New tanks for a 32...

[Trippin]

Just about to install new tanks in a 1990 32 triple. The combo is about 110 gallons.

[apache727]

Nice Tanks! Looks Good

[Brad Zastrow]

Are you installing these on top of the old tanks? I can not figure out where those will go. The L shape is throwing me off. Aren't your current tanks the fiberglass in the sponson style? Could be a good alternative.

[activatorf1]

Is that enough fuel for those very thirsty clamp on's ??

[Trippin]

Yes the tanks are going to sit right on top of the old sponson tanks, I've drained the sponsons and left them open for water drainage. There was so much crap in there it was unbelieveable that the pumps could suck up any fuel.

I've put down a static resistant rubber mat about 3/8 inch thick under the tanks to absorb vibration and deaden the hollow sound when close to empty.

I designed the L shape so the elongated section would sit up into the rear compartment area next to the rear bolster. It is pretty much even with the bolster once installed, and really not noticible.

Pic is of the tanks installed, but not yet strapped or plumbed.

I think the original sponson tanks only held 160 combined, so were not that far off.

[Don't Bite Me!]

What is the cost of your project? Need the same work on mine. Will that change the center of gravity & balance? Seems easier than cutting fiberglass!!!!! Who made your tanks?

[DrGaryDC]

Is it easier just adding bladders??

[Trippin]

I don't see any difference in the COG figure other than the fuel being disbursed slightly more centrally than the factory tanks. The balance will not change as the tanks are centrally linked so the owner really doesn't have to deal with one tank being more or less full than the other. The tanks are heavily baffled and double welded where access permitted. Sloshing of the fuel is not a concern.

My fabricator made me this set of tanks for $1500.00 which included 13 3/8 bungs, 2 2" fill necks, two 41mm sender holes and 5 3/16 fuel sender holes predrilled. To my satisfaction and to my specifications and the tanks required no alteration post completion.

IMO adding bladders would require cutting out the floor, plus you'd have to interlink 2 or more bladders to get the same or similiar capacity of the original tanks or these tanks. I considered bladders but dismissed them for the aforementioned reasons. Plus I don't like doing Fiberglass work, I'm not very good at it.

[Don't Bite Me!]

How do you prepare the existing glass tanks to accept the aluminum tanks? Are there baffles in the existing glass tanks that need to be removed?
Do you check to see if the core of the hull surrounding the glass tanks is solid? In other words, how do you know that the fuel hasn't saturated the core material? I like the idea.......... Can you have the same volume in the new tanks as the glass tanks?

[Trippin]

Originally Posted by Don't Bite Me!

How do you prepare the existing glass tanks to accept the aluminum tanks? Are there baffles in the existing glass tanks that need to be removed?
Do you check to see if the core of the hull surrounding the glass tanks is solid? In other words, how do you know that the fuel hasn't saturated the core material? I like the idea.......... Can you have the same volume in the new tanks as the glass tanks?

These tanks are sitting on top of the old tanks, in space that might have once been used for storage. I drained the contents of the old tanks and left them open to allow for moisture drainage.

The volume has suffered a little, but I think 110 gallons will suffice. The owner is not going to try for an endurance run any time soon.

If I more precisely calculated the space I was working with I might have been able to get another 10 maybe 20 gallons out of the space without structure modification.