30 Gallon Stc

Believe you me, I've had my share of unpleasant experiences with the header tank! Can you believe TWO R&Rs in 14 years? I wish there were a state of the art replacement for that tank. BTW, the tank isn't over the engine, it's over your legs! I had a leaky connection on the primer line off the fixture under the header and fuel was dripping on my leg. Not a happy thing. The one good thing, is that you know right away when there is a leak, because you can smell it. But I've seen the header tank removed (illegally) and that was followed by several off-airport landings. It was, basically, the 30-gallon setup with 18 gallons. The owner ended up paying a lot of money to put it back to stock, since there were no 15-gallon tanks to be had, plus they were kind of fed up with the engine problems. I think it has been a long time since those big tanks were made. You have to remove the leading edge ribs, I can't remember how many. You should ask Syd Cohen about a bladder liner, I think he did that for some tank(s) on his 415-D. Of course, that does not open up the space behind the panel.

By removing the header you are removing one of the coupe’s great safety features. Make sure it’s done right - I’ve heard of coupes losing their engine power because of an incorrect pump or incorrect carb jetting. The wings have to be heavily modified. I would think nowadays that mod would cost a fortune. Maybe you can find a plane that already has it and has accumulated some hours so you know it’s done right.