Fabricating new tanks is almost what John Wright, Jr., does. He replaces the major walls with new aluminum formed to match the original tank. When he did my tank he showed me some of the details. Since I see these so rarely, I can't recall or describe the details of what he told me.
He made a point that the strengthening creases were the hardest part to duplicate but he had finally found a way to duplicate the factory's tanks in that respect. Forgive me for not using the right word. By creases, I mean those lines along the tank surface which have a moulded line in which the aluminum is pressed out from the flat surface to add strength. I think that John's tanks are functionally new. He's using mostly new materials to factory new standards. An excellent example of a major repair to a part that is no longer available. The results are very nearly identical to the original. My memory may be way off, but I remember the tank cost as being in the $350 range. "Paul M. Anton" wrote: > > With all this talk about fuel tanks--why not just fabricate a replacement > tank using the old as a pattern? > > Not too difficult a job I should think. Any one with a little TIG skill > should > be able to duplicate the contours of the old tank. If you used the filler > neck from the old tank that would take care of the hard to make part. > > What am I missing here? I think if I had a bad leak I would take that > approach. > > Cheers: > > Paul > N2409H > > PS thanks to this fine group I have a heater box firewall fitting > coming. -- Ed Burkhead Peoria, Ill. Ercoupe N3802H, 415-D
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