on the planet. Enjoy your time with her!
AltBantam
Active Member
My last post was in May. My wife and I spent 2 weeks in France at the end of May. We looked a new house back in April but we were out bid. But the other people’s bid fell through but the sellers took the house off the market. Then the first week of June, they contacted us and asked if we wanted the house. So, we are buying a new house. There are number of projects our current house needs to be finished, so work on the Bantam is on hold until everything is settled. I hope to get back to work on it within the next month or so. I will post we I do.
AltBantam
Active Member
Just an update. No work on the car since my last post. Still working on getting a garage built. I have a builder, but he was working on another project. Last week he started the proceeders to get permits for my workshop. There is a lot of prep work needed before the foundation can be poured. I hope to have a workshop before spring.
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