LUVTruck.com

So preparing to drop the gas tank out of the LUV and get it all cleaned up. Has anyone every under-coated a gas tank?

While I have it out I am going to do some rust removal and clean up under the bed and frame rails. I have some oil based rust stopping primer I picked up from the hardware store a while back for rust work on the Z, and have plenty left, would this be a good thing to coat everything with underneath before I add the rubberized undercoating? Or would the fact that it is a oil based primer keep the undercoating from sticking?

Any suggestions? I know with my Z (had 5 of them) they always rust out in the same places, (rear of hatch compartment, under diff etc.) so I would assume that this would be common with other classics as well. Are there any common rust areas on these trucks?

From what I've seen under the truck it's pretty rusty, not perforated (that I have seen) but surface rust.

There is a spot in the passenger side front corner of the bed that looks like it is getting pretty bad as it is rusty underneath and above.

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1980 Chevy Luv (1.8L I4, 4-speed) - Should never have bought this pile of crap
1987 Nissan 300ZX (3.0L V6, 5-speed) - Best car I've ever owned

I would suggest you pull the bed off so you can do it right. I took a cup wheel to my frame and then painted it up with some rustoleum. Its a lot easier to work when the bed is off. Its not too hard if you have a cherry picker of a few strong friends.

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Three Amigos

I have been considering pulling the bed off, but I wanted to do that when it came time for paint. It would make things a lot easier, when I pull the bed off I also go through replace the body bushings as well as paint the rear of the cab and inside facing edge of the bed, as well as rhino-line the bed while it's out, along with whatever wasn't finished underneath, by that time.

For right now maybe I should just pull the gas tank and get it cleaned it up? All I am shooting for at this period of time is getting the truck to a reliable state, just figured while I had the gas tank out (because, either way it has to come completely out for me to get the crap out of it, though coming completely out with the bed off would be easier haha) I could at the least clean up in the areas around the gas tank that way when the bed is off I don't have to pull the gas tank again?

Also, what would be the best route for cleaning the gas tank? I would think shaking the gas tank with some diesel fuel (or something better?) and steel bbs inside of it would do the job well?

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1980 Chevy Luv (1.8L I4, 4-speed) - Should never have bought this pile of crap
1987 Nissan 300ZX (3.0L V6, 5-speed) - Best car I've ever owned

Last one I cleaned up I took it to the car wash and blasted the insides with the pressure washer. It had just a layer of crud in the bottom though, no rust on the inside. Then I just got all the water out with paper towels on a stick and let it dry in the sun. It also took all the crud off the outside really nicely as well.

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95 Isuzu Trooper Daily Driver
86 Isuzu Trooper reliable backup
77 LUV 2wd stock beltway blaster (resting)
79 4x4 LUV project: 2.6L, 5spd, 31s (eventually)

MEPR: Man, my 4x4 makes all other LUVs look good

If I only had a pressure washer... lol Most car washes in town don't allow the cleaning/spraying of parts and engine bays. There might be one that allows it, maybe. I'll have to look. A power sprayer would be ideal for this though!

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1980 Chevy Luv (1.8L I4, 4-speed) - Should never have bought this pile of crap
1987 Nissan 300ZX (3.0L V6, 5-speed) - Best car I've ever owned