Fuel Tank Restoration

The fuel tank in my truck appeared to be OK. There were no dents nor visible holes. Since I am undertaking a "ground up restoration" I figured that it would better to play it safe.

There are not too many options with the Econoline. New tanks are not available. From what I gather from reading posts, there is a way of using a Mustang(?) tank or a Falcon(?) tank and relocating the filler pipe.

I decided to go a much easier route. I chose to have my tank restored by Gas Tank Renu. The process involves a steam cleaning followed by shot-blasting. The inside of the tank is coated with a brown polymer and inspected with a light and mirror to assure full coverage. The tank is then baked in an oven to cure the coating. The brown coating is visible around the sender hole in the photo below.


When the tank is removed from the oven and cool to the touch, it is then hand brushed with the same material in black. Black is not used inside the tank because it would be too difficult to see the coverage. Warranty tags are applied and then the tank is baked again to cure the outside.


The result is a fuel tank with a lifetime nationwide warranty! The cost is approximately $350 for the service. I had the same shop make new mounting straps with a thicker than stock steel.


I took the fuel gauge sender apart and carefully blasted it with silicon carbide. I assembled and tested it to check for proper operation and it works as it should.


When I place my next order from Mac's, I will buy a new COAF-9276-A "O" ring for $1.95. The result will be a sediment-free, rust-proof and leak-proof fuel tank and sender.

As always, larger photos are available at my Flickr page. Just make sure that you return to this page using the "Back" button on your browser.

My New Ride

Have you ever wished that your creeper easily rolled over extension cords or concrete seams? Did you ever have a problem with the creeper rolling away when you tried to loosen or tighten a nut? The answer to both questions is probably "yes."

When the caster bearings on my $25 creeper started losing the steel balls and made it hard to maneuver, I knew that I had to find a solution. I knew that there was a creeper called "The Bone" with large caster wheels but the shape looked very confining to me. Some reviews of "The Bone" confirmed my suspicions about the confinement aspect but everyone raved about how easily it moved.

Further investigation revealed a creeper with large casters and a hand brake! It is the King Crawler by REL products and their products are made in Alabama. Here it is:

Notice the large casters which makes is very easy to move around under a vehicle:

Notice the hand brake which is within easy reach of the right hand:


The construction is very heavy duty and the frame is powder coated in silver. There is a headrest that is nothing more than a raised section of the foam padding. Unlike the $25 creeper that I previously owned, the headrest does not adjust but then again, I never adjusted it anyway.

The King Crawler is available at SJ Discount Tools for $96.75 plus shipping. It cost me $104.70 delivered via Fed Ex.