Mechanic Tells Wife to Prep Classic Chevy SS for Gas. Why Is It So Hard to Find the Gas Tank?

A mechanic’s wife has made the relatable admission that she’s still trying to figure out her husband’s classic car. She doesn’t even know where the gas goes.

Heather (@surrealchicshop) says her husband drives a Chevy SS to racing events, but for her, some features remain a mystery—like the location of cup holders or even the gas cap.

In one clip, she reveals that she finally discovered where the gas tank is—and it’s not where most people would expect. As of this writing, the video has racked up more than 265,600 views.

Where Was the Gas Tank?

The big question in her video is simple: Where’s the gas tank door on a classic car? Heather admits she spent a long time “trying to figure out where the [expletive] gas pump is at to put gas in here,” and invites viewers to guess its location. She offers a hint: it wasn’t on either side of the car, and it wasn’t in the front.

The answer was tucked in an unusual spot. Pulling down the back license plate, she explains that people suggested it might be underneath. Sure enough, when she lifts the plate, the gas tank appears.

“Voila,” Heather says.

Her struggles didn’t end there—the back license plate is spring-loaded, and she jokes that she isn’t sure how to keep it down. Still, she emphasizes that the car, quirks and all, is “her husband’s baby.”

Why Is It So Hard to Find the Gas Tank?

Tracking down the gas tank on a classic car can be unexpectedly tricky. Unlike modern cars, where the filler is always easy to spot, classic vehicles often hide it in unusual places. Designers and engineers made those choices for all sorts of reasons—safety, style, or just practicality—so the fuel cap could be tucked on the side, at the back, or cleverly concealed out of sight.

According to Stonewall Insurance Group, some European classics hid the cap under the trunk lid to keep the car’s lines clean. Others, like Heather’s Chevy SS, placed the tank behind the back license plate, a trick that gave the exterior a smooth, uncluttered look. American cars’ tanks are often put near the rear axle. Some tanks are even hidden within the rear fender behind a small panel or door, allowing easy access to the gas tank while preserving the vehicle’s classic look.

The mix of safety considerations, aesthetic choices, and engineering quirks means there’s no universal rule for where a gas tank is located on a classic car. For someone used to modern vehicles, like Heather, a trip to the pump can turn into a mystery.

As Heather’s viral video shows, even experienced drivers or car owners can spend time guessing and checking, especially when the filler is hidden in an unusual spot.

Gallery: Chevy SSR Returns To Pace The Field In NASCAR

Viewers Marvel at Classic Chevy SS

People who watched Heather’s video couldn’t get past how stunning her husband’s car looks, even if locating the gas tank proved tricky.

“Lol, great spot,” one TikTok user remarked. “Love the car, too.”

Another asked about the car’s year, adding, “What year is the car, cuz it’s my dream car.”

A third wrote, “What a beautiful car,” while a fourth chimed in, “Very nice car!!”

Some commenters flagged the potential hazards of having the gas tank tucked in the rear.

“Imagine if you forgot to close the plate and the police pull you over,” one woman said.

Another noted, “Fun fact, they stopped putting it behind the plate like that because of the risk of getting rear-ended and a fire starting and something happening to the gas tank.”

Others reassured Heather that the spring-loaded back license plate isn’t a problem.

“The fuel nozzle will hold down the license plate,” one viewer said.

Another added, “Beside the license plate where the spring is, there’s a place for the gas cap to hold it open.”

“The gas cap wedges the plate down,” a third commented.

Motor1 has reached out to Heather via a TikTok direct message. We’ll update this if she responds.