Which Fuel Tank?

[Gary Schulz]

In my sorting of parts to come up all the originals for my '64 S project, I was wondering what the original fuel tank looked like. My car only had a LH tank, but I have three tanks sitting here and I am trying to figure out which is original. One of them has a drain tap in it and two of them don't. Would a drain tap be original in this application or not? I guess I never realized there were different kinds of tanks used... By the way each of them has a completely different looking sender as well. Very confusing. I guess I should have done a better job labeling things 30 years ago!

Thanks

[Gareth Brandt]

In my sorting of parts to come up all the originals for my '64 S project, I was wondering what the original fuel tank looked like. My car only had a LH tank, but I have three tanks sitting here and I am trying to figure out which is original. One of them has a drain tap in it and two of them don't. Would a drain tap be original in this application or not? I guess I never realized there were different kinds of tanks used... By the way each of them has a completely different looking sender as well. Very confusing. I guess I should have done a better job labeling things 30 years ago!

Thanks

Drain tap (pipe) on a 64 S

[dklawson]

A drain tap (completely seized up) was on my '64 when I got it.

[mikep]

In my sorting of parts to come up all the originals for my '64 S project, I was wondering what the original fuel tank looked like. My car only had a LH tank, but I have three tanks sitting here and I am trying to figure out which is original. One of them has a drain tap in it and two of them don't. Would a drain tap be original in this application or not? I guess I never realized there were different kinds of tanks used... By the way each of them has a completely different looking sender as well. Very confusing. I guess I should have done a better job labeling things 30 years ago!

Thanks

Fit the one that doesn't leak!

[Gary Schulz]

The funny thing here in the Chicago area, when I was in the process of acquiring all these parts and stashing them away for the future, many of the issues we see with tanks being rusty and parts worn out really weren't a problem. I stripped several cars down in the very early 80's and generally they all had pretty low mileage and were on their first time around the block so to speak. Nothing was restored because the cars were only maybe 15 to 17 years old. The reason I stripped several was their body shells and often times rear subframes were basically dissolved to nothing by the original generation owners driving them in Chicago winters. All three tanks that I am looking at are really pristine inside and out. The only issue I have with any of them is the one with the drain tap has the tap itself all rusted and seized up. Figures! I still wonder about the BMC supply chain. Why is it that all three fuel level sending units are completely different?

Thanks for the advice.

[dklawson]

All three sending units are different? There were the ones used up until mid/late 1964, a transitional sending unit, and then the "modern" ones. I'd love to see pictures of the ones you have.

The original tank on my '64 had the drain but as you describe it was seized and useless. At the time I was putting my car together I was unable to find an early fuel gauge compatible with the sending unit. I ended up getting a later small LH tank with later sending unit and adding a voltage stabilizer to the system. No... it's not original but it works and I can buy replacement parts easier.

[Simon776]

You need to know the build date to determine the correct tank/sender combination - if you want it right.

[AEM]

BMC weren't the only ones who had multipule suppilers of the same item, a friend worked in a Honda M/C dealers many years ago and he told me that in order to get the right points for some bikes needed to see the set removed from the bike as there were several alternatives for bikes manufactured at the same time, not so bad if it was in the workshop at the time but not so good for the home mechanic!

[Gary Schulz]

I now have my Heritage Certificate. It says my car was a Cooper S, RHD, Home Market car, Almond Green & OEW, built on 29 June 1964 despatched to Bournemouth Imperial Motors Ltd, Bournemouth, Hampshire.

Does that equate to a specific tank and sender style?

[dklawson]

As it happens, my -S was built the next day, June 30, 1964. Mine was exported to Switzerland. It also is almond green with OEW roof.

When I received my car it came with an early tank with the bolt-on sender. The resistance range was from something like 10 Ohms = empty to about 90 Ohms = full. (The resistance values are nominal. Don't get upset if your values are not an exact match to mine). The gauge used with that would be the early type with the skinny needle that can bounce around and jumps to whatever the fuel level is as soon as you turn the key to the run position. If you look at the back of those gauges you will find the normal terminals for connecting wires. One terminal will be marked "B" for the 12V supply, the other will be marked "T" for the sending unit wire. In addition to the terminals you will find two little brass hex nuts on studs passing through slots on the back of the gauge case. I have no idea what serial/model numbers should be on those gauges. Any one of those early gauges that works can be calibrated to match the 10-90 Ohm sender.

[CooperTune]

Guess I need to check the build date on my 64 1071 S. Also RHD, almond green with white lid not sure when it got to america. The org. fuel tank was rusted along the lower edge. This is rust though and I have bought another like it to replace. There always seems to be a lot of interest in 64 Cooper S models and the 1071 leads the pack. Steve (CTR)

[Gary Schulz]

Built the next day... That's pretty interesting! Do you know the name of the town in Switzerland? I also have a '65 S that was exported to Solothurn Switzerland. The fuel level sender that was in the tank from the 1964 car had screw terminals and not the push-on connectors. I think it might have still been the original but not completely sure...

What is the FE number for your June 30, 1964 built S?



originally

As it happens, my -S was built the next day, June 30, 1964. Mine was exported to Switzerland. It also is almond green with OEW roof.

When I received my car it came with an early tank with the bolt-on sender. The resistance range was from something like 10 Ohms = empty to about 90 Ohms = full. (The resistance values are nominal. Don't get upset if your values are not an exact match to mine). The gauge used with that would be the early type with the skinny needle that can bounce around and jumps to whatever the fuel level is as soon as you turn the key to the run position. If you look at the back of those gauges you will find the normal terminals for connecting wires. One terminal will be marked "B" for the 12V supply, the other will be marked "T" for the sending unit wire. In addition to the terminals you will find two little brass hex nuts on studs passing through slots on the back of the gauge case. I have no idea what serial/model numbers should be on those gauges. Any one of those early gauges that works can be calibrated to match the 10-90 Ohm sender.

[NickD]

A June 64-built car would certainly have had a sender with stud & nut rather than lucar terminals. The lucar-type senders were introduced with the change to voltage-regulated instruments, at much the same time (September 64) as the change to hydrolastic suspension. Two versions of the stud & nut sender were used - one retained by 6 screws to suit the early tanks, and the other with the lock-ring retainer. The change between these types was at about February 64.

[dklawson]

I am fairly certain that my June 30 '64 car had the original tank when I got it. It had the bolt on sender with studs.

Gary, the Heritage Certificate just says my car was built for export and was sent to Switzerland. I have no idea where. However, the boot lid had some garage/service stickers from Montreux on it. The car's FE number is FE722099.