Grabber Lime 429 Mach Restoration Update - Fuel Tank

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Joined
Aug 27, 2010
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Location
Canton, MIchigan
My Car
1971 429 CJs: Grabber Lime, Grabber Blue, White, Dark Green Metallic (2), Pewter, Red Convertible 1972: Sprints (3), 1973: Pink Convertible (2)
Finally starting to work underneath the car again and got the fuel tank installed.  Had to call the wifey to come down and help hold it up so I could position in place then attach the straps.  Found my original evap hose with the part numbers still on it.  Got the fuel filler neck in and the rubber gasket.   Next up is the honeycomb moldings, then onto the rear suspension restoration. 

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Going to be an eye catcher for sure. Just checking you did black the area beside the tail lights in back?
Yes sir.   Took your advice and looked at one of my other original cars and used that as a template.   I made mine a little too perfect though rather than the way the assembly line did it. 

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Had to call the wifey to come down and help hold it up so I could position in place then attach the straps.
That sounds good - even under the Mustang  :biggrin:  

Furthermore your work looks beautiful! From this undercarriage you could eat of! But no, we won't...  :thumb:

How do you painted the blackout on the tail panel? 1K spray paint without sanding on a taped section? 

Which color did you the straps on the tank? Is it a dark grey or a black? Do you know which color they where originally? Will restore my original ones but they a brushed over with some goo... 

 
How do you painted the blackout on the tail panel? 1K spray paint without sanding on a taped section? 

Which color did you the straps on the tank? Is it a dark grey or a black? Do you know which color they where originally? Will restore my original ones but they a brushed over with some goo... 
I taped around the area I wanted to paint, including covering the taillight openings.  Then used a scuff bright pad on where the black was going to go, and then just used spray paint (semi-gloss black) to paint it. 

I ended up painting my fuel tank straps with cast blast (natural color) and the carriage bolts should be a lighter finish.   The nuts I painted a mixture of reds/maroons to make it look the factory color (which you can buy from AMK, but I like using my originals and blasting them and painting them back).  I have seen comments where some straps were black and others natural finish, so I am not sure which is correct (maybe one of the other experts can tell us), but I liked the natural look better. 

 
Mike you're one of my hero's!! Absolutely fantastic work! So clean!

Small question: where did you find brake & fuel line fasteners?
I have those in my parts area in containers.  Whenever I take apart a 71-73 Mustang, I keep all the fasteners.  I am lucky enough to have a couple of original cars along with 30+ parts cars, so I use those as templates if I am not sure of the exact fastener. 

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Never drive faster than your guardian angel can fly 
Interesting quote on the bottom with your signature.  I have that same quote on my drag car!!!

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"  Whenever I take apart a 71-73 Mustang, I keep all the fasteners.  I am lucky enough to have a couple of original cars along with 30+ parts cars"
Of course ... you lucky B!  :D

I'm thinking about making a dye for these and make some myself out of stainless. As the new SS lines I bought are a tad smaller in radius and would not hold them well sideways
Oh well, some water will pass under the bridge before this is on my todo but was wondering if there was a place to go to buy some.

@timachone, I did same as Mike on my 73. painted them light grey (see pict) . I do recall the original ones that were corroded only at the top near the long bolts that they were in the same light phosphate finish as other rear suspension parts. However I've painted the tank in the same dark metallic green as the lower part of the car while the original would be zinc/light grey  colour. So they pop more to the eye than if they would be on a grey tank. Which I find more classy (as far as a fuel tank can be classy :D  ) 

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I taped around the area I wanted to paint, including covering the taillight openings.  Then used a scuff bright pad on where the black was going to go, and then just used spray paint (semi-gloss black) to paint it. 

I ended up painting my fuel tank straps with cast blast (natural color) and the carriage bolts should be a lighter finish.   The nuts I painted a mixture of reds/maroons to make it look the factory color (which you can buy from AMK, but I like using my originals and blasting them and painting them back).  I have seen comments where some straps were black and others natural finish, so I am not sure which is correct (maybe one of the other experts can tell us), but I liked the natural look better. 
Mike, concerning painting the blackout on the tailpanel I thought of it exactly the way you described it - thank you! 

I would say the natural finish look on your straps look really good, as meant to be. I think as there is a contrast between tank and straps it will look good no matter what shade the color is. I think I will go a little mor darker... I will also use my original nuts and bolts, the threads look all fine. I have seen the special redish finish in some nuts of AMK too, I have some for the brake spindles and the idler arm. What's the idea behind this special finish originally? And how do you achieve this special tint? 

 
I have those in my parts area in containers.  Whenever I take apart a 71-73 Mustang, I keep all the fasteners.  I am lucky enough to have a couple of original cars along with 30+ parts cars, so I use those as templates if I am not sure of the exact fastener. 

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Wow, that are some really good assortments full of fasteners, awesome! 

 
"  Whenever I take apart a 71-73 Mustang, I keep all the fasteners.  I am lucky enough to have a couple of original cars along with 30+ parts cars"
Of course ... you lucky B!  :D

I'm thinking about making a dye for these and make some myself out of stainless. As the new SS lines I bought are a tad smaller in radius and would not hold them well sideways
Oh well, some water will pass under the bridge before this is on my todo but was wondering if there was a place to go to buy some.

@timachone, I did same as Mike on my 73. painted them light grey (see pict) . I do recall the original ones that were corroded only at the top near the long bolts that they were in the same light phosphate finish as other rear suspension parts. However I've painted the tank in the same dark metallic green as the lower part of the car while the original would be zinc/light grey  colour. So they pop more to the eye than if they would be on a grey tank. Which I find more classy (as far as a fuel tank can be classy :D  ) 

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Fabrice, you changed the conventional paint scheme in the opposite direction! But I have to say it looks really good on your car, I like it. The axle, too. 

 
Just wanted to thank you for posting all these details.  very helpful to me as most of the time I cannot tell what was original on my car and what was not.  Can you tell me what size the holes in the back panel for the honeycomb trim should be?  I have mine drilled out but not large enough.  Seems like the original holes are quite large?  Thanks again,  Bryan

 
"  Whenever I take apart a 71-73 Mustang, I keep all the fasteners.  I am lucky enough to have a couple of original cars along with 30+ parts cars"
Of course ... you lucky B!  :D

I'm thinking about making a dye for these and make some myself out of stainless. As the new SS lines I bought are a tad smaller in radius and would not hold them well sideways
Oh well, some water will pass under the bridge before this is on my todo but was wondering if there was a place to go to buy some. 
Tell me what fasteners you need and I will send you some.

 
Mike, concerning painting the blackout on the tailpanel I thought of it exactly the way you described it - thank you! 

I would say the natural finish look on your straps look really good, as meant to be. I think as there is a contrast between tank and straps it will look good no matter what shade the color is. I think I will go a little mor darker... I will also use my original nuts and bolts, the threads look all fine. I have seen the special redish finish in some nuts of AMK too, I have some for the brake spindles and the idler arm. What's the idea behind this special finish originally? And how do you achieve this special tint? 
I originally thought the reddish finish originally was like loctite, to stop them from coming loose.   But it seems to be just a finish, so not sure why to be honest.  Hopefully someone on the forum can tell us why.   I did the same on the front suspension with the reddish nuts. 

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Just wanted to thank you for posting all these details.  very helpful to me as most of the time I cannot tell what was original on my car and what was not.  Can you tell me what size the holes in the back panel for the honeycomb trim should be?  I have mine drilled out but not large enough.  Seems like the original holes are quite large?  Thanks again,  Bryan
Let me get you the size of the holes off some of my original cars. 

 
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