Assembly Manual (70) shows 3 pads glued to top of tank. All I see in parts catalogues is what looks like tar paper. Is that what everyones using?

I did.

Ground up shows the tar-like paper for the blocks and a single foam block for the top of the tank.

http://www.ss396.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=chevellecamino&Product_Code=NH-4381&Category_Code=FUELANDEXHAUST
http://www.ss396.com/mm5/graphics/00000009/NH-4381.jpg

But when I redid my 70's tank, I had ordered the above kit and one from Classic Muscle Parts (name doesn't look right) that had non-correct sticky foam strips for the straps, and 3 sticky-foam blocks for the top of the tank.

I used the non-correct kit, because it was easier to install (sticky) on the straps and the sticky blocks (3) on top provided more surface contact (I think). I could have used the same kind of weather stripping they put on truck beds to seal caps for the straps (almost the same thing). You can fold that stuff up to get the same height for the block on top of the tank.

I still have the TAR paper if you want it for the cost of shipping (assuming I can find it).
chevelle70@woh.rr.com

IMO those 3 pads are critical and do the majority of the work keeping the tank quiet. They are generally heavy duty and if you take your old ones off with a scraper you can reuse them.

Regarding that tar paper stuff that you see for sale, here is my 2 cents on that stuff. I feel it is too thin and does nothing. To call it tar paper is giving it too much credit. It is more like thin rubber. It is way too thin versus the material put on the car when it was built.

When I did my tank, I went to the local home store and bought the thickest roof felt that I could find (forget weight - maybe 20 or 30 weight?). I took a metal yard stick and made a template (something like 20" X 2"). I then cut 6 sections. I then split the 6 sections to two sets of three. I glued the three sections together making one section which was then close to the OEM thickness. I then glued them to the new tank. Just follow what was done on the old tank. So I finished with the two homemade tar felt noise dampers and the original rubber pads.

Follow my instructions and there will be no dissappointments. Very close to OEM.

For the record, the tar paper like strips that I bought were not from Ground up. I posted at the same time as DG and this post was unrelated to his.

DG, you saying the blocks where ok? But you didn't like the straps?

What I'm saying was that I used the non-correct kit for the tank straps (they were more like rubber with a wide groove in the middle) and the 3 foam blocks from the correct kit. the tar-paper strips were slick and moved around too much as I was putting the tank back in.

I had ordered a fuel sock and some other odds N ends from a different company. This company carried a kit that they said was not correct but would work. The foam blocks in that kit were thinner than the correct kit, and I used them for something else.


So I took the best from both kits. Function was more important to me than correct.

Someone must have had the tank down before me. I found only 2 blocks and no tar paper. I will follow your advice MEB. Where did you place the 2 strips? Or isn't it that critical?

I agree, someone had the tank down before. No doubt about that. I took a look at the roof felt, it is about 1/16" thick, so three glued together gave me 3/16" which is close to orginal.

DG where did you get the correct blocks? There should be three. I agreeing (again) that those two strap things are junk. The straps that I fabricated where placed where the factory intended them to go. Hopefully this picture is going to show up in this post and you'll see exactly where everything fits.

http://home.comcast.net/%7Emeb/squeak.jpghttp://home.comcast.net/%7Emeb/Squeak.JPG


Are you putting in new straps? I have some recommendations for that process also.

Way back when I used a rubber bath mat from K-Mart, sprayed black w/ the 3-M rubberized stuff, and 2 bicycle intertubes over the straps. Kept it quiet hehe.

Anything will really work, but I feel the roof felt gives a nice OEM look and matches the original application almost perfectly. And it's easy to work with. In 10 minutes you can have the straps ready and it costs you about 10 dollars.

I'm a little opposite of the consensus here. First time I hung my tank with the original but "okay" straps I used strips of inner tube. I thought they were too thick and didn't really like how the tank snugged up. I also felt they moved around and caused metal-to-metal where.

When I re-hung the tank with repro straps, I used a single strip of roof felt cut just very slightly wider than the straps. I like how this went together better and there doesn't seem to be any movement nearly 4 years later.

I should mention, I'm a resitfied guy and looking for function over "correct".

Looks good, MEB. Thanks for your effort. DG, do you know where those blocks came from?

Dn,
I couldn't find the site yesterday, but if you get a couple from Ground up they look the same.

Matter of fact, looking at the diagram MEB put up, I did not place the tar-paper strips on top of the tank in the grooves. :(

scuse me for partially hijacking this thread. I too need to reinstall my gas tank. Are you cutting these pads to fit the grooves or you using some sort of template to get the right size? Is there a thickness your trying to obtain?

Also I need to buy a sending unit and wire. Is OPG a good source to get these two parts. I here some stuff you get there is good some el-cheapo parts.

Ground up has GM sending units. Look at picture of Assembly Manual that MEB graciously posted for placement of blocks.

I used the old straps as a guide. Now this is out of my memory and I could be wrong here, but the old straps were about 20" long X 2" wide X 3/16" thick. Please look at your application to verify.

I find Ground Up my best source of parts. I avoid OPG due to their excessive cost for shipping among other reasons.

When installing new straps and tank, find some long bolts to pull everything up, it makes things MUCH easier. I think I used the long bolt from the alternator.

69ssmike,

That is excellent advice. I too went down to the local hardware store and bought some huge carriage bolts to pull everything up.

I would also suggest the following when installing the metal straps. This is definetly a two person job. Have someone hold the tank in place EXACTLY where you want it to be. Try using the old tank as a guide. put the straps in place starting with the back side of the car. Next, bend the strap around the bottom back of the tank while someone holds it in place. Use a hammer to mold the strap to the back of the tank (form it around the curviture of the bottom back of the tank). The tank will be tough and it will take it assuming you bought the canada tank. Obviously you don't pound the crap out of it. Use standard body metal working techniques. Let the hammer weight do the work not your muscles. This technique will give you a nice form. If you try to bend the new straps based on the old straps and they don't fit then you will only find yourself wrestling the whole job.

Next use 69'ners technique of the long bolts. You may have to do some form fitting in the front as well. Don't put the screws that are used in the back part of the strap until you have completed the job.

Good advice. Do you think it necessary to "clean out" new tank?

I would get a kit of tank sealer before putting a new tank in. Best time to seal the inside IMO.

I had mine boiled out and sealed. I also sand blasted the outside to get most of the crud off. I hit it with 2 coats of Silver POR on the bottom and 1 coat on top. The guy that boiled and sealed the tank also welded in a "bung" drain plug. I was kinda torqued at first as I did not ask for it. But the first time I drained my tank and decied to use it....I became a convert. Now if I wanted it to appear factory, I would have asked it to be located more in the cnter of the front, lower edge of the tank instead of the corner where it is easier to see.

Some more questions about this.

Meb's Pic shows 3 pads that goes on top of tank. Does the ground up parts come with 3 pads? The parts pic only shows one. But sounds like I'm better off making my own. Then you need padding for the straps and on top of the takn groove too?

Is the replica sending unit going to work as good as GM one? For 1/2 the cost and no ones going to see it.... But if they tend to go bad and I might find myself replacing it. Then I can see the extra $$$ may be worth it.

Is there anyway to tell if your tank has been boiled out? Mine was handed to me and all openings taped closed. But who knows if it was for being cleaned out of the paint job it got.

Yes, Ground up shows only one pad. I've been looking around but haven't found a supplier that carries them except for In Line Tube. I think they wanted $29 a piece for them! Yeah right! I'll find some closed cell foam and make my own.