I equate driving a Westy to Flying an Airplane.
I've never been able to hold my blatter for the amount of time it takes
to burn a full tank of fuel out of my Westy. (250 miles x 5 hours @ 17-19
MPG.)
Same goes with flying single engine airplanes, never been able to fly out
both tanks before I had to stop and leak. (520 miles x 4 hours @ 6 gallon
per hour)
If saving ten cents per gallon is your intent, I think you'll need to
calculate $179.00 or more into the times you don't save ten cents and its
more like two to six cents savings by fuel station selection.
There are many sheet metal shops that can build you a larger good
galvanized tank with baffles as long as you give them a pattern or sample
tank to start with, estimated cost $200.00.
My tank is not currently crushed but I'd be careful about adding anything
more to the hang down distance,
Most Westies and Vanagons I see have some crushing of the tank. I can't
say why they are crushed but its there none the less.
I had a Toyota Land Cruiser (1975, ugly tank type jeep kinda) that had a
spare tire and a Jerry can on the back; Thieves, given their choices
always stole the Jerry can and left the tire.
I would consider a long rectangular tank mounted between the frame and
rocker panel to be the most practical but I couldn't guess on the holding
capacity. I understand these are available ready made at an exorbitant
price.

Stan Wilder
83 Air Cooled Westfalia

On Mon, 27 May 2002 08:09:18 -0700 Tromper <evilpig@MINDSPRING.COM>
writes:
> It's special German metal, and they know we're all rich.
>
> Tromper
> 1982 Dieselfant II
> "The Manatee"
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com]On
> Behalf
> Of John Carpenter
> Sent: Sunday, May 26, 2002 7:30 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: oversize gas tank
>
>
> Try these manufacturers @ 1-800-363-8533.
> They can manufacture an oversized tank
> for much less.
> How about a group buy?
> JC...
>
> A replacement gas tank runs about $170 from the vendors, yet the
> Winkler gas
> tank is $759!!!! why in the world does some extra metal cost nearly
> $600
> more??
> Nathan
> >I believe their something like $650.00  US...
> >buy a lot of gas for that...
> >JC...
>

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