It will be much, much, easier if you do - especially if you are lying on your back with the car on jack stands.
Gas tank isn't hard to take out. Disconnect the battery, disconnect the ground wire from the sending unit to the body, unplug the wire from the fuel sending unit to the rear wiring harness, near the filler neck. Disconnect the fuel line from the sending unit line - rubber fuel line hose and a couple of hose clamps. Unbolt the staps and let her down. Car needs to be high enough to get the straps pulled back out of the way. Empty (or near empty gas tank helps as well). I used my floor jack with a 2' x 2' piece of plywood to help balance the tank as I lowered it down.
