Hot Rods OLD GAS TANK, big dent.

I scored this old tank today at Decatur Tx swapmeet. Plan on using it in my RPU project, it has a large dent in it, any ideas on how to get most of it out. Will be putting that side to the front of bed.

 

You might able to put air to it and have the air push it out. That might be risking blowing out a seam though. The other way might be a stout suction cup and pull on it if you can get it clean enough.

 

Seal the tank tight then put 2lb's of air in it and use a Slapper on just the two ridges. I bet it'll walk right out of there. Just like working a Moon out of a roof panel. Just talk nicely to it and don't get in a hurry.

 

If you blow a seam with 2 lb's of air it'll let go anyway when it's full of gas.

 

I pulled the nipple out and stuck a pry bar wrapped with a shop rag in it and try to push it out. No luck.

 

That was probably a good thing. Relieve the pressure at the 2 creases and it'll come back to shape.

 

Thanks, any ideas what it came out of??

 

Body Shop 101. To repair a dent properly it must be removed in exact reverse process as it was created. In other words don't just push in the middle.

 

Model T Ford Gas Tank - 10 High X 10 Wide X 28 Long - RoundTank For Speedsters - With Cap - No Straps Part # 16-54245

 

with no sender or outlet it might of been on something industrial. maybe not even fuel.

 

Set something inside that is heavy, like a thick bag then lead shot or something like that. Maybe even chain. Lay it right over the crown of the dent and drop the tank straight down onto something flat but resilient, like your lawn. Don't use air pressure as the pressure is not smart enough to know what you want to bend.

 

I was going to say something but changed my mind.

 

I tried using compressed air once to take a big dent out of a motorcycle tank...I managed to turn that thing inside out. Point being, if you do try compressed air be very careful about the pressure.

 

Fill it full of water and put it in a freezer or outside if it's cold enough

 

If you can latch on to one of the paintless dent removal kits like Eastwood sells I'll bet you can make it almost disappear. They use a glue on pad and a puller, it works. Check their website for the process, may also be on you tube.

 

Fill the dent with bondo. That's how the dents in the quarter panels on my 52 Chevy were fixed in the past.

 

Just curious but how many vendors were there? I was going to go but with the rain yesterday and the thunderstorms this morning I didnt think there would be much of a turnout.

 

Yeah...Intellect of the air, I'll bet. (or, the gauge on 'smart air'!)
Nevertheless: The dent has to WANT to come out.

 

It was packed, to much flea market stuff. It was a muddy shit hole.

 

Quick shot of starting fluid... An a blue tip

 

Kinda what I figured. The last couple of years have been like that. It is nowhere near the "80% car related items" that they advertise. As far as the mud goes there isnt a lot of concrete at the fair grounds there. And it was a windy bitch all day too!

 

looks like a steel reserve tank off of old boiler. pretty think im guessing. good luck.

 

Here is a trick taught me by an old time motorcycle mechanic for pulling dents out of motorcycle gas tanks. He learned it in 1922.

You are in luck, the tank's galvanized. Makes it easy to tin the dented area with solder and solder roofing nails to it. Go at it as if you were pounding out a dent but from the outside. Solder the head of a roofing nail near the edge of the dent, clamp the roofing nail in the vise and pull. Keep moving the nail and pulling until you work the dent out. Same technique you would use with one of those spot welders that weld a nail to a dent.

 

O.M.G. I had forgot what it was like to get involved in a How To conversation here on the H.A.M.B. All I have to say is you guys must be drinking some really bad water. Most of this advice reminds me of some of the U-Tube how to's that start with, "Maynard, hay Manard,,, Hold my Beer and watch this!" I'm out of here.

 

Will you actually see that dent once the tank is mounted up against your body panel ?

 

Not really , but still want to get most of it out . That’s probably a 1/2 - 3/4 gallon dent.

 

Take the fill cap and associated hardware off. Apply pressure to the dented area with whatever you have or can make. Tap on the high areas. That is the basic way to fix any dent. It may be quicker and easier to cut the dented area out and weld a patch. Because you said you can mount it so the dent will not show.

 

Some have suggested air pressure, but that is probably not the best way since it is really hard to control low pressure and there is so much air under compression.

I would suggest filling it with water, which is incompressible, and then take a hand or foot operated air pump and pump it up one stroke at a time while tapping on the high area. This way, the pressure is very controllable and your risk of blowing the tank apart is much lower.

 

Air does not apply more pressure in one place than another inside a contained item any more than water will. How much pressure do you put to a roof panel with a dolly when slapping out a Moon crease? Now that's a Foolish question to this crowd being none of you have ever done that and been able to metal finish that damage or you would not be saying most of this nonsense.

 

A way to pull out a dent is to silver solder a carriage bolt in the dent, then use a strap with 3 holes. The bolts in the outer holes rest on the high area around the dent. A nut on the center bolt pulls the dent up. This will be slow and tedious but results in no damage to the tank as the silver solder can be melted and sanded away