The project is a '27 Model T coupe, unchopped and full-fendered. It is currently a work in progress, but will be something genuinely unique by the time it is finished-definitely a hot rod, but probably with elements of elegance.
And as with any project car, the work being done is a continuing series of design decisions-the most recent being where to mount a gas tank that would be practical and complementary to the style of the car. A tank in the trunk would've been a simple solution, but would've limited the gas tank capacity and encroached on the available space in the already small trunk.
The car owner, Zulu, suggested the idea of mounting a custom-built fuel tank underneath the deck, Deuce style. Ryan Rivers, at Hollywood Hot Rods, where the Model T is being built, came up with a way to make the idea work.
Ryan started with cardboard cutouts of the parts he needed to build, which included the tank itself, a pair of sheetmetal end pieces resembling frame horn covers, and sheetmetal panels to blend the rear fenders to the tank assembly.
There was quite a bit of sheetmetal skill involved, not only in designing and fabricating the various pieces needed, but also in fitting each piece through a series of unrelated dimensions and curves.
The T coupe's flat top made it easy to work on this project; instead of putting the body on a lift, Ryan flipped it on its lid. Access to the underside of the deck was simple, but the installation was done upside down. Flip the magazine around if it makes some of the photos easier to understand, but remember to flip it again when you're done.
The end result blends together really well, looks like it belongs (even more so after it gets a little paint on it), and adds a distinct element to an already unusual hot rod.
Before building the tank,...
Before building the tank, Ryan started the job by fabricating a pair of faux frame horn covers (there are no actual rear frame horns to cover) to bookend the tank and spreader bar,.....
.....providing a more finished...
.....providing a more finished look. These three cardboard patterns were used to determine the correct look and fit before cutting any sheetmetal.
Once he was satisfied with...
Once he was satisfied with the look of the piece, he transferred the shapes to 18-gauge steel.
He rolled a bead into the...
He rolled a bead into the long curved piece as well as to the outside end piece (pieces A and C in the previous photos)......
...... of each horn cover,...
...... of each horn cover, and used a planishing hammer to crown the edges of all three pieces.
In addition to adding some...
In addition to adding some style to the pieces, running the sheetmetal through the bead roller and hammer helps when it's time to weld. For one thing, it provides a nice radius. For another, the bead roller stretches the metal a little bit; welding shrinks it back, so pre-stretching it helps to prevent the material from warping.
Once the horn covers were...
Once the horn covers were built, Ryan turned his attention to building the main body of the fuel tank from sheets of 18-gauge cold-rolled steel. The width of the tank was determined by the distance between the horn covers.....
......The upper portion of...
......The upper portion of the tank was run through the bead roller to make the piece look more finished and then rolled into shape by hand. The bead also matches the lines of the body.
The lower portion of the tank...
The lower portion of the tank was bent on a sheetmetal brake. Notice the 90-degree flanges built into both ends of the lower piece-and the 180-degree returns on the ends of the top piece (arrows), which bend around the flanges to connect the two pieces. We'll come back to that soon. The open ends of the tank were used as templates for the left and right tank ends that will close it up.
The Pullmax machine was used...
The Pullmax machine was used to put some crown into the....
.....sheetmetal pieces that...
.....sheetmetal pieces that will become the ends of the tank.
You're looking at the bottom...
You're looking at the bottom rear portion of the tank. The end pieces have been tack welded in place and Ryan is hammering the 180-degree return over the 90-flange from the bottom piece.