Re: 1962 Gas Tank replacement / restoration

[Mike E.]

Ed-
I've had the sam e issue, and I also was told that they had never heard any sort of complaints. (This was the second time I had made contact with them over a two-year period with two different 62's).
I had success in banging down the corners on each rear corner so it fit under the lip--also bent the lip where the two halves are welded together in the area where the straps contact the tank in the front. What originally was impossible to fit went in very nicely, and I didn't even have to use longer bolts to start with.
I finally compared the new one with the original, and massaged the new to be exactly what the old was in those key spots.

[John H.]

Re: 1962 Gas Tank replacement / restoration

Mike -

I did exactly the same thing to the Quanta tank I installed in my '57 when I restored it, and had no problems at all. The original factory-installed tanks had the flanges pre-bent locally for body and strap clearance, but those details (which were not in the stamping dies) don't appear on the reproduction tanks - you have to create them. The seam between the upper and lower halves of the tank was roller-welded together, and that process requires a straight, flat match of the flanges; the localized bending of the flanges was performed after the tanks exited the roller-welding station.

[Ed Wagner]

Re: 1962 Gas Tank replacement / restoration

Mike and John,

Last week, a Quanta representative told me that the company has heard about more and more problems with the tank fit and that this was unaccepatable to Quanta. They are investigating.

On Friday, Corvette America had FedEx pick up my tank for return so they could see what is going on.

John's comment about locally bending the flanges may partially explain the poor fit of these tanks, but I noticed a more important difference between my original tank and the reproduction which, I think, is more responsible for the poor fit.

The welding seam on the original tank is right against the body of the tank all the way around while the reproduction tank seam is right in the middle of the seam, and farther out toward the edge at the corners. As a result, the corners on the original tank are bent up closer to the body than on the reproduction, and the seams, front and back where the straps are located, are bent more.

I think the Canadian manufacturer did an excellent job overall on the tank, but goofed on the welding process, and that error has prevented the factory from bending the corners and seams enough for a proper fit every time. They bent them up to the welding seam only, and that isn't enough. I don't feel the customer should have to take a large hammer to the tank, and install it multiple times until it fits correctly. I don't see how some folks have managed to bend the seams and edges more, beyond the weld, without damaging the weld and possibly causing a stress crack that could leak.

I'm sorry the tank had to go back because repairing my original tank by the RENU process will cost more, with 2 way shipping, and holes will be drilled in the tank to sand/glass bead out the rust, and then welded over but not ground down. The gas tank sealer will be baked on.

I'm glad Quanta and Corvette America are finally taking a serious look at this problem. I hope some good will come from this for everyone, and maybe I'll still have a repro tank in my '62, one that I won't have to hassle with to get in it properly.