Hello.

I've been revisiting the mounting of the Ruby tank on the back of this ARQ-based special. The tank is held on with 4 bolts but it occurred to me that perhaps it would be subject to stresses when the chassis twists. How is it meant to be hung, how do other people hang them and have they ever been known to break?

Many thanks

Rob, near Cardiff

Tried posting this for several days but kept being accused by the laptop of being a Spammer!

Location: Cardiff

I seem to recall that Ruby fuel tanks are held on to the chassis extensions by two rubber bushed bolts at each end. I would suggest that any similar system will work okay. Many cars have fuel tanks held on by thin steel straps and some makes have a reputation for the fuel tank falling into the road when the straps break. Presumably a system using stainless steel straps could be used on a special.

Ruby fuel tanks are held in place by two "U" bolts facing down the way through the holes in the ends of the chassis extensions, then four "top hat" spacers, two (one for each side) lozenge shaped washers with two holes and a rubber washer to match (this goes between the tank brackets and the lozenge washer) and finally four nuts and washers.

I am fairly certain I saw the complete kit being sold new on Tony Bett's stall in the summer.

In the picture below the washers are incorrectly placed above the top hat spacers.

Thanks for the info. In the absence of the Austin designed kit I think it looks like I can get away with a set of rubber spacers between tank and chassis with 4 longer bolts and some nyloc nuts. I now wish I'd pre drilled holes in the boot floor to get to them!

With regards to the fuel gauge sender, does anyone know if it the same as the 12 volt one internally? I had wondered if the 12v / 6v difference was just at the dashboard end. I have a 12v gauge from a Frogeye Sprite.

Thanks

Location: Cardiff

Hi Rob

I don't think the sender will match the frog eye gauge. I used a mini van sender with the Ruby gauge on my special. From memory the van sender had a resistance between 240 and 20 Ohms whilst the Ruby gauge went from 0 to something like 30. Consequently I had to modify the winding of the sender and make the float wire move in the opposite direction and add a resister. Given the heritage of the frog eye and mini van I think your best bet would be to get a mini van sender. You will find the holes in the plate match those on the Ruby.

Howard

Location: Mid Wales

Thanks Howard.
Fortunately I have the Frogeye sender somewhere and I was smart enough to cut a hole in floor for the sender. I'll give it all a try, just in case. I've tried a wooden dipstick but it isn't viable.
Rob

Location: Cardiff

Hi Rob. In the Ruby the use of rubber washers in the mountings, plus the corrosion of subsequent years means the tank may not be very effectively earthed. The tank sender needs an earth return of course. Fortunately there is another earth return provided by the copper petrol pipe running forwards to the pump on the engine block. If you use a different arrangement (e.g. section of flexible petrol pipe) you might need to fix up a separate earth wire to the tank. Hope this may prevent head scratching !

Location: New Forest

I wonder if anyone has come up with a stainless underslung tank design, to order..?

John - THANK YOU for mentioning about the earth return. I have some rubber pipe in the system and my tank is midmounted on wood brackets - thus I must do this immediately to see if that corrects my lack of gauge!

Ruairidh Dunford

Ruby fuel tanks are held in place by two "U" bolts facing down the way through the holes in the ends of the chassis extensions, then four "top hat" spacers, two (one for each side) lozenge shaped washers with two holes and a rubber washer to match (this goes between the tank brackets and the lozenge washer) and finally four nuts and washers.

I am fairly certain I saw the complete kit being sold new on Tony Bett's stall in the summer.

In the picture below the washers are incorrectly placed above the top hat spacers.

Location: Leics

I took the petrol tank off my box recently and snapped one of the U-bolts. For now I have replaced it with a pair of bolts and have been looking for a replacement U-bolt. Does anyone know if the box and Ruby have identically sized U-bolts?
Thanks Richard

Location: Sutton Coldfield