Freshening up fuel tank straps

[BTF/PTM]

While the tank is out, I'm cleaning up the straps. I'm going to use gasket material for the padded side. For the adhesive, should I paint the padding side of the strap before gluing the gasket material into place, or leave it bare metal? I figure the 3M black adhesive will work well.

Edited June 4, 2010 by BTF/PTM

[Zs-ondabrain]

I use bicycle tire rubber and spray glue to hold it on, the tank will do the rest of the work to keep it there.

It's bare metal, paint it or protect it somehow. Rust is rust and will eat your strap over time. I POR15's mine.

[BTF/PTM]

Thanks

I need to order up a POR15 kit with the metal ready and such. For now I'll sand & paint the straps and later down the road I'll plan on POR15'ing all the suspension and under-car parts in one go like I've seen in other threads.

[zcar70]

1. Remove old insulator material, if it is still there.

2. Paint with POR15.

3. Cut new bicycle inner tube to fit strap as insulator.

4. Glue in place with 3M spray.

Done.

PS- Be CAREFUL removing the J bolts, near impossible to find anymore!

[Zs-ondabrain]

kinda verbatim?

And diddo on the J-bolts.

Dave

[hogie]

How important is the insulator? My car didnt have them with the straps so I put it together as it was. Though the straps and tank are painted/undercoated real nice.

Edited June 4, 2010 by hogie

[BTF/PTM]

The J-bolts are in great shape, as are the slots in the frame. Even the straps are barely rusted, most of what I've sanded off is multiple layers of paint and grime. The straps do still have the old fabric stuff, but it's deteriorated and covered in decades of the same crap the straps are covered in so I'm just gonna make new ones.

If I had to guess, I'd say the insulation's primary purpose is to prevent metal-to-metal friction between straps and tank which although useful for preventing sparks is probably more useful for preventing gradual wearing of holes in the tank.

Edited June 4, 2010 by BTF/PTM

[hogie]

I dont think old chevy trucks have insulation on their frame straps? But then they do burst into flames with a side impact

[BTF/PTM]

^ Several American cars have been prone to spontaneous combustion over the decades. Old Chevy trucks, the legendary Pinto, Dodge trucks in the 90's having plastic fuel line elbows that would melt and spray raw fuel onto exhaust plumbing, probably lots of others.

[Mike B]

Here are some that I did last summer when I restored two gas tanks. I used POR15 and was able to reuse the original strap backing material after I cleaned and degreased it, then painted it with SEM trim black. I think I used "automotive goop" to adhere the material back to the straps. Note that there was a slight difference in the earliest straps and backing material from later ones. The set at the top is from a 11/69 production car and the set on the bottom is from a 5/72.

-Mike

[jerz]

There are reproduction strap insulators available for the early series S30 here:

http://www.thezstore.com/page/TZS/PROD/34-1214

[BTF/PTM]

MikeB, did you flatten the straps for ease of clean-up and prep? I left the bends in mine, didn't think much of it.