SoCal Jet Boats
Tech Talk => Projects => Topic started by: zilla68 on March 04, 2013, 08:44:56 PM
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Long story short, I found a 1975 taylor ss barn find. Completely stock and in 9 of 10 condition.
problem is its been in boat storage since late 80's/early 90's with fuel in the factory fiberglass fuel tanks.
I drained all the fuel, but there is some black tar like substance that was floating around, and in my vacuum tank when I
removed all the old fuel.
I took and put 5 gallons of purple power in each tank and let it set all day, then flushed the tanks with water.
I know this will be an issue when the boat hits the water, my luck, so I'm trying to figure out a way to clean them properly.
If the boat wasn't so nice, I'd just pull them, but since it even has the factory fire extinguisher and original 70's tires on the trailer, I"d go a different route, but I'd sure like to keep them if at all possible.
thanks
chris
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The issue isnt saving them, the problem is that they wont last.
Theres additives in todays fuels that break down fiberglass. They arent safe - remove them and replace them with aluminum ones. You can measure them out and send the measurements to Imco, they will duplicate them pretty damn close.
http://www.imcomarine.com/cal_store/custom-aluminum-gunnel-tank.html (http://www.imcomarine.com/cal_store/custom-aluminum-gunnel-tank.html)
measurement guide: http://www.imcomarine.com/cal_store/media/drawings/Order_Gunnel_Tank.PDF (http://www.imcomarine.com/cal_store/media/drawings/Order_Gunnel_Tank.PDF)
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I'd sure replace those 70's tires too.
But save the air . . . nobody repops that stuff for sure! >:D
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Where's the pictures?
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I just loaded them on this thread but the whole reply is missing, I'll try again.
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the boat was sitting in the boat/rv storage since mid 90's, guy has been paying his rent ever since, his mom bought it new for his birthday in 75, she passed away in 98 and he just wrote a check every jan for a years rent and tried to forget about it.
I'm getting file to large now, so I'll have to figure out how to reduce the pics to post them. sorry
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fire in a boat is bad. grab some aluminum tanks and cut out the fiberglass ones. theres plenty of alum tanks floating around that can be had for fairly cheap.
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how do you get the fiberglass tanks out? just a sawzall?
is a fiberglass tank just a tank that is glassed in at the bottom, so you cut at the bottom?
damn I was hoping to save them.
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if you have air, and water in the tanks id use a die grinder (with a cut off wheel) much cleaner!
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Awesome find! and I am a Moore High Alumni and lived in Moore most of my life til the late 80's I am still using the fiberglass tank in my 72 but I keep an eye on it and moor pic's. Looks awesome and mine also had bias ply white walls on the trailer and did not even get half way home with it when I bought it before it threw the tread. :thumbup:
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Like everyone else has said, there's no sense in saving a fiberglass gas tank. I replaced mine last year and it wasn't that bad, mine we not part off the boat but were tabbed into the gunnels with a few layers of glass holding them down. I used a cut off wheel to catch the top few layers of glass without cutting through the hull bottom. Finding tanks that fit your boat might be a pain but this should not be something that gets over looked.
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Awesome find! and I am a Moore High Alumni and lived in Moore most of my life til the late 80's I am still using the fiberglass tank in my 72 but I keep an eye on it and moor pic's. Looks awesome and mine also had bias ply white walls on the trailer and did not even get half way home with it when I bought it before it threw the tread. :thumbup:
my wife is an Moore lions alum also, graduated in 85, I graduated from St. Marys high school in OKC in 86
We live out off sunnylane and 149th, and if you haven't been out here in years, you wouldn't believe the changes, lol.
They just tore down Moore Football stadium announcers booth and concession stand and are rebuilding it for the next season, new bleachers and all. it's a mess now though.
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Like everyone else has said, there's no sense in saving a fiberglass gas tank. I replaced mine last year and it wasn't that bad, mine we not part off the boat but were tabbed into the gunnels with a few layers of glass holding them down. I used a cut off wheel to catch the top few layers of glass without cutting through the hull bottom. Finding tanks that fit your boat might be a pain but this should not be something that gets over looked.
I found fuel tank bladders that are just for this issue, I have a call into them. You just send them your measurements, and they can build a bladder to your spec, cut a hole in the top and drop it in, or cut the top off. i was really not wanting to blow a ton of money until I know it's mechanically sound.
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i have some aluminum tanks for sale. they are better than the fiberglass ones, and cheaper 8)
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I graduated in 86. The football stadium was old when I was there and I noticed they have done a lot of changes to the campus. i lived off 134th and western in eastlake estates, worked at foodworld bagging for first job then on to Hudiberg Chevy til I moved. I have been back about 3 years ago but didnt have time to look around. Even downtown OKC has changed. Good luck on the boat and I am going to have to do the same thing one of these days too.
