|
Milaca
Golden Hawk Member
USA
732 Posts |
 Posted - 11/16/2009 : 12:26:35 AM
|
This summer the gas tank in my 1963 Hawk dropped down on the right side
due to the mount bracket having pulled out of the trunk floor because
of the mounting surface rusting through. This was not because of road
salt corroding it (it's a CA car), but because the trunk lid leaks
water beyond the weatherstripping. The weatherstripping is like new,
but I find water standing on the trunk floor after I wash the car and
this standing water is what rusted the recessed area of the floor that
the gas tank mounts to. So check this area of your floor so that you
don't unexpectedly have your gas tank fall out like mine did.
 This shows the large hole where a mount should be bolted to.  This is the rusty chunk that fell out and remained attached to the gas tank bracket. 
This is the hole after I cut the rusted steel away with a cutting wheel
on a small hand grinder. The four black markings are to help me locate
where the center of the bolt hole will be. 
This is the patch I began making out of 18 GA steel with a pocket to
replicate the original piece. I used a flat head body hammer to force
the metal down into the recession that I milled into a piece of
firewood. 
This is the piece of firewood that I took and marked out dimensions
that I measured from the original piece. I set the router to mill 1/2"
deep and followed my markings.
 I followed up with a utility knife to bevel the edge to replicate the inside form of the original piece.  border="0">
After drilling a clearance hole for a 3/8" bolt, I bolted the tank to
the patch so that the weight of the nearly full gas tank would hold
down the patch tight to the trunk floor so that I could weld it. I used
the black markings to locate the bracket before welding.
Removed bolt, ground down the weld, wire brushed it, and then primed
and painted it. After the paint cured, I installed a new bolt and put a
rubber spacer between the bottom side of the patch and the gas tank
bracket and tightened it. I need to get a spray can of undercoating yet
and undercoat the bottom side of the repaired area. I would be happy to
loan my piece of firewood to anybody, but I need to burn it to heat my
house & garage. 
Brent's rootbeer racer.
MN iron ore...it does your body good. |
Edited by - Milaca on 11/16/2009 12:37:52 AM |
|
|
bams50
Commander Member
9754 Posts |
Posted - 11/16/2009 : 05:12:37 AM
|
Excellent repair! I would never have tackled that process, or even
thought of it! Of course, part of it is that I have zero ability with
wood My likely course would have been to set about finding a donor piece from somebody's parts car.
Great thinking and great repair!
Robert (Bob) Andrews- on the IoMT (Island of Misfit Toys)
Parish, central NY 13131
GOD BLESS AMERICA
|
 |
|
Hawk trunk floor gas tank mount rust-out repair
