New Aluminum Oil Tank, ...finally got photos Options

[IronHillRestorations]

Are you going to post the blueprints and do some DIY pages ?? That would be great idea, but I think I misunderstood something....... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

The point I was making is that I don't know anyone that's going to pay a fabricator and a machinist to prototype a tank for free. I don't know for sure, but I'd guess it would take several weeks to do all the work, and get it right. Would you pay someone to develop something like this, and then give the design away for free? Part of the price of virtually any product is development.

PK (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

...It may be hard for some to understand this, developing a tank like this takes time which equals money. Not everyone is going to go through the trouble of disecting a factory tank, developing the designs for the custom machined internal parts, and then GIVE IT ALL AWAY, or post all the blueprints on the internet and HOW YOU CAN DO IT YOURSELF!

The suggested retail price is around $700. Factory tanks are now over $800.
...

I would post the information but then I'm not as capitalistic as most. I try to write up stuff that I do to my 'toys' and post it to my web site so I can help others. My alternator conversion is a good example. To be fair, I'm in it for the hobby and not to make a living -- that does change things, of course.

With the suggested pricing given you can be sure I would buy the appropriate gas and put my MIG welder to use! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[IronHillRestorations]

As long as you get the later tanks from V with the baffle in it, you should be fine. Yes, it is pretty heavy, but aslo pretty sturdy.

Yea, and if it leaks you are going to spend money on shipping, and then wait for that %#@** to make it right.

The last time I ordered four tanks, and paid for them up front. I got one after about three weeks, another about six months later, and after fourteen months of calling him every three weeks or so, and getting continually lied to, as well as threatening him with legal action, I finally got the other tanks, one of which LEAKED!

I wouldn't deal with that guy even if there was a gun to my head, and I wouldn't suggest doing business with him (even to someone I didn't like).

The last time I spoke with him (and threatened legal action if he didn't send me what I had already paid for) he pissed and moaned about having his bulkhead engine mount ripped off. Well too bad. When you make it difficult for people to conduct business with you, or are dishonest, you get what you get.

PK (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[ChrisFoley]

With the suggested pricing given you can be sure I would buy the appropriate gas and put my MIG welder to use!

Your money would be better spent buying the oil tank!
Trust me on this one. Unless you have experience fabricating and welding aluminum, it's just not worth the trouble. BTW, Mig is not a good choice for this sort of work IMPO.
(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

I have some experince welding aluminum besides I like learning stuff and it doesn't look that difficult. And if I decide I can't do I'm not above having an expert take over but at least I tried and learned. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[IronHillRestorations]

it doesn't look that difficult

I'm not trying to insult, but you aren't going just "buy the appropriate gas" and start aluminum welding.

Have you ever tried welding aluminum with with a MIG? First of all you really need a high quality MIG welder, and a spool gun. Unless you've paid a couple grand for your MIG, you are mistaken. But don't listen to me, go get a spool of aluminum wire and some pure argon, and see what happens.

These tanks aren't MIG welded. Anyone with welding skills and experience knows that.

Then there is the issue of design, and the requisite machine work. This isn't something that someone just stitched together and threw it out there to see who would buy it. There are critical sub assemblies to the oil tank (factory or this one) that have to be manufactured well before you grab your trusty MIG and start squirting aluminum around.

Lastly, and this is my own .02. I've built a few six conversions, and from my experience the $200 (between this tank and the other aluminum conversion tank) is not going to be the "make or break" difference in putting together a six cylinder conversion. $200 is a spit on the griddle, especially if you are trying to do a class job. I don't know anyone that's built one for less than $10,000. The oil system is a critical component of any quality conversion. I mean, we are talking about an engine that would cost upwards of $5000 to rebuild.

Sure you can get a race tank and hack up the front trunk and everything in between to plumb it up. How many oil tanks are out there that you can fit with all the correct factory components and bolt right into the car, AND add oil capacity?

As far as giving technology away, if you want to do it , that's great. But if you are in the parts business(for the last 20 years) and develop a product like this to sell, you'd be a bonehead to give the design away.

I mean, I don't care if you buy a tank or not, sure I'd like to sell you one, or have you get one from GPR. But when a respected professional fabricator (like Chris Foley) says that it's a fair deal, what's the beef?

[campbellcj]

FWIW I found a NOS factory tank for $400 not that long ago. Cash deal, no shipping or taxes. Scores are still out there if you have a bit of luck and timing.

Again maybe it's just me but I do not see anything compelling to lead me to buy this product at no significant cost savings compared to the factory part...now when the factory tank becomes NLA Any Day Now then we will all be kissing the ground that somebody makes these specialized parts. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

[JWest]

Perry, I wish you would have a little conviction and quit sitting on the fence about this issue! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

[IronHillRestorations]

Perry, I wish you would have a little conviction and quit sitting on the fence about this issue! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif)

Good one James! I feel this way about your stuff too, I just haven't sold any yet.

PK (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[Root_Werks]

Don't get me wrong, I don't know V at all. Just used his tanks a couple of times, but purchased them through dealers. I have never paid more than $400 for one of his tanks. Only having installed and used a few, I probably don't have the history to make proper judgments on the guys work.

On another note, I have heard a couple of people mention cost. Long have I visited this site without sticking my nose into anything, but thought I should start chiming in to let people know converting to a 6 is not hard or that expensive. You single largest purchase will probably be the oil tank.

I still stand by if this tank is $700 (it looks great), then I would buy a factory tank for $800. Although, I wouldn't spend more than $400 on any tank, but that is just me. Sheese! I can remember doing some of my first conversions when you could pick up a factory tank from GPR for $450!

