Another one bites the dust.

[zKars]

As a further demonstration of the advanced rust, the gas tank may be the most glaring example.

Most sad is the rarity of this tank with it's lack of the top/front and far left vent lines associated with the Canadian no-evap equipment. (Yes, UN, no UA, thanks Dan!).

I do not believe this tank to be salvagable. While it does not leak at all at any seam or through any rust perforation, there is nearly 50% loss of surface metal on the outside. The tank contained about 5 litres of incredibly smelly old fuel. 

I did remove the sending unit. O-ring was intact, but the mechanism was totally rust locked.

Inside the belly of the beast.

Here I've ground away the surface rust to expost some remaining bare steel to show just how deep it goes.

Edited November 19, 2017 by zKars

[zKars]

I remembered the other body part that shocked me. The passenger door. While the drivers door was a 72 transplant (along with the  hatch, dash and seats) and was in horrible rust shape, the passenger door was all 70 original, and in remarkably good shape. The bottom has only very minor rust. The drivers side of the car was overall much worse than the passenger side. Must have been half submerged in a slough.

The hood wasn't too bad, but has major crush damage to the nose and a good smattering of rust over all. Roof was horribly dented,  likely elephants and lions spent days sunning themselves up there.

[wheee!]

I wonder if that tank couldn’t be saved with an internal coating and a thick coat of silver por on the outside. The high metal content version. Then a bond coat of primer and a final black coat.

[Patcon]

I hope you are saving the rear struts and the aluminum brake drums...

[zKars]

1 hour ago, Patcon said:

I hope you are saving the rear struts and the aluminum brake drums...

If I could remove the drums without beating the crap of them, I'd save them. Plus I have no way of knowing how much lining thickness remains. Struts, well, they have the intense rust weigth reduction problem most of the other parts have... so, no.. 

Edited November 19, 2017 by zKars

[zKars]

2 hours ago, wheee! said:

I wonder if that tank couldn’t be saved with an internal coating and a thick coat of silver por on the outside. The high metal content version. Then a bond coat of primer and a final black coat.

I considered that. I'm sure the outside can be blasted, the inside cleaned, and massive money can be pored into coatings inside and out. Worth it? Not sure. Removing two vents from an otherwise good condition later tank seems like a better usage of time and funds. Or is that sacrilegious?

Edited November 19, 2017 by zKars

[Patcon]

48 minutes ago, zKars said:

If I could remove the drums without beating the crap of them, I'd save them.

Yeah that is a problem. I know the aluminum ones can be relined. It's expensive right now but I think over time it will be come more comparable to buying steel drums and they are more desirable from a correct part aspect. Is there some other way to get the drums off. Drive them off with the stub axle, maybe...

[Mark Maras]

 If you still have the sending unit, check it for continuity and soak it in CLR for 48 hours. (Wheee's tip) it will look great again.

[wheee!]

New 240 sending units are still so cheap though. The 280 ones are made of unicorn bone.

[wheee!]

Double post deleted

[siteunseen]

1 hour ago, wheee! said:

New 240 sending units are still so cheap though. The 280 ones are made of unicorn bone.

That's crazy isn't it?  I bought one from Nissan for my '72 and it was like $40? I think.  '77 NLA.  

[zKars]

FYI,  you 280's guys up to 76, the 240 senders fit. Have to change electrical connectors, and you'll loose the "empty" sensor, but, you can still get your fuel level to work. Such a shame they had to change those tanks so much in 77-78...