Renovating petrol tank

[Scott and Jay]

We've had success in home-filling, and -painting - our tanks. I do get them professionally cleaned out (in Acid) - by a local company, called Metal Immersions. On the last job, Jay's D3 Bantam - he also welded up the leaks. After that, however - I filled in the dents, myself. This was with a product called "Newtech, space- age filler. Lots of wet and dry sanding. I use a lacquer paint series they sell, over here - called ColourPak. It's all in spray cans, no breathing apparatus needed. After the primer-surfacer and primer-filler - the saviour was Septone's "Blade Putty". This was for all the minor imperfections, in the surface. You can feel them, better - with your finger. Then about 5 coats of colour, the same with clear-coat. The end product was great. Lots of work, though

[rowan.bradley]

Thanks to everyone for excellent advice. It seems that professional re-chroming is not cost justifiable at present. Therefore I am looking for a more DIY/cheaper way of restoring it that will come as close as possible to a chrome finish but at a substantially lower cost. Has anyone tried this with any of the home electro-plating kits available, or with any of the paint based "chrome" finishes (which mostly seem to use a chemical silver plating technique similar to making a mirror)? E.g.:

• http://chromespray.co.uk
• PChrome system by Peacock Labs https://www.pchrome.com/
• http://spectrachrome.com
• https://www.classic-plating.co.uk/plating-kits/
• Any of the products supplied by Frost Restoration Ltd. https://www.frost.co.uk/paints-coating-plating/automotive-electroplating/electroplating-kits.html, e.g. Brilliant Nickel Plating kit.

Which techniques work best? Which are easiest?

• How similar to genuine chrome plate do they look, in shine, in smoothness, in colour?
• How well do they stand up to British weather?
• How well do they last? What sort of deterioration happens first?
• Can I use non-conductive materials (e.g. epoxy resin) for preparing the surface prior to plating? Can I apply a primer surfacer to get a good flat surface?
• Will petrol spills damage the surface?
• Do I have to take dramatic precautions to protect myself against toxic or caustic materials?

Thanks - Rowan

[RayC10]

If you go for paint, and why not! Try electrolysis to get rid of the rust, works well, washing soda and an old fashioned battery charger will do a great job in a few days but apparently, don't use staiinless for a anode because it makes a nasty toxic solution wot you don't want to put down drains.

[Jules]

My A10 was a mess when I got it donkeys years ago and the tank had been painted over. I cleared it all off and found it was dented badly where the forks had come around and smashed into it. I found a guy back then who "offered" to fix it back to original form without taking the bottom out. He actually knocked all dents out by working through the filler hole, then gave it back to me to "finish off". I didn't have to do much fortunately to metal finish it off by light filing/rubbing the form he had recreated. I then had it double chromed and painted (still no coachlines though!) and its been  wrapped up, sitting on the shelf ever since. I've looked at it a few times since, when we moved house etc, and it seems to have held up ok, I can feel some small pitting but probably no more than my original A7 had back in 1960 something! HOWEVER, I am really concerned about whether its going to leak like a sieve after all these years, especially after reading all the opinions about tank liners, which I guess I had resolved myself to having to use at some point.....I avoided lead filling because I was told in no uncertain terms, that you could not chrome lead!
Definitely go for the chrome IMO, the bike looks sooooooooooo much better  ….

[trevinoz]

Some platers will plate over lead, some won't.
Before you use it, seal it and put a couple of pounds of air into it and give it a bath.
You'll soon see if it leaks.
Don't put too much pressure into it or you will have a blown out tank.

[rowan.bradley]

Whatever you do, that old chrome will have to be chemically stripped off by a plating company.
I just had a Velocette tank done (cost about A$150) and it's SO clean and rustfree inside and out.
Subsequent work, paint etc, will be on a perfectly prepared surface.

