cowl gas tank install: impossible!

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NY John T
Posts: 339
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2020 12:45 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Killelea
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926
Location: Northport NY

cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by NY John T » Sat Jul 17, 2021 7:57 pm

What is the trick to installing the cowl gas tank in a 26/27 touring? I've been at it all day and it just doesn't want to cooperate. I put in a new cardboard firewall panel, but it doesn't want to go.
Is there a different size cowl gas tank that I might have the wrong one? I did notice a note awhile ago showing a slightly different slope of the top of the cowl tank. Could this be my problem?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Then I could say what I did in July with my T.
Thanks.
John


Norman Kling
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Location: Alpine California

Re: cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by Norman Kling » Sat Jul 17, 2021 8:07 pm

I have installed two of them, one in a Roadster, and the other in a Touring. Sorry that I don't have any pictures, but it will work best with the dash panel off and the steering column off. Then you just push it up. You hook the straps on the rings located above the side of the tank toward the seat and put the threaded end through the firewall. It helps to have a helper to put the nuts on the ends of the rods in front of the firewall. Next place the dash panel and instrument panel then the steering column. I haven't tried to do it with the dash panel or steering column in place, but works quite easily with those removed.
Norm


Topic author
NY John T
Posts: 339
Joined: Wed Nov 25, 2020 12:45 pm
First Name: John
Last Name: Killelea
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926
Location: Northport NY

Re: cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by NY John T » Sat Jul 17, 2021 9:29 pm

Thanks for the reply. I feared that I might have to remove the dash panel. The screws are quite tight, so I'll have to use blaster and heat. I was about to use up all my expletives in my vocabulary, AND, damage the dash panel. I did do some desperate bending of the bottom of the dash panel, but that can be repaired when I remove it. I did, however lower the steering column.
John


kmatt2
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First Name: Kevin
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 26 T Coupe, 16 T Open Express, 21 TT Flatbed. 15 T Roadster, 13 & 25 T Speedster , 51 Mercury 4 door sport sedan, 67 Mercury Cougar
Location: Madera CA 93636
MTFCA Number: 11598

Re: cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by kmatt2 » Sat Jul 17, 2021 10:38 pm

You can install the gas tank with out removing the dash panel. See the T Ford service manual Inproved Car section . Also see above & prior posts on this sight. But now that you have bent up the bottom of the dash panel it is probably best to remove it in order to fix it and follow the above post. Reinstalling the nuts on the dash panel will probably be the hardest part but you can do it.


jiminbartow
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Coupe
Location: Bartow, FL
MTFCA Number: 50126
Board Member Since: 2001

Re: cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by jiminbartow » Sun Jul 18, 2021 12:05 am

I have a 1926 coupe and never had much trouble installing the cowl tank, but I understand that there is more room in the cowls of the coupe and tudors than there is in the touring. In just looking at the cowl profile of the touring compared to the cowls of the Tudor and coupe, the cowl of the touring is lower and more level while the coupe and Tudor cowls are higher and more curvey. Also, the dash of the touring is more narrow than the dash’s of the coupe and tudors. Even with these dimensional differences, there is no difference in the 1926-‘27 cowl tanks for each style. The same cowl tank is used for all styles. In all styles the fuel outlet needs to fit through the hole in the firewall before maneuvering the tank in place. Have you tried tying the pedals down? I know in my coupe tying the pedals down gives me more room making the installation easier. Jim Patrick

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JTT3
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Last Name: Tannehill
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Re: cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by JTT3 » Sun Jul 18, 2021 12:10 am

The least painful way is what Norman explained, still not fun.


greenacres36
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Joined: Sun Sep 27, 2020 3:50 pm
First Name: Brian
Last Name: Williams
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1926 Tudor, 1915 Runabout
Location: Prospect, Ohio

Re: cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by greenacres36 » Sun Jul 18, 2021 11:04 am

I never understood the difference in models and the cowl tank. My 1926 Tudor tank literally fell out and went in so easy. I removed nothing to get the tank out of it. One would assume the cowl area of the different models would be the same. I guess not. Wonder why?


John Codman
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Youring
Location: Naples, FL 34120

Re: cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by John Codman » Sun Jul 18, 2021 12:53 pm

Someone in the past commented that there are slight differences in the measurements in front of the dash panel depending on body style. It would be easiest to remove the dash panel and steering column, but I was able to remove and replace the tank on my '27 touring car by leaving the dash panel in place and removing the steering column. I also removed (but did not disconnect) the little instrument cluster. It still wasn't a fun project, but it is possible. You should keep a couple of clean rags or paper towels around as you work - you probably will give a little blood.


bmklawt
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* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1927 Touring
Location: Holland MI

Re: cowl gas tank install: impossible!

Post by bmklawt » Sun Jul 18, 2021 1:05 pm

I ran across this while researching how to get the tank out of a 1927 Touring.
"Tudor and Touring are not the same" http://www.mtfca.com/discus/messages/70 ... 1489494316

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