51 Champion Gas Tank Mounting Bolt?

[cbonner757]

Good evening, all. I just had my tank cleaned and sealed, and reinstalled it with all new bolts/nuts.
I'm puzzled at the one bolt/nut/spring combo I removed from the passenger side mount - is
the pictured long bolt surrounded by a (separate) beefy spring and using a castle nut something
used originally? I see something like it in the manual, but the diagram is hard to read..

The only thing I could think of was the they tried to use it to level the tank, tightening the nut against
the spring? If necessary, I can clean those up and reinstall them easily enough.

I'll send some pics later of the POR-15 job in silver for the outside of the tank and filler neck, and in black for the car
frame and trunk floor area- still have to touch up a few areas of it. Grey for the inside of the gas door enclosure, with a new rubber junction on the tank to filler neck and new grommet on the neck inside the filler door enclosure. And a Stude locking gas cap I found on Ebay that I had rekeyed the same as the glove box/trunk key.

Regards,
Clarence in Virginia Beach

[41 Frank]

Yes the bolt, nut and spring was used originally. I surmise it was done so the frame twisting would not crack the tank mount.

[pyrodork]

Yes the bolt, nut and spring was used originally. I surmise it was done so the frame twisting would not crack the tank mount.

frame twisting?

i've got a 51 and i'm going to be getting a custom tank built... possibly before spring (mine doesn't have one now). you're saying i can't just bolt it to the mounts without a spring there, too?

[Tom Bredehoft]

I think the original idea was that the spring went below the tank, so that if the tank were full and the car it a jolt, the spring would allow the tank to move a bit without straining the flange.

[cbonner757]

Thanks, Frank. Even if I don't know the reason they did it, I think I'll clean and paint the old bolt, nut and spring and re-use it. If it lasted 60 years, why mess with success?
But I'm open to any ideas of how it worked.

Regards,
Clarence in Virginia Beach

[jclary]

My vote on the spring is that it was intended as a sort of shock absorber for the tank. Just think about what a gas tank is and what it is carrying. It is a rather thin container full of explosive liquid exposed to tremendous forces. The tank (and its contents) is subject to jostling, thermal expansion, and constant shifting forces inside and out. It is important that the tank is secured firmly with some ability to absorb the blows and maintain an excellent ground at all times.

This subject reminds me of another often neglected but equally important subject regarding steel tanks. Air compressors with the compressor mounted on the tank are "NEVER" to be bolted firmly to a concrete floor. The vibration of the compressor combined with the forces of compressed air in the tank will eventually fracture the tank. If you have one and bolt it down without appropriate shock absorbers, you are flirting with disaster.

[nvonada]

Remember Studebaker never spent a dime when a nickel would do. When I did my tank I figured they probably had good reason for that spring mount so I fixed and reinstalled it.

Nathan

[cbonner757]

Thanks, Gents. I'll clean it up and reinstall the original bolt and spring. I much appreciate your insights.

Clarence in Virginia Beach

[PlainBrownR2]

I think the other reason for the spring was body flex. Here we have a large square item that is affixed under the trunk, or under the bed, or alongside the bed, that does not flex very well when the thin sheetmetal body above it is flexing. If it were solidly mounted the up and down moving of the body may eventually weaken the structure of this large square object and cause it to leak. Like what was previously posted,, the spring acts as a shock absorber, as well as allow the tank to pivot or move. Those springs are also not just found in one particular car, my Lark, the '55(prior to cutting out the floor and installing a drop down cage for the fuel cell), and the 2r5 have them as well, so it was a pretty standard practice .

[cbonner757]

Thanks, John. I got it back in its place, and the car runs well with a completely clean fuel system. Gas gage even reads right. No on to why the engine bogs down when I put it into gear (automatic).

Clarence

[JohnMSeymour]

Clarence- I"m pulling the tank on my '51 also and have the additional problem of "rusty nuts". How did you get a wrench on the bolt head above the flange? John

[cbonner757]

John, believe I got at it from the rear of the car. I had the bumper, valance and bumper mounts off already. Used a boxed-end wrench, but had to work at it, using just two fingers. Pretty small space. When I put it back, I was sure to put on a lock-washer, which helped some in keeping it from turning (as much) when I tightened it back up.

[aftontrix]

cbonner757,

I am repairing my tank as you did. It did not have the spring on the tank when I took it down. Is the spring mounted on top of the bracket with the tank bolted on the bottom of the bracket towards the ground? Thanks for any info.

[Dwain G.]

aftontrix, I intended to respond to your original post but forgot about it. I don't know what car you are working on, but the spring was eliminated sometime during the 1956 model production.

[Retired]

When I restored a 42 Commander, There were three mounting bolts two at the rear and one in the front, the one in the front had the spring.