1959 DeVille gas tank question

[Daryl Chesterman]

On the 1959 Cadillac DeVille, is there some kind of cushion/spacer on the top of the tank.  I ask this because I had to replace the hose that connects the fill spout to the gas tank, and the two do not line up properly.  It appears the tank is too high.  In the 1956-1961 master parts list, it does not list anything associated with the gas tank, that could space the tank in a lower position.  I have not had the tank out of the car, but it looks like a previous owner has maybe replaced the gas tank.  It may be that a replacement tank is not the same dimensions as OEM? Does anyone have pictures of what the area above the tank looks like? For those of you who have removed your gas tank, do you have any ideas for spacing the tank down about 3/8 of an inch, mainly in the back end? 

Thanks for any help you can provide!
Daryl Chesterman

[59-in-pieces]

Daryl,

You should join the CLC and post with pride your member number and general geographic location.

However, there is no spacer above and between the gas tank and the bottom of the trunk floor, against which the tank is secured.

Have you made sure that the air gap horseshoe metal tube is properly supported from the rear of the tank to the floor pan with a bracket, clip, and screw.
You should also replace that smaller rubber hose to assure no leaks - 2 Corbin clamps.

Here is a photo of the bottom of an OEM tank showing the anti-squeak tape which goes on both sides and between the hanger straps and the tank itself, along withe the air gap tube and rubber hoses, front and back, with the proper tower clamps for the filler hose.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[Daryl Chesterman]

Thank you for your reply, Steve!  Unfortunately, I do not own the Deville that I am working on.  I am a retired farmer who is trying to help a widow get her car running.  This 59 Deville was her husband's, and hasn't run for 5 years.  He, and the previous owner, did some work on the car, but much of it was not done correctly and there is much left to do on it.  I am left to pick up the pieces. It is not a show car, but I would like for the work that I do, to be done properly.

Thank you for the picture.  I don't recall seeing a bracket supporting the vent tube, but will look again.  I may have to drop the tank and see if the top of the tank is dented in and causing the misalignment of the filler tube and the inlet to the tank.  If I slack off the J bolts on the support straps, the back of the tank will drop down and align with the inlet tube of the tank, but that leaves the tank a bit insecure if I leave it that way.

I have always been a GM man, and could only admire the Cadillacs, as they were way out of my price range!!!  Since I am not the owner of a Cadillac, I probably will not become a CLC member.  I live in Royal City, Washington which is in eastern Washington State, in the heart of the Columbia River Project--a very diversified agricultural growing area.

There is a wealth of information on this website, and I am thankful that there are so many on here that are willing to share their experience, and knowledge, to help those of us who need it!  I am amazed that vintage
Cadillacs are scattered all over the world!

Daryl Chesterman

[59-in-pieces]

Daryl,
I have attached several pics to help solve the gas tank problem.

Once you have the tank securely in place, the filler pipe by itself can be mounted to the rear trunk sheet metal.  see the tab and mounting location pic.
The tab on the filler pipe may also be bent into position to better align it with the filler hose.
The existing rubber hose - neoprene - can be put along side the filler opening in the tank and the part of the filler pipe that goes into the hose.
Judge based upon the OEM pipe pic - non-rusted area - the length of the pipe that goes into the hose.
If there is excess, cut it off as the original hose may have leaked in the past and another, this, hose replaced it, but not cut to a proper length.

There is a pic showing the tab which holds the top of the loop of the anti-vapor lock tube to the rear of the vertical floor pan sheet metal.
This tab can also be bent into position once the horseshoe pipe has been fit into the hose - neoprene.

Make sure you secure the anti-vapor lock tube in the hose with 2 Corbin clamps, and the filler hose to the tank and filler tube with 2 Tower clamps.

Have fun,
Steve B.

[Daryl Chesterman]

Steve, thank you for the additional pictures.  The problem I have is that when the tank retaining straps are tighten up, then the tank inlet tube/hose does not line up with the hole in the car frame where the hose must pass through.  The fill tube lines up perfectly in the  center of the frame hole.  I haven't had time to revisit the problem the last few days, but will soon.  I am going to drop the tank down and look at the top of it to see if it has the rubber straps in the grooves on top.  If there are none, do you have any suggestions for what could be used?  For the straps on the bottom of the tank, very thin pieces of rubber were used (looks like it was cut out of a bicycle inner tube).  I need for the back end of the tank to be dropped down about 1/4 inch for proper alignment with the frame hole/filler tube.

Thanks for your help!
Daryl C.

[INTMD8]

How do the body mounts look?

