jimmy21669

Ok....so I needed to replace the rear deck in my XJ for a while now. I had already done from the rear seats forward, and sleeved the frame rails with 3x2 angle.

I waited on doing the rear because I had to drop the tank to do it. And, since I had to drop the tank anyways, I decided it needed to move and get the heck out of the way of the rocks....

So...I give you gas tank relocation:

Unfortunately, I did not take a pic of how rusted the floors were....suffice it to say that I did not need to cut much out:







Once we had the floor out, it was time to measure the gas tank and build a frame out of 1x1 3/16" angle:



I left the cross bars in the rear for this step until everything is welded in. Very tight fit between the frame rails, but it DOES just fit.

Once the frame was welded in, time to cut out the cross bars...



Then insert tank:



Yes...those are ratchet straps on top of the tank, i like it that way.

Once the gas tank is back in, you need to rehook all the lines up. I put a 2" hole right in front of the tank and lined the edge with a cut piece uf fuel rubber hose (I falied to take a pic of this step, but will try and post one later).

Next was the fuel filler. I used a piece of sheet metal with a few beads rolled in for rigidity for a bracket and screwed it into the side trim paney and then attached the filler neck:






Next was just to sheet out the rest of the rear:





I then insulated some areas with great stuff, and seem sealed ALL the edges...once complete...today it got some primer:











Next it will get some liner.

Here is what it looks like underneath...all of it has been undercoated. Notice the tank is even with the frame rails...in the future I plan to put 3/16: plate across it to further protect it.






Yeah, the gas tank is dented. That was my motivation.

I will keep this writeup going and show what I did with the lines and how it looks linered in the next step.

I am also going to be building a cargo area box that will protect the tank from the interior and will keep you all posted on that progress as well.

Thanks so far for looking!

Jeepjunky

only part i dont like is the ratchet straps

jimmy21669

Little joke to those in the know...but I WILL be making metal straps for it.

Atmos

I like the red primer. thanks for doing the write up I definitely want to do this down the road great job man.
estimated labor time??
what factors made you decide to put the fill hole in that spot?
and do you have any plans for OBA with a nozzle placed in the stock gas filler location? becasue that would be sick and I wanted to figure out how to do that for mine as well

jimmy21669

Took 11 hours the first day up until seam sealing...I have more time in sealing and primer.

I put the fill hole in that spot because that is where the hose wanted to go...lol, and because I do not want it on the outside.

I am actually eliminating the fuel filler door entirely...the reason shall remain a secret until THAT write-up...lol

Atmos

ok good to know. have you had any annoyances while gassing up yet? such as holding the pump the WHOLE time while filling up.
because that's what it looks you're forced to do
quarter panel guards right?

jimmy21669

No armor YET....but it will be coming. The sheet I used to hold the fuel filler has a few ribs rolled in to strengthen it and it will hold the fuel pump nozzle....it is actually pretty rigid.

I do want to eventually make an all steel to steel bracket for it, but for now this is surprisingly strong.

BTW...I sleeved in the old hole in the unibody where the fuel hoses used to run...forgot to get a pic of that too....never understood a hole through the frame....


It's actually the paint scheme that is making me get rid of the filler door. ;-)

yellaklein

Looking good, i like that...

ProudXjOwner

Great job looks good. Would love to do this but not too much storage space as it is.

N20jeep

Looks good!

By far one of my more favorite mods I've done. I would box it in real soon though. Exposed gas tank in a non-chop xj makes me uneasy

jimmy21669

That IS the plan. Although, it didn't leak before, no need to think it will now....and I would think you would smell gas before it became bad enough to be combustible.

But yes, it is getting boxed for protection. I am still thinking out how to do it. The truck is not on the road yet, so no worries.

jimmy21669

I thought about the safety....then I thought about old Jeeps with the tank under the seat. Old ford trucks with the tank right behind the bench....it is done, even in stock form. But I agree, I don;t want to drip gas inside, and it's a pain to open the hatch to fill up....lol. I am thinking about hinging the "vents" on the top of the c-pillar for now? Put the filler behind it, completely hidden?

adamk

That is one hell of an idea. It would be very easy to hinge those and if you ever choose to move the filler tube, the hole cut in the body would still be hidden.

Grayguy

This may be a little more hardcore than most would like, but here's how I did mine using the stock hinge re-skinned.





When you think about it you can't even see that window from the drivers seat, and obviously based on the dents in it, if I still had a window it'd be blown out anyway haha.

jimmy21669

Yeah...that's how a lot of Jeep speed guys roll...not willing to go that far.