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I graduated in 86. The football stadium was old when I was there and I noticed they have done a lot of changes to the campus. i lived off 134th and western in eastlake estates, worked at foodworld bagging for first job then on to Hudiberg Chevy til I moved. I have been back about 3 years ago but didnt have time to look around. Even downtown OKC has changed. Good luck on the boat and I am going to have to do the same thing one of these days too.
pm me your last name, you guys probably know each other, lol.
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got my measurements, here is what I need:
2 of each, 40 long by 10.5 tall and 7 inches wide.
the search begins.
anyone have an idea of what new ones cost?
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PM sent
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well looks like this weekend they are getting cut out. I am having ksh marine in havasu build the tanks, after I get it all spec'd out for them.
now to figure out mounting of the tanks
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I doubt I could have ever gotten all that out, I cut out a piece of the tank and scooped that mess right out of the middle
[attachimg=1]
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well one side down, 1 to go. It wasn't really to bad, but my eyes and arms are on fire now!!!!
I used a dewalt corded 4" grinder with a cut off wheel, my cordless and air just didn't have it in them, but the electric one zipped right thru it.
[attachimg=1]
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glad you're doing this the right way and replacing with aluminum tanks. ill keep my eyes open for a set.
next time you need to cut something fiberglass use one of these vibrating saw guys. i have a craftsman one with a little vacuum attachment and theres no dust or scratching your eyeballs out.
(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toolequip.ie%2Fcms%2Fimages%2F700x500_p1317897559603_milwaukee_C12MT2.jpg&hash=d724428a526103397e48934fd910bae9254af87d)
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glad you're doing this the right way and replacing with aluminum tanks. ill keep my eyes open for a set.
next time you need to cut something fiberglass use one of these vibrating saw guys. i have a craftsman one with a little vacuum attachment and theres no dust or scratching your eyeballs out.
(https://www.socaljetboats.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.toolequip.ie%2Fcms%2Fimages%2F700x500_p1317897559603_milwaukee_C12MT2.jpg&hash=d724428a526103397e48934fd910bae9254af87d)
I might run down to harbor freight and grab one of the cheapies to try, I'll just need it once, lol.
And yes, that fiberglass dust gets everywhere, I didn't think that dust would be that bad, good thing I had a face mask on.
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got the other side out now,
[attachimg=1]
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so the million dollar question is,
since the boat is not flat in the back, how do you get the tank level and secure the new aluminum tank?
it will be a rectangular design.
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That's a thirty dollar question... :sly:
The new tanks should be made with the same taper as the hull. The easiest way to do this is to make a template out of cardboard to the shape you desire for the end plates, then measure from the inside edge of the tank every few inches until you reach where the tank will be.
Also make sure the outside edge of the hull is straight, if not, more measuring, or make the tank straight and allow for a void.
Once all your measurements are made, they can enter that into CAD for the cutter.
Looking great, you'll be glad you did this.
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That's a thirty dollar question... :sly:
The new tanks should be made with the same taper as the hull. The easiest way to do this is to make a template out of cardboard to the shape you desire for the end plates, then measure from the inside edge of the tank every few inches until you reach where the tank will be.
Also make sure the outside edge of the hull is straight, if not, more measuring, or make the tank straight and allow for a void.
Once all your measurements are made, they can enter that into CAD for the cutter.
Looking great, you'll be glad you did this.
the only flaw in that theory, lol, is that the old tanks were squared on the bottom, and had a void underneath so they weren't made to the slope of the boat either, between the bottom of the tank, and the floor was about 1/2 inch, it was fiberglassed to hold it up.
It will still have to attach to the hull somehow, as the fiberglass was what was holding it up anyways, if that makes sense.
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my tanks sit on 2 1" thick rubber pads and then theres a tab that gets fiberglassed to the hull (think of it like a tab in a little pocket), and a gunnel support holds it from moving foward, theres another tab in the back that is fiberglassed in, and then the fuel fill hose is only like 3" long and im sure it added some support as well. they're not contoured perfectly to the hull, they're angled but they dont move at all.
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would you mind getting a picture of the fiberglassed areas?
rubber is a good idea, I'll look into that.
also, i was thinking of having a tab welded to the tank, and fiberglassing in a couple bolts to the floor facing upwards where the tab would slide over the bolts and secure it that way.
Appreciate all the ideas, my plan is to be done within a week of tanks arriving.
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I was looking into making a custom tank that would fit in the V under my floor to free up space,
and found that you can make tanks from fiberglass, but you must use vinylester resin, not polyester.
I don't like aluminum tanks because ethanol can eat them up over time, and I like to keep that fuel as an option.
Being able to shape a glass tank to any form can be quite useful.
JackB