Topic: Original Part vs New

[1980 Georgia Tech GJC]

Everyone,

       I have a specific question concerning when to recondition an old original, date matching part and when to replace that old part.  An example:  years ago I removed, drained and sealed the original gas tank for my 65 fastback.  In general, people install new gas tanks to prevent any problems with rust/particles.  Is it preferred for a concours car to spend the money and time to recondition the old gas tank over replacing it?  Thanks for your advise.

              GJC

[Bob Gaines]

Everyone,

       I have a specific question concerning when to recondition an old original, date matching part and when to replace that old part.  An example:  years ago I removed, drained and sealed the original gas tank for my 65 fastback.  In general, people install new gas tanks to prevent any problems with rust/particles.  Is it preferred for a concours car to spend the money and time to recondition the old gas tank over replacing it?  Thanks for your advise.

              GJC

I hope that you are not just wanting justification to use a well worn part that no longer can be made to look like new. If you are not one of that crowd then typically you can not recondition a used gas tank with the exterior plating to look like new for concours level appearance. If you are able to make the exterior to look as new more power to you. For example I was able to achieve the proper look but was fortunate enough to have had the original tank I was working on covered with undercoating early in its life undercoated so after the time to strip off the undercoating the plating was easy to freshen. Unfortunately most are not that fortunate. The point is to present the concours level car and its parts as new assemblyline. How you get to that point by thinking outside the box etc. is the challenge.  If you can't recondition your used original tank then there are alternatives. The hard to find NOS service tanks typically did not have drain plugs like assemblyline . There are repro tanks that come with the drain plug . Some repro tanks once installed are obvious non original replacements because the exterior surface is painted a silver color instead of being plated as the assemblyline tanks were. There are better ones that are properly plated and have the original assemblyline look. Good repros can be modified with date codes if you choose however even if they are the date codes and or ribbon welding is concealed once properly installed . In the context of how you asked your question the expectation is a outward appearance that looks like assemblyline new. If you can't achieve that expectation by refurbishing then that is the time to replace that worn "old part"

[1980 Georgia Tech GJC]

Thank-you.  Just what I need to hear.

[J_Speegle]

Bob covered that very well

As a side note its important for many of us to retain the original parts (not specifically referring to large pieces like gas tanks)  if we can since there have many examples were over time rebuilding or refinishing the original parts later become an option. But like everything its a choice. Many of us tossed allot of original parts (examples fuel pumps) since, at the time there was no option or place to rebuild them only to have that change many years later. Just a thought and consideration 

[1980 Georgia Tech GJC]

Thank-you for that advise.  I generally do keep old parts.

              GJC