When I took my aluminum fuel tank out, I thought about replacing it with
a plastic tank. I could have bought a Moeller the exact size as mine
from a local company here, Stright Mackay, for 1/2 the cost of the
rebuild I had done to the old tank.
While the new plastic tank was the same size as the old one, it did not
have the five (5) holes in it to accommodate the 5 attachments or did
not have the fittings that the plastic tank would accept. Maybe some of
the old fittings could have been used....the infill connector,
definitely not. And even if the new Moeller tank had fittings, they
probably would not be in the exact position on the top to accept the
hoses.....unless you are going to replace all the hoses....and there you
have another many hours of labor and costs.
Now, here is where the big question comes into play....since I am a DIY
guy, where possible, do I go to the extra effort to make the new plastic
tank fit the 5 holes needed (fuel infill, fuel line to engine, fuel
return line to engine, vent, fuel gauge) or pay more to have the old
tank rebuilt.
I opted to have the bottom cut out of the old tank, a whole new bottom
welded on and at the same time, I had the machine shop cut approx 1 inch
from the depth of the tank to make getting back in through the lazarette
easy.....getting it out because of the fill hose nozzle was a problem.
If the old bottom lasted 33 years before leaking, the new tank bottom
should see me out and become someone elses problem some day.
Rob Abbott
AZURA
C&C 32 - #227
Halifax, N.S.
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