[BlackCads]

Daryl
I replaced the tank on a 1963 convertible many years ago. When I removed the original tank there was some kind of rubber mat between the top of the tank and the trunk floor. The mat was severely rotted and could not be saved. I went to a hardware store and bought a new rubber floor mat, cut it to size and installed it when I installed the replacement tank. Everything lined up and the mat cushions the tank against the trunk floor to prevent rattles and squeaks. I wasn't very fussy about the mat since it could not be seen. In addition to floor mats, truck mud flaps can be a useful source for rubber.
Good luck with your restoration.

[paulkersey]

Just did this and you reminded me I forgot to take a picture of the trunk floor. 1960 Fleetwood
in one pic you can see 1 of 2 body rails that the two gas tank channels need to slide up in. I had felt tabs probably(?) stock across these channels to give the drop you need

I replaced them with 4 random peel and stick around 1/4"rubber seal across the channels. fit.so far so good. untested.

I put in all ethanol resistant hose. Took awhile to find it all.

check part 64-37970 at macs. $15.49  https://www.macsautoparts.com/ It needs cut to fit but it is nice stuff. I never found a good Caddy part for this. Let me know how its going.

[Daryl Chesterman]

Thanks for all of the replies from everyone!  Jim, I have not looked at the body mounts, but I will.  That could be the problem, as I only need about 1/4 inch to get my alignment correct.  Thank you Paul, for the information and pictures about what you used and the part number at Mac's.  Thank you Mr. Feininger, for your suggestions.  I do have access to some conveyor belting, and might be able to cut some strips of that, if I determine that is what is needed.  Maybe, next week, I can get back to the project.  I will report on what I did to reconcile the misalignment.  Maybe I can post some pictures, if I can figure out how to post them!!

[59-in-pieces]

Daryl,
OK, I love a challenge.
The tolerances you note - 1/4" or 3/8" - should not interfere with where the filler hose can't go through the opening in the frame - the opening in the frame is far larger, and would not interfere with the hose, see pic.

I do not recall the dimensions of the OEM gas tank, but if you Google an after market tank, they may give you the dimensions, and you can compare them to what is in the car now.

The anti-squeak straps are placed on the bottom of the tank - Not the top.
Placing anything above the tank between the trunk floor would not be an OEM installation.
The hanger straps then press up against the ant-squeak rubber strips to hold the tank tightly against the underside of the trunk floor.

There is another thing you should check, and that is that the back ends of the straps - the end with the "U" bend, are fully/firmly inserted into the slots in the sheet metal behind the tank - in the air gap tube area, see pics, fully inserted = correctly & NOT fully inserted = incorrectly.

Have fun,
Steve B.

PS
I wrote this response earlier this afternoon, but got distracted and forgot to push post until bedtime.

[paulkersey]

Daryl,
OK, I love a challenge.
The tolerances you note - 1/4" or 3/8" - should not interfere with where the filler hose can't go through the opening in the frame - the opening in the frame is far larger, and would not interfere with the hose, see pic.

I do not recall the dimensions of the OEM gas tank, but if you Google an after market tank, they may give you the dimensions, and you can compare them to what is in the car now.

The anti-squeak straps are placed on the bottom of the tank - Not the top.
Placing anything above the tank between the trunk floor would not be an OEM installation.
The hanger straps then press up against the ant-squeak rubber strips to hold the tank tightly against the underside of the trunk floor.

There is another thing you should check, and that is that the back ends of the straps - the end with the "U" bend, are fully/firmly inserted into the slots in the sheet metal behind the tank - in the air gap tube area, see pics, fully inserted = correctly & NOT fully inserted = incorrectly.

Have fun,
Steve B.

PS
I wrote this response earlier this afternoon, but got distracted and forgot to push post until bedtime.

Steve,
Some one else here told me they had some 2" felt squares on tank top of an orig 61 or 62 or 63.

My 60 was pretty orig. I would love a definite on the lack of OEM tank top pads and appreciate your input.

[59-in-pieces]

Paul or J ?,
I can't speak to any thing other than the 59 for sure and the 60 as its twin.
61, 62, or 63 cars, I just don't know how they may differ.

My experience has been that the anti squeak strips have been on the bottom of the tank, between the mounting straps, and if the straps are properly installed and tightened, the tank should not move or squeak.
However, I chose one of the photos which showed an anti squeak strip on one side of the top of the tank with the other side missing, and the existing one showed it had been spliced, which may or may not have been OEM - although I could not confirm the tank to be OEM, but suspect it was not.
Because there is adequate clearance through the rear frame for the filler hose to pass, an additional strip of anti squeak material on the top of the tank should not cause any misalignment problems.

I don't know if that helps, but I would think that unless the felk well extremely thick and or treated in some way, it would have deteriorated very quickly, compared to the rubber anti squeak strips.

Have fun,
Steve B.