Why do I need to remove the old chrome? Will epoxy filler not stick to it? Can I not prime it with primer then paint over it? The process I was thinking of is:
1. Treat the tank with rust remover. Any recommendations on the best rust remover product to use? POR-15 rust preventive paint? Jenolite rust remover thick liquid?
2. Sand it to remove any loose dirt.
3. Fill the dents with epoxy putty.
4. Sand down the putty to where the surface of the tank would have originally been.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the surface seems fine.
6. Prime it.
7. Paint it with a 2 part spray paint.

Will this work? Can you suggest any improvements?

I may also try one of the so called chrome effect paints. Have you tried these? Any opinion on which work best?

Thank you - Rowan

[Greybeard]

 
1. Treat the tank with rust remover. Any recommendations on the best rust remover product to use? POR-15 rust preventive paint? Jenolite rust remover thick liquid?
2. Sand it to remove any loose dirt.
3. Fill the dents with epoxy putty.
4. Sand down the putty to where the surface of the tank would have originally been.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the surface seems fine.
6. Prime it.
7. Paint it with a 2 part spray paint.

Will this work? Can you suggest any improvements?

This is what I did but I got the tank chromed. The painter roughed up the now chromed dent and filled before painting with two-pack. I was happy with the POR15 treatment during the following 12 years that I owned the bike.

[sean]

Whatever you do, that old chrome will have to be chemically stripped off by a plating company.
I just had a Velocette tank done (cost about A$150) and it's SO clean and rustfree inside and out.
Subsequent work, paint etc, will be on a perfectly prepared surface.

Why do I need to remove the old chrome? Will epoxy filler not stick to it? Can I not prime it with primer then paint over it? The process I was thinking of is:
1. Treat the tank with rust remover. Any recommendations on the best rust remover product to use? POR-15 rust preventive paint? Jenolite rust remover thick liquid?
2. Sand it to remove any loose dirt.
3. Fill the dents with epoxy putty.
4. Sand down the putty to where the surface of the tank would have originally been.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until the surface seems fine.
6. Prime it.
7. Paint it with a 2 part spray paint.

Will this work? Can you suggest any improvements?

I may also try one of the so called chrome effect paints. Have you tried these? Any opinion on which work best?

Thank you - Rowan

if your tank is really rusty regular white household vinegar will remove the rust you may have to leave it soaking several days but you can re use the vinegar if you strain it through a paint filter and fill the tank again if all the rust isnt gone ....your next problem will be flash rusting you can treat the tank with metal prep [ phosphoric acid solution used in auto body work ] or depending how bad the tank was rusted you may have thin spots in the metal a liner like Caswell may be an option .
My A10 tank was dented I made a tool and tapped them out through the hole in the filler neck with a body work dollie on the outside of the tank.
if the chrome is flaking or damaged it should be removed ,you can paint over it if it is roughed up with a red scotch brite pad then epoxy primer or an etching primer .
the cost to re plate my tank in 2015 was $600.00 Cdn
before painting spray the tank with a light guide coat of black it will show up imperfections [ the guide coat is available in rattle cans from any auto paint supplier .
as far as top coating I use 2 part base clear but you need a good exhaust system and ambient air supplied hood or papr mask  the isocyanates in the paints are deadly to your longevity on the green side of the grass .
the chrome paints like Alsa are a system you need to purchase and expensive and at the end of the day still a paint and not as durable or shiny as chrome you may have a body shop in your area that has the system .
good luck

[Greybeard]

I'd recommend POR15 based on my experience

[bl**dydrivers]

Myself will be having the tank chromed, so much better than paint and is of course a personal preference

I have an original tank, stripped and has rust pits.
Found an original with a huge dent at the front looking like the forks hit it and the chrome has no dents.
And found another original in excellent condition other than a couple of small dents and again not within the chrome area.

All are UK 4 or 5 gallon tanks with pear shaped emblems. Pretty rare in US!


Either way will be having the one I choose rechromed and just a matter of finding a place do to a great job and start saving.

Having it chromed cry once being broke and have it done correctly will be beautiful once done