23 replies to this topic

[LXCHEV]

I'm trying to source some fuel tank strap rubber to suit VR 5litre Commodore. Tank straps seem to be ~ 55mm wide.

 

Posted on the Commo forums with surprisingly no luck. Yes, I could just go to Clark Rubber and use plain old flat rubber, but I'd really like to use the shaped rubber that wraps around the straps... I'm surprised as I figure they made 600 billion Commodores, I thought this size would be super common in the aftermarket. 

 

This is what my research has uncovered thus far:

 

 Resto Country tank strap rubber.JPG   87.79K   3 downloads

 

 SCTEG tank strap rubber.JPG   126.01K   5 downloads

 

 Brierley tank strap rubber.JPG   119K   5 downloads

 

Any leads appreciated.

[Shiney005]

The 52mm won't stretch over?

[LXCHEV]

I might have to find out!

[yel327]

I might still have a pair of VN V8 straps with rubber left on them to measure and see what they shrink to when off the straps, will look Sunday if I remember, tomorrow is going to be too hot to go shed mining. Pretty sure I threw the tank away last clean out but sure the straps are there somewhere.

[LXCHEV]

Awesome - that’d be great. Whenever you find the time - if you could measure both the strap width (who knows if VN is same as VR / VS?), and then the inside of the rubber, would be super handy.

[Mort]

Have you checked Clark Rubber, I'm pretty sure that's where I got mine.

[yel327]

I can't find the rubbers, might have turfed them still stuck to the tank. I found the straps though and they are 55mm across the folded-up edges. 58mm at the end where they aren't folded.

[LXCHEV]

Cheers for checking, at least we’ve confirmed 55mm is the common Commodore size. Again, I’m surprised the aftermarket isn’t catering to this crowd.

Had a look at Clark Rubber this morning - nothing other than flat rubber.

The 52mm stuff might be worth a try.

[yel327]

I’d try the 63mm too

[LXCHEV]

Spoke to Brierley this morning. They only sell the 40mm and 50mm stuff by the metre. Any other size is a 50m roll minimum order!! Yikes, I'm not going down that path.

 

Looking like Clark Rubber, flat rubber at this stage.

[gtrboyy]

Thought the go with flat clark rubber was bit of superglue to hold rubber on tank strap then it looks pretty much same as factory.

 

Ive got factory items for the sle & cant get them back on tank strap so thinking same as you.

[UCSLE]

cut the 52mm stuff down the centre and glue it ? not the best but will look stock 

[LXCHEV]

Ok, decided to go with the Clark Rubber solution.... super simple but this looks quite promising...

 

Starting point: flat rubber at 75mm width x 1.5mm thickness. Nice and cheap, under $10 per metre, so I'm already liking it.

 

 01b.jpg   109.15K   3 downloads

 

The recesses in the tank where the straps go, measure at 64mm, so I cut the rubber down to 64mm width and they sit in there beautifully. This should negate the need for glue as I hope the straps will just hold them snug and hopefully they don't shift sideways.

 

 02b.jpg   119.51K   1 downloads

 

Because I've had my straps powder-coated black, you don't actually even notice the rubber.... so I'm not going to lose any sleep over the lack of folded edges on the rubbers...

 

 03b.jpg   119.15K   0 downloads

 

Pretty tidy look really..... let's hope it all bolts up to the car nicely.

 

 04b.jpg   73.61K   0 downloads

 

 

[Shiney005]

I just pulled the drop tank out of my car. It has had flat rubber under the stainless straps for the last 27 years or so. It is a 130 litre tank, and even with that much weight it never moved.

 

 IMG_7551.jpg   220.62K   2 downloads

[gtrboyy]

Rares just released new fuel tanks basically everything for rear of commodores...fuel sender units not far away.

 

Just had my vh sle tank modified so wont be getting new tank for that but hoping price will go down in time for new tanks...

[LXCHEV]

Very interesting indeed. Just had a quick look at their website and the tanks look good. I note the current offering is non-IRS only. But they’re doing both standard and long range. $1390 for the long range. Looks like straps are also being produced. I picked up their fuel tank emission hose kit recently but yet to install it. Once the senders are released this is great news for the Commodore community. I’m about $500 into the restoration of my current tank/sender, so still doing ok, but new would be tempting if I was starting from scratch.

[claysummers]

I’ve seen a feller asking $1200 for “refurbished” ones on gumtree recently, so price seems good. But then the must@ng tanks everyone is using in FE EK now are only $200.


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[gtrboyy]

I'll probably buy small tank version for vk brock replica as vk efi tank is pitted badly not worth effort to repair.

 

Big tank would be tempting for tubbed sle but already had tank scalloped for big tyre & it was spotless inside.

[LXCHEV]

Just for completeness, I finally got all this back together.

 

Ended up gluing the rubber onto the straps first. End results once installed in the car was far from perfect, but good enough (the rubber squished out of shape at one bend). When I pulled this car apart there was no rubber at all, so this model might not have had it. It's still serving a purpose though (ie not scratching my paint). I also reinstalled the factory Calais plastic bash/protection plate - ugly, but factory cool/period correct.

 

 Tank1.jpg   151.5K   1 downloads

 

 Tank2.jpg   148.23K   3 downloads

 

 Tank3.jpg   118.46K   2 downloads

 

 Tank4.jpg   132.34K   2 downloads

 

[gtrboyy]

Tried to put modified tank back into tubbed sle...for some weird reason factory rubber straps shrunk & no longer fit even after leaving them in the sun...grrr

[Shiney005]

Get some conduit around that wiring Brett. 

[LXCHEV]

Thanks Laurie - let me add that to my list for this old girl!

[gtrboyy]

What is wiring for?

 

Been ages since had one but remember wiring went through floor & inside drivers side of car for f/pump etc

[LXCHEV]

Yeah all the factory wiring is nicely tucked away. The wiring seen in my photos will be for the gas tank in the boot. Long term I plan to remove the entire LPG system, but just trying to get it up and running first.