Saddle Tanks - New info? Maybe??

[dbarker]

In the course of restoring my 68 for the last decade - the fuel tank selector valve got lost in the shuffle somewhere.

I'd kinda like to keep it - so I started looking for a replacement. Ebay turned up bronco tank valves, but not the saddle tank 3 way valve we have.

Then this popped up:


Naturally, i wanted to know more about this provider - all our saddle tanks were dealer add-ons after all - maybe this is the original source!
However, it's hard to read the face plate - but i did find this while on the Googles. In multiple years of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics these adds show up:




Note that the name changes between them... i think the first is from 72 - but the later one is from 77ish? i can't recall but theres dozens of scanned Pop mechanics pages available that can be located. Just search Waco pickup tanks popular mechanics and there they are.

I'm not sure this valve will fit the bolt holes I have, it's on the way though. The handle of the valve matches mine exactly, but i didnt not have a face plate. My tanks were the metal ones, these seem to indicate a later era with the poly tanks.

Another piece to the puzzle perhaps, or just a curious artifact from days gone by. Hopefully this helps shed some light on the kits we had available once upon a time.

EDIT:// theres also a current manufacture MAIN/AUX/OFF style valve on ebay for anyone needing them... LINK TO ONE HERE https://www.ebay.com/itm/FUEL-TANK-SELE ... 1998974470

And heres a brand new manufacture 4-way valve - main, and 2 aux tanks. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Anderson-200-S ... 4120277803

Both of these use the exact same handle as the originals did. So if you need a new valve and want the right look - this might be an option.

[farmallmta]

Great information! Thanks for sharing that with everybody. My '69 F250 has the factory cab tank, and the dealer installed dual saddle tanks that were an available option. It has the 3-way valve you show here mounted on the driver's side of the floorboard, just slightly to the side of the bench seat.

The saddle tank filler necks are located under the bed just ahead of the rear tires. I have to fill the passenger side tank on it's own, pulling over to another pump because hose reach from the fill up of the two driver's side tanks never seems to happen. Since the dealer tanks never had a gauge provision, I always run on the passenger side tank first, then when the hiccup happens, switch to the main tank quickly until the engine smooths out, then on to the left saddle tank. After that tank runs dry, I switch to the factory tank and use the gauge to let me know when to refill.

Total fill up takes 54 gallons!