C1 gas tank resto

[Joe R.]

Would like to (once more) tap on the extensive experience out there.

I'm restoring a 54 and have decided to restore the gas tank. Pulled it out tonight and found it to be in need of some cleaning up.

The outside looks like it just has some road dirt. Easy fix. The inside looks like it has some dirt, deposits, and some mild corrosion.

Question is how to clean up the inside of the tank?

Joe

[Wayne P.]

Re: C1 gas tank resto

Take it to a radiator shop and they will boil it out.

[Russ U.]

Re: C1 gas tank resto

Boiling the tank at a radiator shop is one option. You might consider other options depending on the consition of your tank.

Nobody makes a reproduction tank for a 54, so you want to keep the one you have in good condition.

There is a patented restoration process ("gas tank renu") offered at a number of outlets - you can fnd them on with an internet search. I think the results have been mixed. You might try a search on the NCRS archives for "renu".

I took my 54 gas tank to a guy who restores a lot of gas tanks in Northern Califronia. My 54 tank might have been the cheapest tank in his shop. He doesn't use the renu process however. I don't recall the exact process, but he cleaned and relined the tank. The tank came out looking and working great. You lose the galvanized zinc coating look of the tank however when you do this. I had to paint the tank (you can find a spray on galvanized zinc coating-like paint at several places, including corvette central).

Hope this helps.

Russ

[Christopher R.]

Re: C1 gas tank resto

Eastwood sells a kit for this. About $50. Locally buy some more chemicals for about $25. You'll get quite an upper body workout. You need to pour the chemicals in, and then slosh them around in order to get uniform coverage. Worked great for me, and others, I've heard. Also heard it didn't work for some. The kit cleans; prepares; and, then coats the inside of the tank. You can try long brushes, lengths of chain, and pea gravel too. The Eastwood coating is a whitish stuff that seals pinhole leaks and seals out any remaining crud on the tank walls.

However, if your tank has pinhole leaks, you've got dangerously thin metal. I wouldn't drive around with a fragile tank. A gas tank is a safety issue.

If you do the Eastwood kit, you'll have about 3-4 gallons of hazardous waste to dispose of. Lacquer thinner, old gasoline, and muriatic acid. Call your town to see how to handle that.