Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

Does any one know who else does this except the HIGH $$$ shop in Tenn..

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

Dont know any shops doing that 'cept in Tenn. , but I cut one olen last month. See pictures attached.

I have another tank that needs cutting open and my plans are to cut the top off next week or two. Cut the top completly off - not just two holess in the back.Then "sew" it back togetherr with either my MIG or take it to a friend with a TIG.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

What do you men by "HIGH $$$ shop in Tenn."? Is it the hourly rate for labour or a quoted price to do the job? What you want is not a quick job and would require many hours of labour. While I have no idea what their prices are, nor if there is a warranty, if I were in your shoes, I'd be expecting to have to spend a few $$$. That said, I'd also be wary about simply giving it to the cheapest priced workshop. Ya gets what ya pays for, as the old saying goes.
All that said, I am only guessing which shop you are referring to and I have absolutely NO affiliation with them.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

That is the only way to do them properly
It is very time consuming in removal and putting back together; check for leaks and finish the welds
Even with experience, it is at least an all day job so 8-10 hrs times a realistic rate is going to give you a $$$ bill
You's get what you's pay for .

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

I would think cutting it in the backside looks the best as you wouldn't need to do any bodywork, as it is not seen.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

JF you get into more problems with the baffles.and leaks more apt going thru the back
Having done both ways, taking the top off is best
Imho
Have you gone thru the back before?

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

Last one we had done for early '20s car was $750 US similar to what Ken and others posted.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

Pay a pro for this job, or else wind up looking like something Dr. Baron Von Frankenstein cobble welded back together;)

Life is all about choices. Sometimes you have to pay to play!

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

I dont mind the Pay to Play, Buy WHO does it ??

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

I have never cut a tank, just opining, It looked best to me. If I had a bad tank I would look for better or send it out.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

I have contacted and spoke to this shop a few times and plan to send or take 1-2 tanks to them to do. They do it right - cut the whole top off along the seam, sandblast every square inch of every baffle and underside of the top, clean out out of all dust, weld it back together, pressure test for leaks, then fill with 10 gal of sealer to make absolutely sure every surface is coated then its poured out and cured. They said they would also fix minor dings while it was apart. Grade A work in my book and not that pricey. Its the only way to properly and 100% clean and restore a model A tank and really not that expensive considering all the work they will do and they have done hundreds if not thousands of tanks in the past so they know what they are doing. Id rather pay the money now to get it done right so I dont have to install a "dirty leg" or replace fuel shutoff valve because microrust scored the seals, or clean carb every 100 miles because of rust particles.

The inside of the tank is much more important than the outside of the tank. Same goes for radiators and all their issues - either pay the bucks for one of the two proper made ones or pay the equal bucks to get an original properly restored.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

What’s the bug deal? I have done several. High speed cutter wheel along the seam. Clean or sand blast and take it to a good welder. Maybe 50 bucks.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

Or politicians, same thing.

David Serrano

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

Captandan, $50 bucks, my eye! Here is the final version of the gas tank opened up (on the back side) last week. See first two pictures in above post. In this picture the dark grey is primer paint. The light grey is where the primer was sanded off to get to clean metal for welding. The shiny part is solder to close up the pinholes that appeared when pressure tested - my welding was not so great.

Just these two holes took about one hour to cut out. About 2 hours to get lined back up and welded into place. Then another 4 to 6 hours testing and soldering, testing and soldering again, then testing again. All this over a week.

8 hours at shop time of even $40 per hour, which is cheap in my area, would be $320. To cut the top off and reweld could easily double that cost.

When I start cutting the second tank I will take photos as I go and post as I proceed. Wish me luck. If I mess up on thsi nest one the tank is so bad on the inside i figure I dont have much to loose. I have already spent 2 hours flushing the mouse nest out of it. UGH. kenp

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

From the looks of 30 31 baffles it is not possible to clean this tank from the holes in firewall side.

Can not access rear of tank (speedo side) BEHIND the "cross baffle" in middle of tank with out cutting off the top.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

Not to beat a dead horse .....or maybe too late for that concept!
One dread in this process is when you open it up ......
Rusted away baffles are common
Pin holes are common
Leaking steering support common
Reseal inside or not
If reseal, with what

It's a crap shoot could end up a grand in T&M and a tank is not worth that!

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

I had my take opened, cleaned, coated and resealed from a company in Greensburg Pa. Moyer tank. Came with an unwritten life time guarantee. If I remember correctly it was around $750.00 Had to have it repainted since it was dipped and stripped.

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

(X2) Moyer's Gas Tank Renu 800-328-9550 ask for Jim Prinkey, Shop Manager.


Excellent work. Jim will explain the entire process to you in detail. He also sent me 42 photos of the process with my tank w/descriptions. I paid $450(Jan-2017). My painter matched the paint 110%!.


Loubob

Re: Gas Tank Cleaning by Cutting Open
 

I can certainly understand your frustration. First open the tank. Cost 0. Then a true and reasonable evaluation of the inside of the tank. 50/50 chance it’s really not worth trying to save. Like you I am not a good welder so if you decide to go ahead let a good welder finish the job after cleaning