09-19-2007, 07:05 AM
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Location: New Hampshire
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Patrick
RE: gas tank cleaning/sealing - you get what you pay for.
It is a nasty, smelly job if any old fuel is still in the tank. $300 is less than I would want to clean and seal someone's tank; of course someone will post of this or that shop doing it much cheaper.
Whoever you use, be sure they don't plug the baffle around the fuel pick-up tube when they coat the tank with sealer.
Be mindful that there are two baffle plates in the tank; even with a fiber-optic camera, you can only view a portion of the interior surface. PM me your address if you want more pics of the insides.
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Alfista Sapien
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09-19-2007, 07:23 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Delaware
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 Quote:
Originally Posted by pathung
Anyone in the Bay Area can recommend a shop that restores gas tanks? I found a place locally that estimated $300 just to clean and seal the interior - kinda on the high side, IMO.
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Yeah, $300 "sounds" a little high just to clean and seal a gas tank. But having done the job myself on my '62 Sprint in the early '90's, I'd say it's not too far out of line. If you have it done, be SURE to remove the big brass fitting on the bottom of the tank. It's actually the base of a filter screen, and coating the inside of the tank would result in a plugged screen and no gas to the carbs.
Jim
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62 Giulia Sprint
65 Giulia Spider Veloces (two)
88 Milano 3.0 L
91 Ducati 900 S/S
06 Ducati Paul Smart 1000
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09-19-2007, 07:35 AM
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Director BC Chapter SNO
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Location: Vancouver, B C
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A while ago I recall seeing a new stainless tank for around $400.
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1962 Giulietta Spider: Graphite Grey/red; "Tuned" 2L.
1993 Subaru Legacy Turbo Wagon(200 whp).
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09-19-2007, 03:18 PM
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Alfa Stop and I believe OK Parts both have the stainless tanks. More tha $400 by the time they are here and in the car though.
Gordon Raymond
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09-19-2007, 03:55 PM
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Location: san francisco
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pathung
Looking at the mess of brake tubing in my garage, I decided to give myself a break and just get them re-zinc'ed (in place of bending new ones on my own). I found a shop near work in Fremont, CA - will try it out.
Anyone in the Bay Area can recommend a shop that restores gas tanks? I found a place locally that estimated $300 just to clean and seal the interior - kinda on the high side, IMO.
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61 SS 63 giulia spider
69 gtv, 74 gtv
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09-19-2007, 08:44 PM
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Black is Faster...
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Aptos, CA
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Thanks, all, I'm leaning towards restoring my old tank, as it's in generally good shape, metal-integrity-wise. Thanks in advance for your shop information, alfagtv74.
How's your 101 Spider coming along, 74? Any chance of your bombing down a deserted road with us on 10/13 on the "Giulietta Swing"? If your car's able and you're interested, you could caravan down to the meeting place in Los Gatos with two Sprint Veloces from Berkeley; let me know.
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Patrick Hung
'59 Giulietta Sprint * '63 Giulia Spider * '67 GTV
Costa Rica & Taiwan SNO Chapter Director
Vintage Alfa Registers
Last edited by pathung; 09-19-2007 at 08:46 PM.
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09-19-2007, 10:05 PM
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Location: Connecticut
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I would NOT get the brake lines re-zinc'ed. Several years ago, I was rebuilding the front brakes on a giulietta and reused the lines. They looked perfect with not rust on the outside. As I finished tightening the last fitting the line snapped in two! The line broke halfwaythrough the diameter, then traveled parallel to the line about an inch, then halfway through again. It was rusted from the inside from old brake fluid (with moisture in it) sitting for 40 years. At that point I decided not to reuse old brake line, esp on a single circuit car!
You are doing a very nice restoration, DO NOT compromise on something that could hurt you or the car. Get the Kunifer line. 90/10 nickel copper alloy that will not rust or corrode and easier to work with than steel line. I get it from: http://www.fedhillusa.com
Get a coil of the 3/16 line, 2 or 3 british nut packs and GET THE FLARING TOOL!!!!! It makes flaring the lines SO, SO easy. I have recommended a few people get it and everyone is thrilled beyond belief. A perfect flare takes a few seconds to make, bubble or inverted bubble. SO, SO, SO EASY.
Making the lines is pretty easy also. Take your old line and some mechanics wire. Run the wire the length of the line, straighten it, measure it, cut brake line to the measurement, slide on both fittings, flare and bend. I also put on the clear tubing over the line like the front brakes have for vibration protection. It will probably take a day to do a nice job on all the lines.
