How to maintain patina on fuel tank

M

mitchn06

New Member
Hey fellas, how does one maintain the patina of an old tank? I do not want to sand down and make it look like new, I want the tank to be original. It does have some surface rust. Not sure how to do it. Ideas from people hat have done this please.
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So you're wanting to keep the current level of rust and dirt without it getting rustier and dirtier?
 
Leave it alone and ride.

It took 30-40 years to get to where it is. The next 15 aren't going to destroy it. You could wax it, spray it with clear, whatever, but unless you're storing it outside by the ocean, the tank isn't going to rust through anytime soon. And if it is so badly rusted that it is about to start leaking, then it's a lost cause anyhow.
 
Tim said:
Leave it alone and ride.

It took 30-40 years to get to where it is. The next 15 aren't going to destroy it. You could wax it, spray it with clear, whatever, but unless you're storing it outside by the ocean, the tank isn't going to rust through anytime soon. And if it is so badly rusted that it is about to start leaking, then it's a lost cause anyhow.
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That is very true. Have any suggestions on the current rust on the outside of it?


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Its a bit tough to treat spots of rust without harming the rest of the paint. I would try some scotchbrite and vinegar to scuff away the rusty spots. Just be careful not to catch the paint. You could wetsand and clearcoat the whole thing, which may remove some of the rust from patches but you will need to be pretty aggressive to get it down to bare metal.
 
I soaked the original XL tank in vinegar with the factory paint. The paint was bad, but it didn't remove it or have any noticeable effect.
 
Distilled white vinegar does just about the same job as metal rescue at a fraction of the price. Adding a little salt to the vinegar speeds up the process a bit. Just don't leave cheap pot metal in there too long. After a few days submerged, I discovered the only thing left of and old petcock were the brass pieces.
 
Evaporust from harbor freight is magic for rust but can leave the metal looking an off grey color. If you use a lacquer clear coat it will prevent further oxidation and maintain the patina. Just clear off grease and dirt first.


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