MTFCA Forum

I have looked through several vendor catalogs and can not find any brackets they sell to secure/hold in place the square gas tank. I just bought a 22 Coupe and it currently has nothing to hold the tank in place besides the "square bottom bed" that has about a three to four inch sides. I have attached a couple of pics of two very different brackets from two suicide door coupes. I can make something easily enough to hold the tank in place, but I would prefer if it looked original and I don't know if either of these two pics or even both is how it was done for the square gas tanks.

I like the bracket in the first pic below since it holds down two sides of the tank, whereas the second pic only has a strap on one of the three sides of the tank.

PLEASE weigh in if you can offer any info on this. Much Thanks in advance!!! Walt Wise

My tank in my '22 Coupe is held in like your first picture

Sent you an email Mr. Seth. Much Thanks !!! Walt Wise

I had the same question when building my Coupe. I believe Mr. Seth is correct. Here are some pictures I collected. The lower left is taken from inside the car. The lower right doesn't show the bracket but doesn't show the metal strap at the rear as does your second photo. I have never seen one like that but who knows what may have been used at some time during production.
Rich

Mr. Rich E., much thanks for that reply and the additional pics. It looks like there is a "special" bracket on the right side(passenger side of vehicle) of the gas tank, then on the left it is just a steel rod, and then the thin board across the top of the tank holding it down. Until you added your pics, I thought it was two steel rods - one on each side, but isn't there some "special" bracket on that right side? If there is a "special" bracket there on the right, it looks like it attaches at the top of the trunk lid area there - or can I just not see it well? I am about half blind, well maybe not half, but you get what I mean. Mr. Seth is going to send me some pics when he has time - no hurries Mr. Seth! I also added a wanted to buy post ad in the parts classified for anyone that may have these brackets to sell. I really don't want to "reinvent the wheel", but I am one of these crazy people that likes everything(more or less) original. Of course I could make something on my own to hold down the tank, but I prefer the correct brackets. Hopefully someone has them for sale somewhere? Just tell me what you want for them! Much Thanks to anyone that can help me!!! Walt Wise in Atlanta, GA

You are right about a bracket. I don't know what it looks like. Here is what I did on mine. The stud at right is not correct but the one at left is close I believe. I made my board wider and cut it out for the filler. I purposly tried to make this car look old so don't anyone believe it to be original.

While we are waiting for better info here are blowups of the brackets from my earlier photos.

Mr. Rich E., I had blown-up your pictures here before I saw your post reply. Unless I am mistaken, the brackets in those two pics of yours look very different? One of them even looks like a hinge, where the thin wood board across the top of the tank could easily be bent up via the hinge, to remove the tank if you needed to? Like I said before though, I don't see that well...

They do look different. What I think I see looks like this, one more elaborate than the other. It would make sense to hinge there.
We will see.
Rich

Wow Mr. Rich E., you must be a draftsman! I believe you are correct and it isn't a hinge there, just a bent metal piece. Now I seem to think if someone had these brackets to sell, it would have to come only from a coupe, since it attaches to the underside of the turtle on the right side. Sedans that have square gas tanks must have a totally different bracket setup? I am hoping Mr. Seth's pictures will show it clearly. I am afraid my attempts to find these brackets for sale(being original ones) is going to be nearly impossible.

In searching I found these two photos in this rather lengthy thread. I believe the piece propping the trunk open is the hold down board. It looks to have 3 holes where that bracket attaches.
http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/33 ... 1367330540 Perhaps this is the bracket. I'll bet Dennis Seth will have our answer. He sure helped me years ago.
Rich

This photo shows the whole thing a bit better. I believe it is correct.

Awesome pics Mr. Rich E.!!!

Just one more. Not sure that it helps.
Rich

I have a 1920 coupe with a square tank in the trunk just like several that are pictured above. I am new to the forum so I will try to post some pictures of the bracket to clarify how it is made.

Next picture.

Mr. Campbell, that picture is awesome!!! Exactly what I needed to see!!! I hope the 1922 would be the same bracket? I would think that it has to be close. Hopefully Mr. Seth can confirm? I have serious doubts that anyone would ever have one to sell, but sure would pay anyone that wants to fabricate it for me since I am not equipped or have that kind of expertise. So...unless someone volunteers, I am going to take a stab at it best I can! Walt Wise

I think I am getting close here for answers to my questions, but forgot to ask how wide the board is that goes across the top of the tank to hold it down? Probably will make some of you laugh at me, but it sure won't be the first time...

Thanks Bob. That is what we are looking for.
Dee West took this photo of his 1922 Coupe bracket. It shows great detail of what we have been looking at. The wrinkle that looked like a hinge is simply a bend.
Both show 3 4 pronged split rivets holding the bracket to the board. To me that makes it likely that both are original and a change was made. I want to thank both Bob and Dee for taking the time to provide photos.

Here are a couple more photos Mr. West sent. I referred to him as Dee but his name is really Galen West.
My apologies for that. Though mine is not as original I am very pleased to know what is correct and may change it at some point. Thanks again for all who participated. Perhaps there will be more anwers.
Rich

Rich, I believe your 4 pronged split rivets are indeed tubular rivets. The setting tool splits the hollow and starts the 'legs' bending outwards. The legs will be random widths, random spaces and not necessarily 4 legged. Many brake linings are fixed to the shoes with similar rivets, but these are often shorter and bell out rather than split into 'legs'. The longer 'legs' are most useful in securing things to softer substrates like timber. I don't know if they are still available. Certainly the stubby brass ones used for brake linings turn up regularly.

Allan from down under.