leomara Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 (edited) I have a dent in my gas tank just to the right of the opening for the gas sending unit. Some previous posts have talked about using a "Stinger" to weld small posts on to the dent and then use a slide hammer to pull it out. There was another post where someone discussed using solder to attach a nail which would then be used with a slide hammer to pull it out. Someone else suggested to just fill it with bondo. Could there be a way to use the opening for the gas sending unit to get behind it and push it out? I don't want to cut the tank open as a way to repair it. Edited January 28, 2021 by leomara (see edit history) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunsmoke Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 Curious why you would bother doing anything except painting it, it will never be seen. Any attempt at repair is likely to leave it worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticiferTom Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 Remember any heat you applied may effect the terme finish of the tank , the lead in it could be damaged . Maybe a hook shape to massage it out . Also be careful of the baffles . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keiser31 Posted January 28, 2021 Share Posted January 28, 2021 37 minutes ago, ArticiferTom said: Remember any heat you applied may effect the terme finish of the tank , the lead in it could be damaged . Maybe a hook shape to massage it out . Also be careful of the baffles . I was thinking a similar remedy may be a curved body man's "spoon". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticiferTom Posted January 29, 2021 Share Posted January 29, 2021 Yes , May even get a C- clamp in fill hole, use curve blocking on outside and tighten . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leomara Posted January 29, 2021 Author Share Posted January 29, 2021 Good ideas. Gunsmoke, yes it will be seen, here is a photo of the rear on a 1928 Model 72, look where the gas sending unit is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Wolfe Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Why not take it to a body shop that does hail dent repair? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leomara Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hi Tim, I tried that, the paintless repair types say the metal is too thick to "pull out" unlike todays body sheet metal and the regular body shop said to fill it with bondo. I really believe none of these guys know how or want to be bothered doing this so I'm looking for ideas on how to do it myself..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArticiferTom Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 I would go to opposite side, that is never seen . Cut hole , than make gasket and cover for it like modern tank . This will give cleaning and inspection access also . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leomara Posted January 30, 2021 Author Share Posted January 30, 2021 Hi Tom, I've already had the tank cooked out. It's in great shape for it's age and clean as a whistle. I'm not going to cut it open. That I believe would cause more problems than it would be worth. I do like your "C" clamp idea and I'm going to try it. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
viv w Posted January 30, 2021 Share Posted January 30, 2021 Leo, Take it to a radiator repair shop, they can unsolder and take off one end, then you can get the dent beaten out and the radiator guys can refit and solder the end back on, they can also check the condition of the pipe inside the tank whilst they are at it. I took both ends off my series 62 tank to clean it out and get it replated, while it was apart, I found it had many dents that had been filled by old school panel beaters, they had used lead to fill the dents. I took off 36lbs of lead solder and took out the dents. Viv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leomara Posted January 31, 2021 Author Share Posted January 31, 2021 Wow viv w, that's quite a story. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Scafani Posted February 7, 2021 Share Posted February 7, 2021 I have heard that if one were to fill the tank with water and pressurize the tank with compressed air at 10#, tap around the dent with a flat rubber mallet the dent will work out. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFranklin Posted February 8, 2021 Share Posted February 8, 2021 I have taken a dent out of a round ( cylindrical )tank with air and rubber mallet but ended up taking it to a readiator shop to re-solder the seam. Maybe viv w has the better answer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leomara Posted February 9, 2021 Author Share Posted February 9, 2021 I'm going to go with bondo, least intrusive, least difficult, least expensive and correctly done undetectable and functional. Thanks for all the input. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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