Hans1965 Posted January 24, 2022 Share Posted January 24, 2022 I found this in the tank of my 1952 Super Riviera. If you have no brass float available for your tank sending unit, why not take a cork? Cheers! I wonder what you may have found in your cars, that didn't belong there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37_Roadmaster_C Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 Hans, are you sure the car came with a brass float? The cork in your picture looks exactly like the factory cork float in my 37. Just saying... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans1965 Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 In my 49 Super convertible was a brass float. Cannot imagine they switched back to cork for 52. Or in the 49 it has been replaced overtime. But the way it was fixed to the sender unit looks very improvised. So you are saying, the cork float was standard for many years? That's really surprising me. Mine looked bad and is not really 100% intact. What's the sense to use material that can easily block the gas line.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloo Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 1952 should be brass for sure. I don't recall what year Buick stopped using corks. They are fairly common. Originally they were sealed in shellac I think. Today something alcohol-proof must be used to seal them. Shedding cork really hasn't been an issue, but fuel saturation often has. Some carburetor floats were cork as recently as the 1930s (Marvel). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hans1965 Posted January 25, 2022 Author Share Posted January 25, 2022 My precious cork has not been covered with anything. If there usually was something around to cover it, that makes sense. I put mine on the wall for future generations.... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carbking Posted January 25, 2022 Share Posted January 25, 2022 1 hour ago, Bloo said: 1952 should be brass for sure. I don't recall what year Buick stopped using corks. They are fairly common. Originally they were sealed in shellac I think. Today something alcohol-proof must be used to seal them. Shedding cork really hasn't been an issue, but fuel saturation often has. Some carburetor floats were cork as recently as the 1930s (Marvel). Tillotson (small engine carburetors) continued to use cork floats on some models well into the 1950's. I have found nothing that would adhere to floats AFTER they had been in gasoline. POR-15, or the dope used on model airplane fabric may be used to seal floats PRIOR to being placed in gasoline. As Bloo stated, orange shellac was used on many early floats. Ethanol will cut orange shellac like a hot knife slices through butter. Jon. 2 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Heaps Posted January 26, 2022 Share Posted January 26, 2022 Yes, ethanol re-amalgamates shellac instantly. Learned that refinishing old furniture. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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