Paul Borowski

Dropped tank again, 2nd time in 9yrs. Dropped it 3yrs again doing the rear TrueFlex bumper. Dropped again this time to replace the fuel line, clean up the frame and to drop the rear end. Since I did the halfshaft u-joints and rear bearings about 5yrs ago, everything came apart nicely. Stainless exhaust too just pulled apart easily. One other thing I also removed that is staying off is that tank shield that was on '75-'77 Corvettes. All that stupid thing does is make it harder to change fuel lines and accumulates road dirt in front of that crossmember IN FRONT OF the fuel tank. My '75 is an NCRS car anyways(Non Correctly Restored Stingray :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: ). When I get done with it, it'll be a EGR delete, EFE delete, hood air door delete, A.I.R. pump delete, fuel tank bladder delete, AIR CONDITIONING delete, carbon canister delete, heat riser delete, fuel tank shield delete, vapor line delete, catalytic converter delete. It has many of these "deletes" now, I'm just gonna "delete" some more :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: It will still however have power steering, power brakes, rear defog and power windows unless I feel like deleting 'em too :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: :lolg: .
I also thought since I dropped that tank shield for the first time the tank sticker MAY HAVE been on it, but there was'nt even a trace of glue. :sad:

KenSny

Paul - "If thy part offends thee - remove it"!

I just got the rear bumper of mine this weekend. Very easy. Just kept cracking it by hand until the whole thing fell off (after I removed the lights and such). Now I can work-out the retainer nuts from the rear instead of from under the car....

Now to get the tank out. Funny thing: there's no shield on mine and it all looks original. However the rear bumper had a 1989 date marked inside in felt tip pen, so that's been replaced at least once. So - maybe the tank has been out also. Will know more later......



[Modified by KenSny, 4:43 PM 12/15/2003]

RustyVette

Paul,

"Fuel tank bladder delete" got my attention!!

I have discovered I have a bladder problem on my '76. Supposedly the tank was changed a couple of years ago, but it looks like the bladder has collapsed to me. I'm gonna pull the tank in a couple of weeks and would like to solve the bladder thing once and for all. Saw another ref. to removing the bladder but no details and am looking for a little more guideance.

Do you just pull it out and put everything else back togehter (assuming the rest of the tank is solid) or does it require some other modification?? I see new tanks are available without the bladder but one vendor's notes say to "use your old bladder". Not intesested in that.

Any help would be appreciated.

Doug C.
RustyVette

Paul Borowski

Doug, it's very easy, you can do it in less than a few hours providing you don't have to "torch :lolg: " everything apart. When you have the tank out, carefully remove the "top" panel. This contains your fuel pick-up and sending unit. It comes out as an assembly. Be careful though, as your gauge sending unit has some brittle/plastic pieces to it AND IF your bladder has distorted "over" this assembly, you could damage it trying to get it out. Just carefully work it out if this is your situation. Once you do have it out, you'll see how this "bladder" has a neck which "forms" the gasket to panel seam. Simply cut the bladder away from this panel gasket and THIS TIME reassemble the tank without the bladder. ps DO NOT throw this bladder away-this material is great. I've made jackstand pads, anti-squeak gas tank pads, etc. out of this stuff. Once you get the tank back together, you'll be back to filling 'er up completely again. Mine was to the point where it'd only take 12 gallons and I always thought my '75 could'nt be doing this bad of gas mileage :lolg: It's kinda funny the "shell" or "tank without the bladder" is available, but realistically, it'd probably be over $500 to make this just like GM did. I'm now reading where the '84-'96 cars are now starting to do this to. :lolg:

Paul Borowski

Ken, my retaining studs just started snapping left & right, so I finally just got a 90 degree handheld grinder, and with the bumper off as you did, I just ground the heads of the studs off, then poked them through towards the tank. I just used hardware 1/4" or 3/16" nuts & bolts with washers to do the rear bumper on mine. Did'nt reuse the retainers on it-guess I forgot to mention "retainer delete" :lolg:

How come you needed those tailight retainers-did'nt your car have those either??? :confused:

I'm also curious about that shield, your's should've had it too, unless someone else removed it.

KenSny

Paul.. Just the left stop light housing did not have the retainer set, all the others were there. I guessing that's where it got hit and why they had to replace the bumper in '89. Basically just 2 long screws with a piece of flat bar stock in the back was retaining that 1 tail light housing.

I've got some "liquid wrench" on the bumper retainer bolts now. If they don't come off or they are really rusted thru then I'll go your route.

Yeah, that's a good question. The tank looks original and I suppose that if it got damaged in '89 GM may have had a replacement still in stock. The bladder is down to about 7 gals now before the tank is full. When I get it out I'll be able to see more. I don't see any repairs to the body in the left rear so that just adds to the mystery.....