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Old 11-17-2022, 02:45 PM
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Question 1967 GTO Undercarriage Restoration - Question on Detail

Hi all. I have decided to replace the gas tank and sending unit. I pulled the non-functioning sending unit out to replace and found what looks to be a rusty inner surface in the tank.

My question is on appearance. What finish was on the tank from the factory? What finish (and gloss level if pertinent) should the carrier straps have to be typical of original factory production?

Thanks in advance!
Don

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Old 11-17-2022, 10:03 PM
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Don,
As I recall, you have a Fremont built car like mine. The tanks were always "natural" finish from the factory. I've seen the straps both black or natural on different cars. On my Fremont built '67, although covered with dealer undercoating from new, once stripped of the undercoating the straps were natural underneath.

Grant
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Old 11-18-2022, 06:58 AM
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Here's a nice AACA "over-restored" file image I saved.
Sorry, no origin information.
Overall this would pass all points judged events.


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Old 11-18-2022, 08:37 AM
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For some reason I thought the safety track lube tag was installed differently, and bent upwards ?

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Old 11-18-2022, 09:56 AM
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Thanks, guys! I'm on it. I noticed a few additional details in your photos:
  • My straps are painted black and I believe they were black from the (Fremont) factory. I'm certain that I'm the first person to remove the tank and the straps are black on both sides.
  • Shock absorber color - gold or grey? My Corvette restoration experience has AC Delco shocks grey. Is this right for Pontiac?
  • My Safe T Track tag is positioned same as in Jeff's photo. Will look forward to a consensus on this.
  • Was the vendor stencil on all original gas tanks?

Thanks again!
Don

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Old 11-18-2022, 11:57 AM
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Interestingly, I began to clean up my tank straps as part of the reassembly and found what looks to be a vendor stamping on each strap. See pic that shows "GH" stamp in the area just before upward bend toward hooked end.

I think the fact that this car spent its entire life in the desert has let this car age with zero rust(except inside the tank

Regards
Don
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Old 11-18-2022, 03:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GTOh! View Post
Thanks, guys! I'm on it. I noticed a few additional details in your photos:
  • My straps are painted black and I believe they were black from the (Fremont) factory. I'm certain that I'm the first person to remove the tank and the straps are black on both sides.
  • Shock absorber color - gold or grey? My Corvette restoration experience has AC Delco shocks grey. Is this right for Pontiac?
  • My Safe T Track tag is positioned same as in Jeff's photo. Will look forward to a consensus on this.
  • Was the vendor stencil on all original gas tanks?

Thanks again!
Don
*Yes, it appears yours were painted originally looking at the photo. Mine were natural on the inside when I removed them so I just stripped off the undercoating on the outside.
*The original spiral shocks were a gray color like shown above.
*I've seen the STT tags installed different ways, like pictured above, flipped the other direction reading upside-down and like Andre mentioned above.
*Yes, the original tanks had the manufacturer's stencil, but it could be anywhere on the tank. The stencil on my original tank was on the top side under the insulator, it was a "Armco Long Ternes" tank.
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Last edited by 428ho4spd; 11-18-2022 at 03:34 PM.
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Old 11-18-2022, 03:21 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by GTOh! View Post
Interestingly, I began to clean up my tank straps as part of the reassembly and found what looks to be a vendor stamping on each strap. See pic that shows "GH" stamp in the area just before upward bend toward hooked end.

I think the fact that this car spent its entire life in the desert has let this car age with zero rust(except inside the tank

Regards
Don
I'm thinking there were different vendors for these straps and why some were painted black and some were natural. My straps have this "M" stamping on them near the front.

I had to replace my tank as well, it was rotting through the bottom from sitting for 32 years with a half tank of gas. The old gas literally turned into clumps of dirt and it smelled horrible. Here's what the original sending unit looked like.
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Old 11-18-2022, 08:15 PM
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I bought NOS tank straps and they were black
The tag should be bolted with the embossed lettering facing the differential and folded over so you can read it
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Old 11-18-2022, 10:17 PM
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I've found OEM black straps but I'm fairly certain it wasn't paint. It's like a plating of some sort, and even the "natural" ones don't appear to be bare either. The straps and tanks fare better than everything else around it. It has got to be some sort of corrosion resistant plating?

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Old 11-19-2022, 04:00 AM
RedDirtRoad RedDirtRoad is offline
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Correct
I believe its black oxide plated
Natural or bare metal would most likely be
Zinc plated

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Old 12-04-2022, 09:30 AM
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Thanks for all the good advice. I've now completed my tank replacement. As is the case many times, a sending unit replacement snowballed into a complete tank, sending unit and hoses R & R. This car has sat for over 2 years with very little driving so the inside of the tank had little bits of oxidation showing up in the fuel filter. Of course the sending unit's sock was split its entire length.

I think my only struggle was getting the new tank bolted in. For some reason, the 2 bolts that secure the straps to the chassis were short on reassembly. I couldn't lift the tank high enough (car was elevated on my lift)to make the bolts reach. My "fix" was to use a longer bolt on the first one, then secure the second (original) bolt. Once the second bolt was tightened, I went back and reinstalled the original/shorter bolt to the first position.

Now the tank is fresh and the fuel gauge works perfectly.

Thanks again!

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Old 12-04-2022, 09:39 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RedDirtRoad View Post
I bought NOS tank straps and they were black
The tag should be bolted with the embossed lettering facing the differential and folded over so you can read it
I see this circle with an x in it on some restored cars. I have never seen this on an original car

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