If you can weld mild steel and like to tinker and build things, then you can make most of what you need on your own. A quick six bar is a piece of cake. The 914-6 is also not hard. The throttle linkage is also not hard. All low dollar stuff. Heck, I have numerous plywood jigs for tin, bulkhead and quick 6 bars I have made over the years. Nothing pretty, but I don't think I ever spent more than $100 making the throttle linkage, tin, cross bar or bulkhead mount and oil lines. The only item I have evern spent money on is the tank.

Exhaust you ask? Even easier. Go to ebay and pick up a set of headers for a 911 that someone decided it was not worth the trade off for heat. $50 and $10 in exhsaust pipe will stretch those out.

Cheap, just think cheap. I have even seen two differnt 914-6's with early 911 oil tanks (not bad installs at all). Just use the imagination a little. It will save you thousands.

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

I'm not trying to insult, but you aren't going just "buy the appropriate gas" and start aluminum welding. blah blah blah...

Jeezus fucking Christ, did I hit the right buttons or what? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/blink.gif) If you read past my first sentence and you'll see "To be fair, I'm in it for the hobby and not to make a living -- that does change things, of course", conceding that if a business was the designer/builder then it makes sense to not give it away in one form or another. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif) I also posted another response two down stating I've aluminum welded before. And I don't give a crap if a company TIGs their products instead of MIGs, for the hobbiest and their own projects that they are not selling a MIG is fine. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

Here, have one on me (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer3.gif)

[IronHillRestorations]

did I hit the right buttons or what?

Sorry, OK. I didn't mean to start a big arguement over this, and I didn't mean to hack you off Toby. I was just showing off a new product, that I think is great.

I really don't think it's something that a guy could reproduce in a home shop, but that's just my opinion, it doesn't mean you can't do whatever you want!

The welding reference comes from my own personal experience. I'm a pretty fair welder when it comes to putting together and/or rustoring a 914. Not having a world of experience welding aluminum, I thought that I'd buy some aluminum wire, a bottle of argon, and away I go. Boy was I wrong. All I got was a big birds nest of welding wire in the feed mechanism. After calling around, I find out that you've really got to have a spool gun, or one heck of a good MIG welder to feed aluminum wire through a cable-hose. So I get myself a decent TIG, and think OK here we go. Let me tell you it takes lots of practice to make pretty welds with aluminum. Steel, isn't very hard, and stainless makes very pretty welds, but aluminum is a challenge. Does this mean I'm an expert? Not by any stretch.

The point I was attempting to make is that, for the money, and if you are doing a six conversion; this isn't a bad deal. And, when it comes to fabricating stuff for your conversion, most guys (me included) are probably better off picking an easier component to build. Thats all. I wasn't trying to piss you off, or come off like some sort of freakin' know-it-all. For that matter I try not to piss anyone off!

Again, sorry, if there's any chance you'll be at the Seattle dinner on the 18th (I don't know how far it is for you), the first one's on me OK?

PK (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

ps I checked out your alternator conversion page, and it's great work.

[Jeroen]

Exhaust you ask? Even easier. Go to ebay and pick up a set of headers for a 911 that someone decided it was not worth the trade off for heat. $50 and $10 in exhsaust pipe will stretch those out.

Can you actually use 911 style headers in a 914?
I guessed the way they are shaped you'd run into clearance problems at the firewall

cheers,

Jeroen

[Air_Cooled_Nut]

Sorry, OK. I didn't mean to start a big arguement over this, and I didn't mean to hack you off Toby. I was just showing off a new product, that I think is great...

It's cool. I can understand the passion (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beer.gif)

I won't be able to make the Seattle meet (IMG:style_emoticons/default/sad.gif)

[Root_Werks]

Can you actually use 911 style headers in a 914?

Not really, by the time you turn them around it becomes a mess under the 914 config. You know, that is another miss conception about 914-6's. You don't need actual heater boxes unless you drive in really cold weather. I have put a pipe that makes a very simple/clean "L" shaped bend from the tin down to about the spot the factory heated outlet is. Hook up all the hoses/heater vavles etc. and you have heat. Granted, it will not burn the hair off your toes or melt your sneakers like SSI's will for $1800, but it is certainly warm air and because you don't loop around anything, it actually blows really good. Around here in Seattle most of the days don't really get below the 30's at worst. Works great! My next set I make for like $10, I will post some pictures. they are clean and simple.

[Root_Werks]

OOPS! Sorry, I think I misunderstood. The headers from a 911 you can, the heater boxes from a 911 you cannot.

[maf914]

Everyone got a little excited about welding aluminum, but several members have obviously developed decent skills welding steel for body repairs. Is there any reason this tank could not be made in steel? You still need to understand the internal requirements, but steel may be more realistic for the do-it-yourselfer.

I remember in the past on the bird-board a fellow hammered out a six-tank using sheet metal and I think 911 tank fittings. I don't know how it worked but he did do it.

[Mueller]

Perry, when TIG'n the aluminum (or any type of alumimum welding) did you use different shades for your eye protection??? I've found that for different materials, special shades are needed so that you can see the "puddle" much easier.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

[IronHillRestorations]

did you use different shades for your eye protection?

I'm using an auto darkening hood, to be honest I don't know which shade it is. Good suggestion, thanks Mike!

PK (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cool.gif)

[TimT]

Mike I also haver an auto dimming hood, I adjust the amount of darkening depending on what is being welded...

Tig on alumi have it at about 9.5-10

Mig on steel is at 11 (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)