[junkyardjohn]

Originally Posted by John Fabris

"I was never happy driving around with a 'bomb' behind my seat "I was just wondering why people say this? I have not heard or seen of any of the old trucks (of which most of them have tanks in cab) blow up or catch fire because of the in-cab tank....Not trying to be an a$$, just wondering why those that do this swap are really doing it for? (I would expect most do it just because)

JOHN FABRIS-- IN 1977 I WAS HIT BROADSIDE AT AN INTERSECTION BY A DRUNK DRIVER (I WAS DOING 55 OR 60) CAUSING ME TO ROLL END OVER END IN MY 72 3/4 TON FORD. AFTER ROLLING ABOUT 80 YARDS, I STOPPED WITH THE TRUCK UPSIDE DOWN WITH MY HEAD PINNED TO THE GROUND. IT STOPPED IN A LITTLE DEPRESSION IN THE GROUND, & EVERYTHING WAS FROZEN(IT WAS DEC. 23rd IN MICHIGAN). THE BEHIND THE SEAT TANK WAS JUST FILLED. IT SPLIT, & ALL OF THE GAS DUMPED OUT OVER ME, & ALMOST DROWED ME IN GASOLINE, AS MY HEAD WAS PINNED TO THE GROUND. I WAS PINNED IN THE WRECKAGE FOR ABOUT 20 MINUTES, I HAD PLENTY OF TIME TO PONDER THE PLACEMENT OF SUCH A FUEL TANK. THE ONLY REASON IT DIDN'T CATCH FIRE WAS MY BATTERY WAS THROWN OUT DURING ONE OF THE ROLLS. LUCKY ME-- I GOT OUT OF IT WITH A BROKEN BACK, 14 BROKEN RIBS, A BROKEN COLLAR BONE & ABOUT 300 STITCHES ON MY MELLON. SO YA .... IT IS KINDA A SAFETY THING. I CONSIDER THESE TANKS A BIG BOMB BEHIND THE SEAT ALSO. THE REASON YOU DON'T HERE ABOUT ALOT OF THE PROBLEMS WITH THEM IS THAT MOST OF THE PEOPLE WHO EXPERIANCED PROBLEMS WITH THEM ARE DEAD. JOHN