Just trying to install some fuel tank straps on my 64 Special. Anybody got any tips for shoehorning the front anchor point of the fuel tank straps into place? I was struggling with these tonight. It appears you have to insert the strap first thru the forward rectangular cutout, then get the end of the stap the feed thru the next rectangular cutout, but I was trying to use screwdrivers as shoe horns but it wasn't working.
Hey man, I can not help your as I have no experience with those years... I can tell you that you should ask this question on the bench as you will get more responses... On my 76 Century I used a floor jack with some 2x4 between that and the tank and I wiggled it ass I jacked it up then bolted the strap down. Sounds like yours is a different setup.
Normally, I install the "U" shaped end of the straps in the brace first and let them hang. Then install the tank. Once the tank is in place, I swing the straps up to the bolt holes by the rear axle and install the bolts. From the sound of it, it seems your doing it in reverse maybe?
Well, on mine there are no bolts near the rear axle. Maybe the early A bodies were different. The forward end of the strap weaves thru 2 rectangular cutouts in the frame/trunk floor, so no fasteners there. Once they are weaved in, you would raise the fuel tank into position, and then swing the strap under the fuel tank and then pass the rear end of the strap over what I call the carriage bolt (it's a threaded stud with a head that slides into a T slot in the extreme rear of the frame/trunk floor such that once you put the strap over the stud and assemble the nut, the fuel tank is secured)
Its been a while and I think I just hooked the end in but needed the car up high to hook them. I then had to buy long bolts because the ones that came were to short to slide in and tighten toward the bumper.
Here's 3 photos of my situation. First is the 2 rectangular openings in the floor. 2nd is the strap end. 3rd is the strap just inserted into the rear slot. 4th is the way I thought it was supposed to weave in thru both openings and seems the most stout/safe. Would you agree? Maybe the other side that I tried first was a little more tweaked and wouldn't go right away so I got 2nd guessing. I think I'm gonna try them weaved thru both like the last photo.
They go in like in your last photo but your straps look severly bent out of shape. They should be hooked at that end where the short bolts goes through. The long bolts go at the forward facin end of the tank. Hope this helps.
