20 coupe gas tank

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Tractordoc
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20 coupe gas tank

Post by Tractordoc » Wed Dec 18, 2019 2:36 pm

Hi all, l am at the point of bolting the body down on the 20 coupe I've been working on since 2011. It seems to me that the tank is to high for the seat, so I looked back at the pictures I took while taking it apart and it looks like that is the way it was. So wondering if there is someone out there with the oval tank under the seat in a coupe that can tell me if this is correct. Thanks George
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20191218_141629.jpg
20191218_141352.jpg


Adam
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Adam » Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:09 pm

It’s likely to be the wrong tank AND in the wrong place. Most coupes had a square tank in the trunk.
However... According to Bruce’s book, At some point in late ‘20 some coupes did have oval tanks installed as an “experiment”. Your seat base doesn’t look right for an oval tank though.


Wayne Sheldon
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Wayne Sheldon » Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:44 pm

Some of the closed car seat frames had a wooden framework below the springs. The somewhat later coupe I had did. That wooden framework allows about 3/4 inch clearance above the seat riser frame that the ends of the gasoline tank can fit in. Does your coupe have a single or split seat cushion frame?
I don't know for certain which style tank your coupe should have? Ford bounced back and forth a couple times between 1919 and 1923. The oval under seat tank is less trouble with hills, about even with filling inconvenience. If that is what it had, it could have been changed at some time in the past, or it may be correct that way.


Charles J
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Charles J » Wed Dec 18, 2019 3:49 pm

My car had a square tank in the trunk


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Tractordoc
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Tractordoc » Wed Dec 18, 2019 5:37 pm

Thanks for the replies. Wayne I have the single cushion seat, I think it has the 3/4 wood frame you mention, but I don't think that is enough. I need to get some help to get the cushions down from storage and try them. Still hoping that someone out there has one of these coupes with the oval tank. I like the idea of it being a little different than the norm.


John kuehn
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by John kuehn » Wed Dec 18, 2019 5:43 pm

The earlier black era Coupes had the gas tank in the trunk. The later black era tanks were under the seat. Earlier Coupes would be up to about 21-22? Not completely sure. I was thinking low cowl bodies would have the tanks in the trunk as far as the Coupes were concerned.

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perry kete
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by perry kete » Wed Dec 18, 2019 5:51 pm

Here is a picture of a '21 Coupe gas tank it is in the turtle deck just like my '22 Coupe.
21 Coupe 3.jpg
21 Coupe 3.jpg (34.35 KiB) Viewed 4527 times
1922 Coupe & 1927 Touring

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Mark Gregush
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Mark Gregush » Wed Dec 18, 2019 7:01 pm

1920-1925
Oval-shaped tank replaced round type. Construction was similar to previous tank except for oval cross-section. Two door sedans and coupes continued the square tank, but oval tank was used in a number of coupes in late 1920, apparently as an experiment. All coupes of the 1924-25 style used the oval tank under the seat.
Does your rear floor pan have a hole in the area where the photo above shows that tank would be? If so I would install the square tank and not mess with trying to fit the under seat tank. My October 21 coupe had the tank in the trunk. Considering how thick the 1 piece seat bottom was in mine, I sure would not want to mess with it every time I wanted to fill up or check gas. ;)
I know the voices aren't real but damn they have some good ideas! :shock:

1925 Cut down pickup
1920 Dodge touring
1948 Ford F2 pickup


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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Kerry » Wed Dec 18, 2019 7:20 pm

George.
On the later coupe that has the oval tank, it still is higher than the frame, the seat base frame is built to roll over the tank.


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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Allan » Wed Dec 18, 2019 7:30 pm

George, even if it is not absolutely "correct" for your car, a wooden frame under the seat cushion is common on most Australian bodied cars, so it is period correct. Looking at your 'before' photo, the tank seems higher than the seat base, so it most likely did have a wooden base to the seat assembly, and that gave it the necessary clearance.

Allan from down under.


Topic author
Tractordoc
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Tractordoc » Wed Dec 18, 2019 8:06 pm

Mark the trunk (turtle deck) was mostly nonexistant, I think the floor was there but I can't find it now, probably didn't consider it any value :cry: so my plan has been to build a wooden pickup bed I have period hardware for that. So I kind of have to keep the under seat tank. Hopefully the seat frame will allow it. Thanks for the replies, still hoping that someone will have one of these coupes with the under seat tank.

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perry kete
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by perry kete » Wed Dec 18, 2019 8:35 pm

The turtle deck floor was part of the entire floor pan for the whole car
Model T-'22 Coupe new floor pan-Denny's.jpg
Model T-'22 Coupe new floor pan-Denny's.jpg

As you can see the gas tank and the battery had a hole in the pan. The hole for the gas tank allowed the fuel line and sediment bulb to hang below the car
1922 Coupe & 1927 Touring


Topic author
Tractordoc
Posts: 22
Joined: Sun Jan 06, 2019 12:41 pm
First Name: George
Last Name: Barclay
* REQUIRED* Type and Year of Model Ts owned: 1920 coupe
Location: West Michigan

Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by Tractordoc » Wed Dec 18, 2019 9:10 pm

Don't have a floor pan like that. Did all of the early coupes have that?

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perry kete
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Re: 20 coupe gas tank

Post by perry kete » Thu Dec 19, 2019 9:01 am

The original floor pans reinforcement bead rolls were "X" shaped and not straight like mine are rolled. The speed shop where I took the metal to be rolled started to roll the floor pan before I arrived and already had two runs done. I wanted them to provide me with new metal and make the proper "X" design but that is another story. The metal pan runs under the seat and into the turtle deck. The hump is positioned over the rear spring. From the front seat forward to the firewall is the standard wooden floor board set up. I'll post two pictures.
model_t_001.jpg
[/ If you look carefully you can see a corner of the fuel tank just behind the seat riser. In front of the riser is where the wooden floor starts.
size]

Model T-'22 Coupe passenger door-Denny's.jpg
You can see the wood floor just in front of the riser
1922 Coupe & 1927 Touring

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