Reproduction Fuel Tanks '54 - '56

I don't know much about the '54 fuel tank, but the tank that Michael is selling here is correct for '55 Chrysler and Desoto, but not correct for '56. On '55 Chrysler/Desoto, the fuel line runs along the driver's frame rail. While on the '56, it runs along the passenger frame rail. This tank has the port on the driver's side. Also, not sure if the inner filter setup found on original tanks is present here. I asked him, but he couldn't give me a clear answer.

Ron

Ron,

Thanks for investigating and providing the feedback. That's exactly the kind of stuff that is good to know before blindly recommending this product.

Mark

The owner of the '56 Dodge that we restored wanted the optionally offered larger fuel tank installed in his car, which is actually just the '56 Chrysler/DeSoto tank. In order to accomplish installing the tank, we had to build longer tank straps and re-route the fuel line coming from the tank because of the difference in fuel line ports between the Dodge and the DeSoto.

If the owner of a '56 doesn't have a good tank, these reproductions would be a very viable replacement. Re-routing the fuel line due to the difference in the pick-up port is easily overcome with a newly bent fuel line.

Tim - When you acquired the tank for the 56 Dodge, did you have a chance to look inside to determine whether the filter setup is as orginal ? Or is it just a pickup tube without any filter.

Ron

Does anyone know if these new tanks are made with the correct grade and gauge metal? I had heard that the '57-'59 repro tanks used a thinner gauge metal than the originals and am wondering if this is also true with the '55-'56. Also, does anyone better know the possible differences in pick-up tube and filter between '55 and '56 that are mentioned below?

Ron, the experience with the Dodge was years ago, and we sourced a used tank from John Fowlie. I was merely speaking to the ease of overcoming an issue like a fuel line port being located differently.

Tim -

Are you talking about redoing the entire fuel line front-to-back, or just running it from the passenger side to the driver's side on the cross member over the pumpkin ?

Ron

When we changed the tank in the Dodge, we simply ran a line from the new port location and spliced it into the existing line that was located at the opposite corner of the tank. Easy and pretty much invisible to anyone not in the know. The line as a whole continued on it's original route.