36 Gallon Tanks

[275 GTB-4]

Last nite I was reading the Australian Muscle Car story about the XU-2 Torana. They were going to homologate a 36 gallon tank for the beast. GTHOs also had a "36 gallon tank".

Is there some regulation related to the maximum size of Tin Top fuel tanks?? I could understand something that might be related to the available firefighting capacity of tracks etc

I could also understand how desirable a one stop ability might be at the mountain.....but that doesn't explain why the Silver Fox would plump for 36 in a much lighter car with a better power to weight ratio and appreciably better fuel consunmption!!!

[RaceTime]

Back in those days the tanks had to be on road cars as well - the Charger, for example, in E48/49 mode had the racing fuel tank of 35 gallons - and needed the twin fillers - one on each side - the best way to pick a true RT racing charger. Similarly with the Cooper S - 11 gallon tank oinstead of the 5 1/2 gallon with twin fillers. Not sure if the GTHO had twin fillers though.

But with the hue and cry about the Super Cars - the GTHO Ph IV and the XU-2 (V8 Torana) these plans were scrapped and from mmeory, no more high capacity fuel tanks were made available on road cars - which effectively meant they couldn't use them for racing either.

That is until Holden strapped the tank under the boot of the L34....

[Conrod Kieron]

Road Falcons could still be optioned with the 36 gallon tanks up to the XC.
As Racetime alluded too, back in the HO/Torrie days, you had to race what was available on the showroom floor, the supercar scare put an end to this and Aussie Group C was born, this allowed manufacturers to homolgate parts for racing only hence the Torana drop tanks.

[275 GTB-4]

Originally posted by Conrod Kieron
Road Falcons could still be optioned with the 36 gallon tanks up to the XC.
As Racetime alluded too, back in the HO/Torrie days, you had to race what was available on the showroom floor, the supercar scare put an end to this and Aussie Group C was born, this allowed manufacturers to homolgate parts for racing only hence the Torana drop tanks.

Ohhhh Kaayy, but how did they come up with 36 and who thought of it first? AFAIR the GTHOs were first to have 36 gallon tanks. I remember the Chargers having a big tank but don't remember what the Monaros had.

I still don't see the reasoning behind 36, is it just that Ford looked at the avaialable volume under a GT and said "Hmmm 36" then that became homologated and the road car option AND the default "drop tank" capacity??

What capacity were L34s? What capacity do Supercars have? Is there a connection to the originally homologated size?

[RaceTime]

Most cars tend to have a tank of a specific size. IN the 70's this was usually expanded by simply doubling the tank.

The Mini for example had two tanks installed - thus 5.5 to 11 gallons.

Not sure where the HO and Charger tanks were but the basic Charger tank was 17.5 gallons - thus it appears that either a second tank was fitted to give 35 gallons or two tanks welded together to form the newr type.

I would assume that the Falcon was done the same way....pity this didn;t come up 12 months ago - this is certainly a Howard Marsden question...

[Wayne Kerr]

The V8 XU1 (sometimes called the XU2) was going to have two XU1 tanks in the boot side by side with two fillers.

The rule with refueling was that even if you had two fillers you could only fill one at a time.

Harry came up with a great idea for the L34, he had a removable tank in the boot, so that the car would come into the pits and the crew could pop open the boot slip out the empty tank and throw in the full tank!
It was pointed out to Harry that it was legal but that the engine had to be switched off when the tank was being filled even if the tank was in the pits and the car was on the track!
It was after this that the tanks were hung under the boot floor.

The tank in the Charger looked like a truck tank in the middle of the boot with a filler going into each side.

[aj_308]

i understand the xu2 had two hq wagon tanks fitted..

[Acj 428]

If you look at an Original GT / GTHO 36 gallon tank, you'll notice that it is really only two bottom halves of a standard tanks welded together. Which happened to make 36 gallons?

[rdmdog]

AJ and Wayne, you should have a read of the article that started the discussion in this thread. Harry's and GM's ideas for tank placement were a little different.

I believe that there are regulations as to the maximum fuel capacity along the lines of, Cars with an engine capacity of less than 2000cc are limited to 80L, and over 2000cc 120L.

Something like that, dont know how this relates to production cars with the standard tank fitted with dry-break equipment and anti spray foam installed.

Maybe Mr Palmer could shed some light on the requirements for Production cars in his 24HR?

[Conrod Kieron]

Not sure about the HO one Acj, but I had a 36 gallon tank in a 77 LTD, the top part of the tank is really only a lid with a massive indent for the spare tyre, the 36 gallon job appeared to be the same bototm half, but the lid was slightly bulged upwards and had no spare tyre indent - spare sat in the boot.

[smokinJ]

i have seen the LC/LJ with a large fuel tank it was like two tanks on top of each other if just enough room for the spare along side and breif case on top
i believe it was just the standed filler
but my mind is failing
CURSE YOU BRAIN