This is what a Volkswagen Type 2 petrol tank looks like after it has been hauled out of a 1971 camper van.
It’s not as big as I thought it would be. Not sure why, but I expected something at least twice this size. Stupid really as there isn’t the space for anything larger.
Anyway, apart from having to stop work to buy a deep 13mm socket to remove the retaining straps, everything went pretty well. The bolts and screws undid OK with only a little effort. Of course the tank has been out in the last eighteen months for a new fuel gauge sender to be fitted so this isn’t that much of a surprise – except to anyone who has ever worked on an old car and knows from painful (!) experience how fast a bolt can decide it wants to stick in a hole.
In the bottom of the tank is a nice thick layer of sludge made up of muck and rust. The top of the inside looks clean though. I’ve got some POR Marine clean soaking the sludge away at present. Two treatments each lasting 24 hours are proscribed on the side of the bottle so that’s what it gets. I only plan to do this job once so I will break the habit of a lifetime and do what I’m told by the labels.
I have found more rust to deal with in the tank compartment. Looks like I need to get aquainted with the welding kit to sort this out. The whole job is suffering mission creep as I add to the “to do” list all the time. I know this is what happens with old vehicles and I know that if I do a proper job I’ll be much happier. Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love to have just one job go quicker and easier than expected.
Oh yes. My plans to re-paint the outside of the tank have stumbled as well. It’s dark grey (“Tank grey” to Humbrol paint fans…) not gloss black. Still, I’m sure I’ll find another use for the paint I bought !
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