Greetings. I have removed the old fuel tank (pin hole lead that I couldn't repair), and I am waiting on the new fuel tank to arrive. What should I do to the underside of the trunk pan, top of new fuel tank, bottom of new fuel tank to "prep" it for installation? I am tracking getting rubber "anti squeak" straps to place between the metal straps and bottom of the new fuel tank, but is there anything else I should do? The underside of the trunk pan looks good, but I was thinking of cleaning and painting that anyway. Should I consider some type of rubberized undercoat? Thanks in advance. Tim 1970 Buick GS 455
I guess it depends if your car is a driver or show car. First thing, do not waste your $ putting strap insulation on. Despite the fact that 100 vendors will tell you it's NOS or you need it, it was never used on anything GM in the 60's or early 70's that I know of. You don't need it, it looks goofy, it's a waste of $, and if it's a show car you could actually be docked points for it. That freakin' strap insulation is a pet peeve of mine! Gas weighs like 7 lbs a gallon, there will be no squeaking. I WOULD get a gas pad from Patton Glade. It goes on top of the tank. This was used on some cars, it's a really nice repro and cheap (I forget...maybe 22 or 24.00?). I wouldn't put anything on the tank bottom itself. It's galvanized and will stay nice for a long time, at least 10 or 20 years if only driven in the summer. I would think about new straps or painting them ( not black), they are probably as cheap as the insulation. Use a new O ring on the sender, new hoses.Underside of trunk pan is your call. Spray paint at the least, probably.
mrolds69, Thanks for the info. I will see if I can get in touch with Patton Glade and order one of those gas pads. I had to laugh when I read your "pet peeve" line. To answer your question, I have no intention of ever building a "show car"...or at least a "show car" that has a chance of winning anything other than the "average looking daily driver" award. I made note of the fact that when I dropped the old tank, there weren't any squeak proof rubber straps installed. I don't remember ever hearing any noise that could be contributed to the fuel tank scraping/sliding on its metal straps, but I wasn't sure so I figured I would go ahead and get some. Now...I'm doubting the need for those rubber squeak proof straps, especially when they are as much as 25 bucks for a pair. Thanks again.
flynbuick, Thanks for the reply. I will see if I can get in touch with Patton Glade and order the gas pad. When I removed the old tank, I noticed it has some kind of pad on top of it that went between the bottom of the trunk and the top of the tank. I wasn't really sure what it was, but it felt like really think cardboard. I'm not sure I want to put something that absorbs and holds water in between those two surfaces. If the one Patton Glade sells is plastic, that is probably what I'm looking for. Thanks again.
I think his is rubber. It’s what I used on my GSX Resto. Frank is right. What is up with those strap pads? I haven’t never seen them. Over the years I have walked under many double stacked cars in the junkyard and never saw one on a GM car.
If you can, I would re-use your old straps. They're galvanized. The repro straps I bought were crap. Not galvanized and of a thinner gauge. I cleaned up my old ones with some solvent and steel wool. They looked brand new. I try and re-use original parts whenever possible. Just because its new, doesn't make it "better"