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So I need to repaint my oil tanks for my 65 coupe and 68 targa. My painter says he can't get a sigle stage semi paint for the tanks. He says that the tank will get too hot and destroy the paint. I don't want to powder coat, get media inside, blow off all the copper, or create a hole that leaks.
Let me know what you guys suggest. I reproduced the sender covers and now I just want them both done.
Thanks
Casey
Get a can of semi gloss black spray paint.
Send them to Pacific Oil Cooler. It's not the outside of the tank that is a concern, it's the inside. They come back cleaned ultrasonically and painted like this:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1205404061.jpg
(without the FABCAR baffle mod of course!)
www.oilcoolers.com
I painted mine with single stage Centari a number of years ago and it has held up fine. I don't think the tank gets hot enough to affect regular automotive paint. No hotter than the license plate panel for instance. BTW, I used gloss black + 25% flattener for a semi-gloss finish.
POR makes a high temp paint, that's what I would use. The tanks all seem to rust at the top where it rubs against the inner fender well next time I have mine out I'm going to place some rubber gasket material between it.
VHT make a nice satin black, but trying to cure it at the required temp would be hard, so I don't know about longevity.
Alan UK restores them in the UK so maybe PM him, and ask about the process that he uses.
I'm going for powder coat on mine, after I strip it myself, then a local radiator shop that has a large ultrasonic cleaner for the internals, and it will still get a flush out when I get it back.
Clean the tank and prep it for paint...then attach a wire or coat hanger to it. Place it in the oven to 300 degrees. Then remove the tank with a pot holder using the coat hanger or wire that you attached to it earlier. Suspend it on a painting stand using the coat hanger and apply VHT High Temp black paint, applying several light coats. Heating the tank first will help cure and adhesion process for a long lasting appearance. I've done this one many times on resto projects. Hope this helps.