[Shop-talk] Gas Tank Restoration

[Jim Stone]

I did the tanks on my Alpine about 20 years ago using the Bill Hirsch kit (https://www.hirschauto.com/Gas-Tank-Sealer-Repair/products/4/) and they still look like new.  (Alpine tanks were painted inside from the factory and the paint was good for about 30 years.  Unfortunately…)  The hardest part was cleaning the inside of the tank.  Rust wasn’t as big an issue as sludge and old paint.  I did just about everything I could think of, from electrolytic derusting to paint remover.  All of that helped but I never got them completely clean until I used muriatic acid.  There is an article on the Alpine club’s home page documenting the cleaning trials and tribulations that one member went through that you might find helpful. https://sunbeamalpine.org/2008/12/23/how-to-clean-and-seal-gas-tanks/

> On Apr 11, 2025, at 4:59 PM, Al Fuller <alfuller194 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> I am in the process of reviving a car that has sat for several years. The gas tank was partially full of old gas, which when pumped out brought out a lot of rust. As such, I am thinking I will be needing to clean out and restore the inside of this tank.
> 
> Do any of you have experience with any of the gas tank restoration kits on the market? If so, please share your experience of using it and how it performed over time.
> 
> I'm sure others will offer other opinions, such as 'just use muriatic acid', 'just use vinegar', 'just use Coca-Cola', etc... - So, I'll bite: If you have actually used something other than a commercial kit, please share those experiences, too!
> 
> Thanks in advance. 
> 
> ===========================
> Al Fuller
> 714.335.0248 Mobile
> 
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