Fordson F Fuel Tank Damaged with dents in Carb area

[560Dennis]

I have a dual fuel tank that somebody beat the tar out of by the carb area. How can I best get these dents out? Will the ends of the tank come out so I can hammer dolly them out these dents?

[super6954]

Hi
If that tanks made the same as the e27n one I would not be trying to take the ends out it will just cause more problems . if the tank could be cleaned out good, for fire /explosion risk, I wonder if a body shop with one of those spot weld stud pullers could do it from the outside, and dress out with a little filler to smooth any imperfections , Then this would cause less headaches for you with trying to re seal ends . Been there trying to repair an e27n one. after a day it was in the scrap pile and a used tanks on the tractor .
I wonder if someone put the wrong carb on your tractor . I seem to remember this in the back of my mind from maybe 20 years ago, from an article in a magazine. This happened to make a different carb fit under the tank .
Regards Robert

[560Dennis]

I like the comments Super , I think the idea of not taking the end out . I will try to taking to body shop. I think they did put a different carb on it because is right in that area.

[CalGG]

If you feel you have nothing to loose, This is a methode I have used to bump out dents from the outside. I have NOT done this with a Fordson fuel tank however.
With that, Here goes:

Drain the fuel

then figure out how you will support and manipulate the tank when it is nearly full of WATER

Work out a scheme to stopper the fill cap air tight.
With the fuel tank in position to get at the area to be "de-bashed" ,
Fill the tank as full as you can with water. (fill port upper most is one way, then just put the garden hose to it, capping when filled to that level. 100% fill is not required.

The tank is heavy now so keep your wits about you.

Connect a small hose to the fuel tap and the free end to a low pressure air source. A foot pump works fine.

Put a bit of pressure into the water filled tank. Not a lot, only a few p.s.i. You don't want the tank to burst.

When you can see the tank metal begin to bulge, you are ready.

You have just put a hydraulic dolly into the tank!

Now, using all the skills of the tin banger's art. Tap and bump the creases and surfaces around the dents in efforts to coax out the low spots.

Add "weight" to your hydraulic dolly as you gain confidence and if you dare.

Watch the parts you are not working on for any undesired effects.

My experience is that this method will get you down to creasses and sharp dents. The big stuff will just come right out.

Go slow! Don't make new dents!

[1949E27N]

My fuel tank has a large dented area bashed into it in the same place. When I got the Tractor it had a Stromberg Carb on it which would've hit the fuel tank if not for the dent. I think they put the Stromberg on to get more revs out of the old tractor.
I bashed most of the dent out with a piece of timber through the filler cap hole and then just filled it with body filler to smooth it off.
The dent on mine was right where the inner baffle should be but it is floating around in there loose so look to see if it's still in place.
I ended up picking up a really good straight tank for $50 and putting the other one aside for another project.

Chris

[560Dennis]

Looks to me like you all are right, the carb is not correct. I saw a model F at a show recently. The carb airtube lines up with the air filter tube. What kind my carb is? It does not match like the one I saw at the Show.
I did try to get a body shop fix it. THEY WANTED NOTHING TO DO WITH IT PROJECT.They were afraid to work on it. So I will try one more time. Before I attempt it myself.

[Dandy Dave]

Back 30 or so years ago we use to replace a bad Fordson F carburetor with one from a 1950's Chevy 230 CDI inline 6. It would bolt right on, and with a little modification to the throttle linkage, would work well with no dents in the fuel tank as I remember. It was a down draft design and the air cleaner no longer hooked up. For a "Parade Tractor" no one seemed to mind back then. Dandy Dave!