Gas tank, Repair or Replace?

[LocuMob]

Try these guys.....

www.gastanks.com

No dice, gap between '64 and '67. Vans it is.

 

[LocuMob]

After discussing it with my lady, she agrees that a rusted tank is unreliable and a dented tank is undesirable. Unreliable +undesirable=unuseable.
So I'll be ordering a tank and hardware from Vans this week.
Thanks to all who responded.

I'd like to know how it goes, I might need a new tank.

 

[Dsertdog]

I'd like to know how it goes, I might need a new tank.

I'll add the install to my project thread.

 

[Walter Joy]

It all depends on your budget. We dropped the tank on my 71 Polara and after draining 5 gallons of 25 year old gas did we discover one corner was rusted out. So instead of buying a new tank, I went onto Facebook and found a guy with a junkyard in NJ who’d sell me a tank he had. Long story short, met him halfway, paid him way more than what I thought we had agreed on (he had a delivery fee too), got home and discovered the tank was worse than what we had. Since the car was no where near road worthy (and won’t be for at least a year), we took some JB Weld putty and filled the holes and painted the tank. Works great for me being able to drive it around the yard

 

[LocuMob]

got home and discovered the tank was worse than what we had

Always inspect parts, especially if you're meeting in person. Than you could have flipped some Jersey attitude on him, made him pay you for the hassle, and not been in the exact same boat with a different anchor. Not the end of the world, but a lesson in being more critical of used parts you are buying. Most of us have been there and done that, just one of those crappy lessons we learn from. Yard driven is better than not driven.

 

[Walter Joy]

Always inspect parts, especially if you're meeting in person. Than you could have flipped some Jersey attitude on him, made him pay you for the hassle, and not been in the exact same boat with a different anchor. Not the end of the world, but a lesson in being more critical of used parts you are buying. Most of us have been there and done that, just one of those crappy lessons we learn from. Yard driven is better than not driven.

Yeah. When I got my stubframe I had the guy take a video of him walking around and hitting it with a screwdriver. I’ve had a few bad deals with getting parts for the car but that’s life

 

[Dsertdog]

Ugh, that gas tank is hideous!
Thankfully this car is not a yard dog. I drive it on weekends and start it often to run up to temp.

 

[Walter Joy]

Ugh, that gas tank is hideous!
Thankfully this car is not a yard dog. I drive it on weekends and start it often to run up to temp.

Some JB putty and a coat of paint and it looks good enough to hold some gas and let me drive it around.

 

[73Coupe]

Some JB putty and a coat of paint and it looks good enough to hold some gas and let me drive it around.

If you ever intend to take it on the street, get a new tank. Don't screw around. I can only imagine what it looks like on the inside, plus you're pumping rusty gas through the system.

 

[Walter Joy]

If you ever intend to take it on the street, get a new tank. Don't screw around. I can only imagine what it looks like on the inside, plus you're pumping rusty gas through the system.

Trust me, a new tank will be going in when it’s road worthy. My uncle and I pressure blasted and vacuumed as much as we could.

 

[PatinaPolara]

Do I need to use sealer inside the old tank or not?

I pulled tank on 68 Polara, inside has a small amount of what looks like surface rust, but no pin holes. I want to use old tank. I am going to clean out with detergent, then use vinegar soak, but it seems some say need to use gas tank sealer after that.

Any thoughts would help me.

 

[Ripinator]

Do I need to use sealer inside the old tank or not?

I pulled tank on 68 Polara, inside has a small amount of what looks like surface rust, but no pin holes. I want to use old tank. I am going to clean out with detergent, then use vinegar soak, but it seems some say need to use gas tank sealer after that.

Any thoughts would help me.

If you can get away with it, don't use a sealer in that old tank. Unless it is professionally cleaned and boiled out, the sealer won't stick, and will become a huge mess. The cost of doing the professional cleaning will be right up there with the cost of a new tank. . .

 

[68PK21 440.6bbl]

View attachment 280921 View attachment 280922 View attachment 280923 View attachment 280924 View attachment 280925 View attachment 280926 View attachment 280927 It all depends on your budget. We dropped the tank on my 71 Polara and after draining 5 gallons of 25 year old gas did we discover one corner was rusted out. So instead of buying a new tank, I went onto Facebook and found a guy with a junkyard in NJ who’d sell me a tank he had. Long story short, met him halfway, paid him way more than what I thought we had agreed on (he had a delivery fee too), got home and discovered the tank was worse than what we had. Since the car was no where near road worthy (and won’t be for at least a year), we took some JB Weld putty and filled the holes and painted the tank. Works great for me being able to drive it around the yard

Let me guess, did you buy that tank at midnight in a dark alley?

Seriously dealing with a gas tank is not for the timid. I remember here one member cut open his tank at the seam and reconditioned it, two thumbs up on that one!
Then in the recent sending unit post there was a boob video from a Brit about his sending unit problem and views of his fiberglassed/bondo/putty'd up/sealed reconditioned gas tank...Ugggg!

I've welded motorcycle gas tanks, cut them open to bang out dents and clean out rust, body picked dents out, weld cracks etc.
Not for the timid.

.

 

[BigAsAWhale]

I bought spectra tanks for my fury and imperial on amazon prime a few years ago.

 

[CBODY67]

Most of the early gas tank sealers claimed you could do it yourself, BUT the best deal is to find a radiator shop that will clean it out and do the sealer. If the sealer doesn't stick, it'll later show up in clogged fuel filters and fuel lines. There is a "gas tank re-new" outfit that will cut the tank apart, clean everything, and weld it back together. Shipping costs both ways. That optioin is for vehicles for which no new tanks are made anymore, used to be about $500.00+, as I recall. Which makes the $300.00 range for a new tank look a lot better AND you know it's all clean to start with.

Last time I looked, Van's had the best total pricing for new C-body fuel tanks, but do verify that by shopping around.

Just some thoughts,
CBODY67

 

[PatinaPolara]

Thanks for the advice. This is the first car I’m working on in retirement so all’s new to me.
Another friend thought that the old OEM steel is known to be good so clean up and keep was his advice.
Based on earlier posted advice, bought sending unit and grommet from Van’s, so have a bit of time to noodle on.

 

[Walter Joy]

Let me guess, did you buy that tank at midnight in a dark alley?

Seriously dealing with a gas tank is not for the timid. I remember here one member cut open his tank at the seam and reconditioned it, two thumbs up on that one!
Then in the recent sending unit post there was a boob video from a Brit about his sending unit problem and views of his fiberglassed/bondo/putty'd up/sealed reconditioned gas tank...Ugggg!

I've welded motorcycle gas tanks, cut them open to bang out dents and clean out rust, body picked dents out, weld cracks etc.
Not for the timid.

.

I can only look back and laugh about it now. Was an expensive mistake, but I learned from it. The original gas tank had its biggest hole filled with JB Weld and everything got a coat of rustoleum. Been 2 years since and zero issues

 

[Mr C]

If you have a station wagon, you need to pray that your fuel tank is in good shape...I know of no new tanks available for wagons.

 

[tallhair]

Something I’ve done in the past for solid old tanks (before reproductions were a thing) is to put some gravel in and shake the tank so the rocks knock off as much rust as possible then rinse it out and let dry.

change filters until they stop clogging.

 

[1970cat]

you need something to convert the rust in the tank or any water in your fuel will cause the rust to return.