If your feeling lazy, check with classic tube or the other place that does lines. They probably have a 'kit' of the lines, you may have to bend them, but not cut and flare. A friend bought some stainless lines for his giulietta a few years ago. They may even offer the kunifer line - my choice!
Good luck!
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09-19-2007, 10:19 PM
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Patrick,
I agree with 1166. Some of the newer materials are far superior to the OEM stuff and easier to work with. If you have doubts, pick up some samples of the higher quality lines available, and a flaring tool and have a go at it. Nothing would be worse than to compromise your work thus far with a brake line failure! Gordon Raymond
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09-19-2007, 10:24 PM
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Black is Faster...
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Join Date: Jul 2005
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlfaDuc
...If you have it done, be SURE to remove the big brass fitting on the bottom of the tank. It's actually the base of a filter screen, and coating the inside of the tank would result in a plugged screen and no gas to the carbs.
Jim
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Patrick Hung
'59 Giulietta Sprint * '63 Giulia Spider * '67 GTV
Costa Rica & Taiwan SNO Chapter Director
Vintage Alfa Registers
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09-19-2007, 10:48 PM
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Black is Faster...
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Aptos, CA
Posts: 1,910
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gordon Raymond
Patrick,
I agree with 1166. Some of the newer materials are far superior to the OEM stuff and easier to work with. If you have doubts, pick up some samples of the higher quality lines available, and a flaring tool and have a go at it. Nothing would be worse than to compromise your work thus far with a brake line failure! Gordon Raymond
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Again, please let me reiterate that I ABSOLUTELY love the BB precisely due to your generous selves; thank you. The BB pig has you to thank for another impending poke by yours truly.
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Patrick Hung
'59 Giulietta Sprint * '63 Giulia Spider * '67 GTV
Costa Rica & Taiwan SNO Chapter Director
Vintage Alfa Registers
Last edited by pathung; 09-19-2007 at 11:04 PM.
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09-19-2007, 11:03 PM
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Director BC Chapter SNO
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If you are doing the "big" brakes with the three leading shoes you will need a pipe bender that will do some rather tight radius bends.
That's to make it look original, otherwise shortcuts can be made.
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1962 Giulietta Spider: Graphite Grey/red; "Tuned" 2L.
1993 Subaru Legacy Turbo Wagon(200 whp).
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09-19-2007, 11:06 PM
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Black is Faster...
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Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Aptos, CA
Posts: 1,910
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Yup, got the 3-shoe drums up front. They're massive.
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Patrick Hung
'59 Giulietta Sprint * '63 Giulia Spider * '67 GTV
Costa Rica & Taiwan SNO Chapter Director
Vintage Alfa Registers
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09-19-2007, 11:51 PM
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I did a complete set of lines on a 3 shoe Giulia spider last year. I had the original lines front the front backing plates as a guide. I used an old wheel cylinder in a vise (to clamp the line in 'as used' position so I could correctly bend it, then I switched to the other (unbent) side to do the same thing) and used a deep socket that I held next to the vise (against it) and bent the line that way. They came out great.
The brakes on 750/101's are Girling (English). 105/115 are english lines with metric ends ONLY for the calipers and master cylinder (ATE - German stuff). 116 on are all metric.
If you want to be really anal, I would only use the male fittings from fed hill and get 5 nice female nuts (for the rubber line to hard line interface) and have them replated. The ones from fed hill work fine (I used them) but are not as deep as the original ones so they don't 'look right'. But really, only you will know...
GET THE TOOL!
Last edited by 1166; 09-19-2007 at 11:57 PM.
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09-20-2007, 07:57 AM
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Location: New Hampshire
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Patrick
I'll second what GR and 1166 have posted.
Don't worry about what spaghetti you made from your first try at copying the brake lines. Cunifer/Kunifer is much more flexible and forgiving than the antiquated junk the U.S. auto supply stores sell. Unfortunately, as with H4 headlights, the U.S. market will take twenty years or more before adopting a superior product.
Since they have been mentioned; Classic Tube sells a pre-bent SS kit for $225. This is a little too Barrett-Jackson, IMO. Another point; you won’t bend SS at home with good results.
The SS gas line they offer is a pricey but good product; again, IMO.
Anyhow, you have multiple choices - choose wisely - your life depends on it!
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Alfista Sapien
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