The_Dude

The rubber lines are leaking, so I'm trying to replace them. I got the front straps off, but I can't get the tank to slide out. I doesn't want to slide forward far enough to clear the rear support. Do I have to loosen or remove the rear bumper? What else should I be looking for? Thanks!

SmokedTires

If the support has 4 bolts to it, I think you'll need to remove it to be able to get the tank out .

The_Dude

The one in the front has 4 bolts, which I removed. It looks like the tank should slide forward and down. The one in the rear is bolted through the frame to the rear bumper. I was under the impression that I didn't have to remove the rear bumper, so I thought that the rear support could stay in place.

SmokedTires

I've had my tank out without removing the bumper. Does it look like the front section is removable :confused: ? I believe that when I removed mine, after removing the spare tire carrier, there were the 2 straps and the cross bar to the tank. Also be sure your disconnecting the gas filler tube, maybe this is what's holding you up.

The_Dude

Yes, I got the two straps and crossbar loose, but I didn't know I could remove the filler tube. I'll take a look. Thanks! :D

A C

Also, if it's like my 69 the tank is a tight fit, and you may have to use a little persuasion to get it out. :smash:

AC

SmokedTires

That's probably it !!!!! Open your filler door, there should be some screws there.

The_Dude

I got it out. But you can't remove the filler with the tank installed. My cap is pretty tall and that was preventing me from removing the tank. Now I just have to figure out how to get at the gaslines on the frame side. The mufflers are in the way and are being pretty stuborn. It looks like I can remove the sheet metal that is around the gas tank and get at them from the inside. It's just been one adventure after another.

A C

I loosened the pipes at the header, then rotated them out of the way (my exhaust is all welded, so removal was not an option). Hope this helps.

AC

SmokedTires

Glad to hear you were able to get it out . Be sure to replace to hoses on the top of the tank that go to the drivers side frame if your 76 is like my 74. I thought these were just a vent hose, but it ruptured one day just after I filled the tank, when I got home I could hear something dripping and when I looked under the back of the car there gas gas running down onto the muffler and steam was coming off of it :eek: ! Could have been very bad, so don't take any shortcuts while your there. ;)

The_Dude

I was able to lower the sheet metal shroud and get at the lines on the passenger side, but the hole in the shroud is too small to get the line on the drivers side. I'm thinking of just cutting the mufflers off with a hack saw and splicing the pipe back together when I get done. One big problem for me is that I'm doing all this one handed after paralyzing my shoulder in a motorcycle accident last Christmas. My wife is able to help some, but there are some things she just can't do. Most of these spaces are so small, you can only get one hand in there anyway :rolleyes: . Thanks all your advice :cheers: !

A C

The only line I remember being on the driver's side was the overflow line from the filler neck, so if you can't replace it, it's probably not a really big deal.

AC

The_Dude

Unfortunately, I was having a hard time removing the lines from the tank, while dropping the tank from the frame, so I cut them all :rolleyes: . I figured I was going to replace them all anyway. I also had to cut the ground wire for the sending unit as the clip was frozen in place. I'm going to splice in another connector for the ground wire, but I'm going to have to replace all of the gas lines. I'm going to let a mechanic wrestle with this on my next Corvette, before they start leaking.