Rust Prevention Inside Frame Rails & New Fuel Tank Install

MORE RUST PREVENTION...

Jul 16, 2014

Oct 24, 2014

The powder coaters delivered the frame back after only a week and what a difference!  Totally pumped now to start bolting shiny parts back on as all I've been dealing with for awhile is rust, dirt, and grime.  Unfortunately still some more cleanup needed on some suspension components, but definitely turned a corner with the return of my shiny few frame.  Here's a side-by-side of the bottom of the front cross member.  That caved in area due to being used as an improper jacking point is looking pretty good now.

I've been wondering all along though how to protect the inside of the frame rails from rust.  Powder coating doesn't reach inside, but then I discovered the product below.  You attach the plastic tube to the can and at the other end they have a brass fitting with several holes that cause the paint to fan out in all directions when sprayed.  It will seep out where you don't expect though, so I had to frantically work some paper towels as well.  In hindsight, I wish I would have treated inside the frame rails before powder coating, but glad I have some protection inside now.

 





Here's a side-by side looking down the front cross member from the spring pocket.  Notice the metal plate at the end... that's one of the gussets I welded in when reinforcing this area of the frame.

before treatment

after treatment

NEW FUEL TANK...

I opted for a new complete fuel tank kit for peace of mind versus trying to restore my original tank.  I was annoyed though to find out upon delivery that the kit did not include the filler neck.  How a 'complete' fuel tank kit does not include a filler neck is beyond me.  I decided to restore mine especially when I saw this small part was about $80 new.  It needed some work though because I stored my original tank outside in the elements since I planned on discarding it after the new one was installed.  As a result, my filler neck was looking pretty rusty. But after some research, I found the appropriate product to stand up to the environment it was going to be in.  It came out looking pretty good too.

 

For the actual tank install, everything went pretty smoothly with the sending unit, but attaching the straps around the tank to the frame was a bear.  It took 'significant adjusting' with a rubber mallet where the straps hook to the supporting cross member to get them to just barely reach to the rear of the frame where they bolt in.  Got it eventually though, and it is in there tight now.  Before the straps were attached, I had to hunt down a new plastic shield for the back of the tank.  Mine was discovered to be badly cracked when the body was lifted and it is important as its job is to minimize chances of puncture upon a rear end collision.  I don't know how mine got cracked, but there is no other evidence of rear damage on the car.

NEXT POST...
In my next post to come soon, I'll talk about my final suspension decisions, including work on my trailing arms by THE Gary Ramadei (aka GTR1999) on the forums.  Incidentally, I also have a 'Super 10 Bolt' differential in his queue now and really pumped about the capabilities that will have!