Great to see you guys doing a gasser!!! I thought Bixler was an old pro at gas planes. Anyway...it doesn't matter where the fuel tank is located on a gas engine, the gas carb pumps the fuel, glow carbs don't. This gives you freedom to mount a gas fuel tank any where you see fit, typically around the center of gravity. As you may or may not know, glow planes start out nose heavy with a full tank of fuel and will become less nose heavy as the fuel is consumed.
Also, your futaba radio should have an assignable engine kill switch that will totally close the valve in the carb and kill the engine when activated. Alternatively, those old engines will have a ground wire that can be connected to a switch on your plane like your receiver battery switch.
This plane reminds me of a Giant Big Stik I filmed Saturday at my local club with a similar old school engine. Watch how he starts it.