Gas tank restoration

4

41LINC

Junior Member
Yes , I know it is a '41 Lincoln . but .............
I made it thru this season by just flushing it out.
It does have rust (and baffles) I have since stored the car in a position to
easily drop the tank again.
1) the Tank was "dipped" once in the '80s and sealed with some "red stuff",
which is still evident on the filler pipe and the inside of the tank about 2" up. Obviously this did not hold up.
2) This was my fathers car that I took over upon his death , so I don't know who did the work.
3) I'd like to do it myself,
ANY help??
And Yes I have tried the LZ club website with not much success.
The tank is not rusted thru ; in fact it is PERFECT on the outside
Mike
 
Not sure about the sealer but I have had the older sealers come apart with today's fuels. I am sure some people can help with what to use or not in the future. Check the threads on this subject, you will find a lot of good info.
 
Tanks rust the most when condensation forms on the top and sides and then drips down to rust the very bottom. To store the car for the winter, fill the tank to the top. That leaves a minimal amount of air space in the tank where condensation can form especially during the January thaw.
 
41LINC said:
Yes , I know it is a '41 Lincoln . but .............
I made it thru this season by just flushing it out.
It does have rust (and baffles) I have since stored the car in a position to
easily drop the tank again.
1) the Tank was "dipped" once in the '80s and sealed with some "red stuff",
which is still evident on the filler pipe and the inside of the tank about 2" up. Obviously this did not hold up.
2) This was my fathers car that I took over upon his death , so I don't know who did the work.
3) I'd like to do it myself,
ANY help??
And Yes I have tried the LZ club website with not much success.
The tank is not rusted thru ; in fact it is PERFECT on the outside
Mike
Click to expand...
In my opinion, the best way to properly "restore" this tank is to have it acid dipped. Unfortunately the shops that did this service are becoming scarce. Still, worth locating one.
That old red sealer must come out of there prior to sealing it anew. The new sealer will not stick to the old very long. You do NOT want that sealer flaking off within the tank.
Bill Hirsch sells an aircraft approved sealer that withstands the modern fuels.
I must reiterate: the inside of the tank MUST be CLEAN!!!!
Think of it as applying paint over a greasy fender vs. over a VERY clean fender. Which fender is going to keep a hold on the paint better?

There is a company, Renuizit, that cleans and seals tanks properly. However, the tank (outside) will be coated when they are done. NOT something acceptable for a restored vehicle. If you are simply fixing up a "driver" they may be a good option for you.
 
Remove fuel from tank.
Remove tank from vehicle.
Remove sending unit, pick-up, drain plug.
Wash tank out with water.
Dry inside of tank.
Remove paint from top side of tank.
Scribe or draw a line with a marker about 2 inches from the sides all the way around the top side of the tank.
Cut open top of tank with cut-off wheel follow lines from previous step.
Media blast inside of tank.
Weld top portion of tank (previously removed) back to tank.
Grind down your welds.
Pressure test tank.
Seal tank with Bill Hirsch tank sealer.
Paint outside of tank.
Install tank to vehicle.
Before you hook up the fuel line from the carburator you might want to flush it out with laquer thinner and then use compressed air to blow it out.
Fill with fuel and enjoy the ride!
 
Drew is right, THE best way is to cut the top of the tank open and clean it from there. Any reputable welding shop has cut tanks before and will help you with what to do before bringing them the tank. I'm not a fan of any coatings in the fuel tank, if you keep it full, use NON ethanol fuel (and stabil) (if you cannot find that, Its more expensive but racing fuel or Aviation fuel is ethanol free) and as a earlier poster posted use some marvel mystery every time you fill your car up (a couple few cap full's) not only will it help the gas tank but the motor too.
 
Once a tank begins to leak, the only permanent cure is to replace it. We had a tank restoring place nearby. You could tell what they did by the pile of rejected tanks by the building the they couldn't seal. They folded. When the "tern" coating, a sort of solder, is breached, the tank in ready to toss. The amount of moisture in today's gas eats the metal. It starts with pinholes, usually in the top, and progresses.
 
Sent mine from my 39 Zephyr to Moyer Fuel Tank in Greensburg Pa. They open it up and clean it and coat it inside and out. Maybe not the cheapest option but it's done and I won't have to worry with removing it again.
 
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