Quote:
Originally Posted by Vezo, Part II
Well what appeared to be a simple job kicked my butt. The 1988 (Open?) celled foam was simple to remove with a narrow trenching shovel, and was Framming saturated in fuel. No real surprise, I guess. After removing approx. 50 pounds of foam I was able to bust tank loose from remaining foam below the tank and thought I was done. Only a few gallons left in tank and it was loose.
Now the difficulties. Aft, I still have the inch and a half strip of deck across the top of the tank, which secures the hinges to the old dog box. Here I have almost a half inch of clearance between top of tank and bottom of deck. The real problem is the tank was not custom built. I ass-u-me the PO ordered this tank and when it arrived some COBB Artistry was required.
First, the tank was not flush on fore and aft ends. Then it was not long enough to be mounted close to the forward bulkhead, AND simultaneously rest on glassed in cross member of engine forward mounts. SO, they glassed in another 2 X 6 just forward of factory cross member, in hopes of supporting the aft end of the tank. Working alone, all foam removed, the tank is 3/8" too long!!!
Now, rather than cut the new forward cross member back a half inch to drop tank in aft, elevate rear end of tank up, slide it aft onto the newly added 2 X 6 shelf, and drop the forward end in, they cut the width of the tank out of the deck floor at the forward bulkhead!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now it is PINCHED in place! After wrestling with this for 45 minutes, I realized I was sweating so badly (day before's BEER!) I was feeling the monkey on my back! Then I started wrenching from my gut the flavor of 8 year old fuel! Climbed out, showered and hit the sofa under air vent and ceiling fan!
A freaking 28 gallon tank! Guess I'm getting old!
Lessons learned? 79 MA has a beautifully finished gel coat fuel tank coffin box. Seafari does not. MA has Potter Putty still waiting to be removed, making me believe the tank removed may have still been the original. Under these circumstances, you cannot achieve enough positive ventilation.
In conclusion, Seafari is moving out to the center of my yard, uncovered, full sun, afternoon storms, away from all trees, and trailer tongue JACKED!!!!!!!!! Headed up to the country to help a tortured brother remove a Pontiac 400 and 400 tranny out of his 71 LeMans. Oh yeah, and reinstall entire rear end, drum brakes, fuel tank, etc.. Let the games begin!
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Vezo- Sorry you have having so much trouble with removing it. As I may have mentioned at Long Point, it was not difficult to remove my tank from my 20' Seafari (it is the original, as I am the original owner). I drained out all the fuel I could. As for the foam, mine was only between the tank and the stringers, nothing "glueing" it to the bottom of the tank. I was leary of sparks, so think I basically made some chiesels from wood and chipped, pried & vacuumed out the foam. Although I was able to briefly lift the tank by myself, I got a friend to help lift it out of the hole. I believe the hole was shorter than the tank, so the tank had to be tipped to get it out. That's about it for removal.
As a college kid, my dad told me at midnight when I was attempting to get the distributor back & properly aligned into my small block Chevy after numerous tries, "Things will go much smoother in the morning when you are rested!" Yup, in the morning it went in on the first try- and we wonder why
the old-man was so smart! (Later did I learn the secret to making it work the first time, every time.)