gas tank removal on my 93

[lackawanna1701]

Found a nice old tank from a 93 park ave at the junkyard about a year ago. I just started the tanks restoration; she got stripped down... All surface rust removed, rustolem grey primer, rustolem hunter green paint, still wondering if clear coat would be necessary (proly end up doing that anyway!) Bought a new pump and sock. Anyways, when I jacked the car up, I couldn't fit the longest socket I have over the threaded stud of the straps towards the rear of the car. What do I need to buy to fit over them? And is the nut a 16 mm? Any help would be appreciated!

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

IIRC you're correct on the sizing. It's been a few years so I am not sure anymore. And get over to the Cheektowaga Harbor Freight on Union Rd. behind the Galleria to pick yourself up some extensions and deep-well sockets. If you pick up some 3/8" extensions and their color-coded deep-well 10-19mm socket set it should run you under $30 with tax and gas to/from. Those extensions and the sockets will make that job a LOT easier now that your ratchet can be put down far enough to get leverage on it.

Be careful, as on my 1999 at least the bolts are held in by those silly stamped-steel clips. It's quite easy to over-torque a rusty one and break it off, or worse, break the sheet metal around it. PB Blaster is your friend for soaking those well before attacking.

I'd go with something tougher than Rustoleum. That will flake off quickly under abuse from salt/sand/debris. The Rustoleumed brake lines on my car have the Rustoleum all flaked off where they are in the way of debris. The areas that got POR-15 are holding up fine.

[lackawanna1701]

Up at the walden flea as we speek I will go check them out. I've roughed up the entire tank right back down to bare metal so we will see. I don't believe I have those clips on the 93 is it easier to take the tank off or will it be easier to cut the straps?

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

Take the straps off. Then they're re-usable if need be.

And, darn, HF has raised prices. That socket set that was $10 back a few years when I got it is now $18. Those sockets have been through as much abuse as a weekend warrior can put them through, and are still going strong.

Sockets: http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools ... 93264.html

Extensions: http://www.harborfreight.com/hand-tools ... 67926.html

Should run you about $30 with tax. Although other deep-well socket sets might be a better buy.

[00Beast]

What you should've done is worried about the inside of the tank, by cleaning it and applying one of those liner kits.