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Post by lazydog on Aug 3, 2013 1:34:41 GMT -5
Hi,
My Bradley has been in dry dock for a few years but I've recently started working on it again so I thought it would be a good time to join the Bradley board.
When I bought it there was a 5 gallon gas can behind the drivers seat serving as the gas tank.
I've searched for a long time to find a suitable gas tank for it without the expense of a custom tank. I looked at various aluminum tanks but the fill hole was always on the top that made routing the fill hose difficult. I'm not sure what other people who've needed a tank have done, I couldn't find a discussion of it on here.
I recently stumbled on the fact that VW bus gas tank dimensions are very close to the size of the original Bradley tank and the fill nozzle is in the right place.
I got a 69 bus tank that I have most of the way installed. I had to notch the front corners where the tank goes by about 1/8" on each side to accommodate the flange on the bus tank but it was easy (grinder and chisel) and helped hold the tank in place while I figured out the straps. It's been a really simple install so far.
I'm pretty excited about the discovery so I thought I'd share. I can take some pics if anyone is interested in more specifics.
Thanks
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Post by skip20 on Aug 3, 2013 7:47:46 GMT -5
We would like to see the pictures of how to.
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Post by Jeff Troy on Aug 3, 2013 8:49:30 GMT -5
Hi, Lazydog,
Assuming that you're writing about a GT and not a Twoie, the "right" place for the filler tube according to Bradley is at the upper side of the tank, so that the filler door is over the left rear fender. You're gonna hate it: it takes forever to fill the tank -- a total drag -- especially in winter.
Before you get too deep into an installation with the original tank layout, consider moving the filler tube to the rear edge of the tank at the center, so that the filler locates in the middle of the rear deck, just behind the rear edge of the Sundowner Convertible Window. If you have a fastback rear, you can devise some sort of an exit for the tube on your own.
The advantages to this modification include filling the tank from either side of a pump island so you have less or no waiting for an open pump, and quick fueling without ever popping the pump handle.
Any GT owner will tell you that the original setup is ridiculous, and that it takes anywhere from 6 to 15 minutes to fill the tank from empty. It's roughly 2 minutes after the mod.
Warmest regards,
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Eric A
Full Member
It's an obsession not an investment!
Posts: 223
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Post by Eric A on Aug 3, 2013 9:55:06 GMT -5
Not to mention it is getting hard to find pumps that run slow enough to be able to fill it at all. I have found it easier to fill up a gas can and fill it that way. It is a huge pain.
Eric
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Post by centralvalleygter on Aug 3, 2013 14:32:34 GMT -5
Yep, one of the best modifications I have made was my recent relocation of the filler to the top. Mine is actually right at the rear of the passenger side of the tank. The filler fits nicely between the outter two rails of my luggage rack.
Warmest.....
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Post by eieio79 on Aug 4, 2013 1:40:23 GMT -5
I put mine in the very center over the gas tank and re-welded the filler tube and used a Triumph TR3 gas cap. Mine fills as fast as I can pump the gas. Bob N Attachments:
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Post by trimagnum on Aug 4, 2013 3:41:45 GMT -5
Ditto on the hard filling and the poor vent location too. Take a hard right and you smell gas the vent goes into the drivers rear wheel well. Other than that it's a fun car to drive .
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Post by Gary Hammond on Aug 4, 2013 14:46:29 GMT -5
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Post by lazydog on Aug 4, 2013 15:21:32 GMT -5
Thanks everyone, good info to have.
I do have the fastback and was planning to re-use the original fill location on the left rear fender.
Is the slow filling problem because the distance from opening to the elbow is too short so it splashes out? Or the air in the tank taking too long to vent out?
I need to get some batteries for my camera, I'll have some pics of the install so far up later.
Thanks
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Post by trimagnum on Aug 4, 2013 15:26:35 GMT -5
That's a great idea ! Thanks Gary ;D |
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Post by mj on Aug 4, 2013 20:52:57 GMT -5
Google 'jegs fuel cell', and scroll through a couple pages to see the tanks/cells, tops and fuel feeds and brackets.
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Post by lazydog on Aug 6, 2013 12:48:35 GMT -5
Below are some pics of my tank installation, although it may be academic now. Aside from the filling problem pointed out I may have goofed up my measurements and the tank will be too close to the engine for comfort. Does anyone know the distance from the back of the jump seat to the fan shroud? I didn't check that before I took the body off since I hadn't planned on being so much bigger than the stock tank.  the tank   Notch each side   Using blocks to level the tank due to the hump in the front. I have straps that will anchor to the original blocks on the car and sandwich between there and my shims  Just a little notch in the top of the existing hole and it aligns with the original fill hole in the top of the fender. I may relocate the gas cap to the side of the car so it would be straight into the tank similar to the bus configuration, as long as I use a flush or recessed cap I think it will look OK. The 1x2 under the tank flange will add a little support but it's mainly to keep the straps from being against the sharp edge of the flange on the tank. For my vent I'd planned on connecting it to an inlet on the fill neck with a vented cap like the VW set-up. I appreciate any comments or insights Thanks |
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Post by leonardabell on Aug 7, 2013 9:02:11 GMT -5
I drilled a small pin hole in the cap of mine. When I would turn a sharp corner with a full tank, it would spurt gas out the hole. I then put a hole in the side of the riser to the cap and attached a hose along the inside of the fender, and down the back, so it goes to ground behind the car. The pin hole in the cap, I plugged. There are much better was to do it, but this is what I did.
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Post by Big-birds-ride on Aug 7, 2013 16:32:56 GMT -5
My tank and cap are the original bradley tank setup. It has a problem venting the air as one fills the tank and winds up bubbling the gas back out the cap if it is filling to fast, which most pumps do. I found that using a large hole funnel works well to feed the gas into the filler tube while keeping the gas flow at the elbow at a level which stops the air from bubbling the gas back out as it fills.
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Post by skip20 on Aug 7, 2013 20:47:45 GMT -5
VW gas caps are vented & need to be.
Bradley GT II gas caps are NOT vent & need to be.
The GT cap is made for a boat & not vent, run a vent line for the tank close to the filler up to just a 1/2" of the filler hole.
Chevy gas caps are vented & will fit your tanks.
Take it inside with you to pick one up.
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Post by lazydog on Aug 8, 2013 0:58:38 GMT -5
Thanks for the input. If I end up leaving the fill point in the top of the fender I've had my eye on the "Small Cobra Style" at Speedwaymotors.com www.speedwaymotors.com/Speedway-Small-Cobra-Style-Gas-Cap,53671.html It's vented and I think it would look great on a Bradley, although I'm not in love with the price so I hadn't ordered it yet. The guy I bought my car from had planned on installing a spring loaded door. He cut the door and fill nozzle out of a VW bug, whatever year that had the finger notch instead of the release in the glove box, and was going to install it on the car. I think that would be cool but i can't figure out how to anchor it well enough into the fiberglass. It's a pretty stiff spring so I think it would crack the fiberglass around it. Anyone have any thoughts on whether it's possible or how it could be done? Thanks again I really appreciate the input |
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