Bolt removal gas tank

[Res731]

Hi. This is my first post. I am working on restoration of my 1931 tudor. It has been slow as I am in the disassemble phase and most fasteners are pretty rusted. In the process of removing the gas tank from the body and I am struggling with the upper ones behind the dash. They seem to be captive nuts and I learned the hard way that if you don't hold them with vice grips they just spin forever.

Two questions

1 how do you remove the upper corner bolts.? They are spinning hopelessly and are too far into the corner to try to hold the nut.

2 when re-assembling what do you use for the nuts? Do you weld them in or is there some other trick?

Thanks

Rudy

[glenn in camino]

You need a wrench that will hold the back nut. Perhaps some small vice grips. Keep trying. Sometimes, when I'm having a hard time, I sleep on the problem, and give it a go the next morning.

[Res731]

I ended up taking off teh tank with the top frame attached. The two corner screws are not connected to the body but only the tank and frame.

Any recomendations on how to restore the captive bolts which have fallen apart? Do you repalce the whole fram or is there some otehr trick.

I also wish the books would cover some of these hints and tricks.
tehy tell you how to remove it nbut no hints to deal with 80 year old rusted metal.

[Brentwood Bob]

The risk from explosion is going to make use of the torch extremely risky to you.
There are precautions you could take, but I would first go to your local fire department and learn what is bad about the advice in #4.
use a hacksaw, or a brass hammer and a cold chisel, to remove the head of the loose fastner.
No source of spark, heat, or abrasion near that tank!!!!!
If you are trying to save the fastner for reuse, don't.
email me, I have a replacement. After all, what is your life worth.
Bob

[pooch]

Any flame near a tank that has not been bone dry for several years is a risk.

If you have to use a flame, fill tank with water to the brim to exclude air.

[Mitch//pa]

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

yes X2 fill the tank with water or you could be the first to inhabit mars

[Bob C]

Ford Bolts has the stamped cage and square nuts.
http://www.fordscript.com/ford_bolts/products.html

Bob

[Big hammer]

Some penetrating oil :-) also try tightening the screw/bolt/nut first.
A bit of valve grinding compound on screwdriver tip helps kept from round off screw heads

[Res731]

I have the whole assembly off the car so I can access the corner screws without using heat. I haven't seen that ford script site but I see there are replacement caged nuts. I guess I can weld them in once I take the frame off the tank.

Thanks for that link.

[Brentwood Bob]

Do you have a couple of pictures of the bolts and the location on the car?
Bob

[Res731]

I do but they appear too large to post. I will try later to take a smaller photo.

[Res731]

I tried to upload a photo of the location of the screw. The frame is still attached to the upper part of gas tank.



For some reason the photo won't appear but it is in my album.

[Res731]

image.jpg

Well I was able to attach one picture but even though it appears you can upload multiple attachments only the last one stays.

This photo is of the rear of the tank. The cage nuts are across the top rear.

[Res731]

This photo is of the caged nut in the corner which is spinning. You can also see to the right the location where the cage is completely gone ( fell apart trying to get the bolt unscrewed).

image.jpg