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Re: Beware the Spitfire trunk (boot) ...

To: Martin_A._Secrest@NEB.VOA.GOV
Subject: Re: Beware the Spitfire trunk (boot) ...
From: Nolan Penney <npenney@erols.com>
Date: Wed, 23 Apr 1997 15:04:20 -0700
Cc: triumphs@Autox.Team.Net
If by pull the dent out of your gas tank you mean drill holes and install 
a slide hammer, you have not taken nearly enough precautionary steps.  
There's a pretty fair chance you're going to ignite the fumes in there 
while you drill.  Fill the tank with water instead, then drill.  You will 
also now have the problem of filling back in lots of holes in your fuel 
tank.

A better start would be compressed air.  Blows many a dented tank back 
into shape.  Give that a try first.  

And you can use horseshoe attachments on a slide hammer to avoid drilling 
holes.  Snake the horseshoe into the tank, yank, and punch the dent out 
from the inside.

All of which still leaves you with a serious problem.  You've got paint 
flaking all over the inside of your tank.  You really need to completely 
strip the tank, or else learn to enjoy the frequent stops you'll be 
making as the flakes block up the intake tube.  New fuel filters every 
couple of days won't take care of the problem, because the flakes will be 
getting across the intake of the pickup tube, blocking fuel flow there.  
You can take out the flakes floating around today, but the surface has 
been all fractured.  More flakes are going to be coming off tomorrow, the 
day after, next week, etc.  That's why I advise very strongly against 
using tank coats.  There's a reason the factories never do this.

You might be best off just shoping around for a replacement tank at this 
point.


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