Hello,
Just wanted to pass a little tidbit along to any of you looking to replace your original gas tank. This past summer, I had my car in the shop to have some work done. The mechanic installed another fuel filter and stated that the original gas tank should go as they get rusty. I did a little research and drew the conclusion that everyone who drives 60 year old cars like us is living on borrowed time if they still have the original tank. I placed an order- $250 later I had a nice shiny new tank, mounting kit and sending unit.
I then went to work draining seven gallons of gas into a clean, clear plastic tote. I expected to see a some water at the bottom, in addition to a layer of rust and sediment. To my surprise- there wasn't so much as a speck of rust!
Next, I removed the sending unit from the old tank and looked inside with a flashlight. Not a trace of rust or dirt- it looks brand new! I can trace this car's history back to 1959, so it amazes me that after 60 years, 90k mikes and approx. 6000 gallons there was no trace of contamination in the original tank
I am going to install the new tank to give the undercarriage some bling- and because I destroyed the box it was shipped in, but to anyone thinking of installing a new tank- make sure you check inside your old one first- just because it is original does not mean it needs replacement.