71-74 gas tank question

[bugsydog]

I'm being told that the 74 gas tank is different than 71 thru 73...is that true? shouldn't 71-73 gas tanks fit in my 74 charger without any issues?...im not looking to restore back to original....just curious

 

[Bb70charger500]

The tanks are very different and the 74 tank is very very expressive. If you put a 73 tank mount under your trunk floor you can run a 73 tank

 

[bugsydog]

are you referring to the two tank straps?

 

[bugsydog]

what would you be asking for the 73 tank mount?

 

['68 Charger]

1974 B Body trunk floor has a hump on it for the gas tank due to mandated emissions in 1974. I forget what they added on top of the gas tank but it is emission related. Also the gas tank straps are different, the strap bolts are positioned opposite of the 71-73 B Body. Instead of the "J" bolts being at the rear of the tank (closes to rear bumper), for '74 they put the "J" bolts at the front of the tank (by the rear axle). 1974 gas tank straps are also hard to find. People have been known to take 71-73 straps cut the ends off and switch the ends by welding them back on.

So as Bb70charger500 mentioned you can put a '73 tank on your '74. The trunk floor hump will serve no purpose. I'm not sure if the '73 straps will work on your '74 w/o doing mods.

 

[Bb70charger500]

Let me crawl under car and check it out I have the 73 tank straps also

 

[YY1]

I am not 100% certain of this but I think the vent manifold is what is in the 74 hump, instead of a separate part in front of the tank on the 73.

Also, M body gas tank straps are the same as 74. The tank side profile is the same, but the tank is wider!
Not sure if F body is the same or not.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

you can keep the 74 straps and use any tank you want. Per what I understand you are asking about the gas tank itself and not searching the straps

Gas tanks are splitted like this

71/72
73
74

71/73 tanks are same size and shape but diff air vents location. 71/72s got a vapor reservoir attached somewhere into one of the wheel wells so vapor tees are on one side. 73 not, but tees were moved to the front of the tank and lines runs up to the vapor canister located on engine bay. 74s just one tee at the mentioned hump

74s ( the hump is the only phisical difference with earliers )

the price diff is not because the hump itself but the hump contain some lines inside for whatever vapors reason.

 

[terrywalker]

I did a swap about 30 years ago when my gas tank got a hole in it from a piece of metal I hit in the road at night. I used a 73 Charger tank for awhile. If I remember correctly, I cut a piece of dense styrofoam or something to fit into the bulge area of the trunk floor to keep the tank from moving around. It worked but was later changed out after the tank was repaired. The tank straps do mount with the J bolt near shock cross member. The vent lines are different. If you're wanting to stay original, get the 74 gas tank and pad.
Terry
Terry

 

[terrywalker]

I'm being told that the 74 gas tank is different than 71 thru 73...is that true? shouldn't 71-73 gas tanks fit in my 74 charger without any issues?...im not looking to restore back to original....just curious

If you lived closer to Washington state, I'd tell you to come and get a free 74 Charger gas tank from me. I have 2 spares here.

 

[dodge1972]

Correct if I'm wrong but Chrysler used the same tank in 75-79 b bodies. The straps are have j-blots in the front and are separated by 12 inches. The 74 tank will fit in a later model when using dual exhaust. Most all the tanks after 75 were larger with a single exhaust system, but the straps appear to be the same on my 75 Cordoba and my 74 charger.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

yes, but need to consider if single or dual exhaust! new units are made for dual exhaust. Will work on single exhaust the same just will get less gas capacity.

 

[bugsydog]

anybody have a picture of the 73 gas tank mount that would fit into the 74 charger to run 73 gas tank?

 

[Nacho-RT74]

anybody have a picture of the 73 gas tank mount that would fit into the 74 charger to run 73 gas tank?

Nothing to worry! Will fit exactly the same. You won’t notice any difference. From underneath they look and fit the same. Just 74 straps adjust in front side and 73 and lates on rear side. And will get an empty space where the 74 hump fits down the trunk floor

 

[bugsydog]

is the brace a long piece of metal?....I don't have access to my car to look at and possibly have found a parts car but the guy want to see a picture so he knows what he is suppose to be looking at.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

I don't get what you meant

the straps?

but that won't affect on the gas tank fitment.

74 straps changed its adjustment location ( J bolts changed from rear to front of te tank ) because the hump made on these wouldn't allow to make an easy fit of the tank if the 73 straps setup was there. But to you won't affect anything. 74 straps allows any tank to be fitted. And as mentioned, once the gas tank is in place and tight, there is no difference on what's the setup on the car and what it was the original, since both look exactly the same.


pictured is the 71/73 straps set with the J bolt to be attached on the shorter end of the straps ( toward to rear the car ). 74 J bolt is on long end of the straps, toward the front of the car.

 

[Nacho-RT74]

the final shape and fitment of the straps will look the same down the car once everything is inplace. The diff will be where the straps are hooked down car and where the bolts get tightened.

on picture, gas straps attached to the car on red circle will pivot and tank with straps will be pushed up with straps up to the J bolt ready on car.

for "obvious geometrical reasons" the 71/73 straps setup weren't to work with the humped tank and floor trying to pivot the assembly on front becase hump will hit the trunk floor before get it into the space allowed for it. Hence the reason why the straps were changed to be pivoted from rear of the car.

BUT ONCE TANK IS MOUNTED except for the hump, 71/73 gas tank will fit on a 74 and this is no matter what the kind of straps are in there.

 

[bugsydog]

now I understand after seeing the picture...thank you very much

 

[HemiCap]

I'm doing a 6.4 Hemi into a 74 Charger and will need an in tank fuel pump so as I see it the 73 tank would allow room for the lines and pump to go where the hump is, am I correct in this thought?