What ways have members restored there Gas Filler Tubes???

Thanks everybody,

AL

There was a similar post a while back and I thought someone mentioned that the finish of the tube may contain lead and you will need to protect yourself if that is the case.

Regarding restoring the filler tube, I was told by member JDMOPAR that...

fine steel wool will polish your filler tube up nicely if it's just dull.

I'm sure others will have good advice.

Joe

If it is rusted inside you can put the cap on and stand it on end then fill the tube with Zep quick prep from home depo...let it sit in there for a day to de-rust the inside. For the outside just polish it lightly with very fine #0000 steel wool.

Find someone with a tumbler large enough for it to fit. You will love it! They turn out fantastic.

Original finish was a Galvanized Steel.

If you can have it chemically de-rusted and stripped and then re-galvanized, that would be the correct way to do it.

bogusracer

That is true and I did that once with head light buckets and filler tube. The problem is getting someone to galvanize it smooth. Most shops will return it with a very rough finish and all the holes/threads will be filled up as well requiring drilling and tapping. I still had to tumble it after to help smooth it out. It was a lot of extra work but looked good in the end. I think the stampers used pre-galvanized sheets before forming the product. I know this is true with Chebby disc brake backing plates. Most here would be happy with tumbling originals - they actually turn out pretty nice.

They were NOT galvanized !!! The process was a lead dip coating to prevent sparks when refueling. You can easily see the lead dip when you lightley clean them with steel wool. It should look very good with just the steel wool.

Yep, I believe it is tin coated, which has a high lead component. FYI if u put the tube in EVAPO-RUST, a yellow film is generated which is problamatic to remove DAMHIK. I spoke with the EVAPO-RUST chemist and he confirmed they had seen the yellow stuff in their lab, and it is some sort of reaction with the lead.

Also, any sheet metal galvanized part (such as headlight bucket) typically starts with hot rolled galvanized sheet metal, which is then formed into the shapes you see. If you attempt to re-galvanize, the sheet metal will lose it's formed shape, and you end up with junk.

The finish is actually a lead/tin combination, and definitely NOT galvanizing. If it were electro-galvanized, you could not scratch the surface with your fingernail (examples of electro-galvanizing are the automatic transmission dust shields and license plate holders). As far as RE-galvanizing, and as far as the EPA is concerned, that is a big no-no. Electro-galvanized items exist, but the raw material sheets are finished first, and then cut and formed into whatever the end product is. In lieu of CAREFUL and THOROUGH cleaning with steel wool or other methods (hopefully yours has no external rust), the closest option is hot-dip, but the appearance will not be the same. Hot dip is also much thicker.

Bill Rolik

Totally agree with Bill.
Jules

with Bill, Jules, and THESHAKERPROJECT.

Tav

Thats true with the Evaporust, thats why I used the ZEP QUICK PREP from Home Depo to de-rust the inside. Strip the outside of any overspray with spray strip paint stripper. If the outside is rusted bad you can easily find another tube here on Moparts. Good luck.

If it was dipped in lead, why couldn't you retin it with lead again? Seems like that would be a pretty simple process. Torch, flux, lead and you have a refinished tube.

let us know how it turns out. + pics if you can.

Tav

Use "tinning butter" it's ground up lead/tin mixed in with flux. should leave a nice thin coating. In the old days you would apply this to prepare the surface for leading.