forming an eliptical shaped gas tank

[60ch]

I am a new guy. I follow the posts and the one thing that really sticks out is the different way people get the same results with different approaches. I need some help forming a gas tank for my 29' Dodge. The biggest issue is the eliptical shape. I do not have access to a slip roll. I was fortunate to find 19 gage cold rolled sheet for this but not enough for repeated attempts. The tank is 36" long. The elipse is 8"by12". The long seam will be locked and soldered. The end plates will be hammer formed once the final shape of the tank is finished. I am open to any and all suggestions on getting this form. Thanks, TerryDSCN0686.jpg

[Kerry Pinkerton]

It's just bending Terry. You can wrap it around a pipe, use a gokart slick in an Ewheel frame, borrow someones slip roll, etc. Lots of ways to bend metal. It's the stretching/shrinking that is hard.

Back at Richard K's first regional meet (2004ish), there was a guy there making an oval tank. We did the bends with the gokart slick on the ewheel that Gene Olsen subsequently purchased. Took about 15 minutes and most of that was laying out where to bend.

[Jere]

Terry:

If you don't have a wheel, cut two or three pieces of plywood slightly under the shape of the tank. Cut some holes in the plywood so as to "C" clamp the sheet to the form(dead nuts on center). Get a friend to help pull the sides up as much as you can and then finish it off with some ratchet straps. Clamp the plywood form and sheet metal to your layout table.

[Ron Naida]

Here is a header tank I made. The same techniques could apply for a gas tank.

[52pickup]

Here is a post from a few weeks ago where a member built a similar tank. Might give you some ideas.

[60ch]

Thanks to all for the input on forming the gas tank shell. Ron, your brass header tank looks great and has the same soldered locked seam that I am using on my steel tank. I will be pre tinning the seam before I lock it. Thanks for the great pictures. Your soldering skills are right on. Thanks, Terry

[Ron Naida]

Terry,
Here is another tank.
It has compartments for both oil and gas. The dividing baffle needs to be soldered in then one end pressure checked.
Next do the other side and pressure check.
It does no good if the complete tank does not leak but oil leaks into the gas.

Ron

[22george]

this forum is great - guys helping others out