Ok, let me go back in time a bit. Trying to get Traveller back on the road for the last couple months and after a total carb rebuild and fuel system clean up, it was time to TRY and get the tank back in shape - remember it sat with gas in it for 3 years without running. Well, the tank was beyond just a clean and coat.....looked good on the outside.
But even after 8 gallons of apple cider vinegar washed and sit and washed and drained and washed through it again - it was still really rusty on the inside and if I was going to try and use it, I would have to get it to a welder and get a new flange put back on - the only thing keeping the gas in was the O Ring around the sending unit.
This is through the fill flange - AFTER 8 gallons of vinegar and washing 8 gallons of rusty sludge out of it.
Well, anyway, I felt it was a safety issue to try and use the tank for much more. I was looking though ebay and found a salvage tank in Tennessee and they said it had a couple of scratches. I wrote them and asked if there was rust or dents - no. Well, we worked out a price of $450 including shipping and the deal was on. Just mailed on Monday and today UPS truck stops and drops it off. WHOOOO-HOOOOOOO! It was from a black Interstate.
Man, it was BETTER than what I was expecting. Not a dent on her. In the pictures on ebay it must have been reflections that looked like scratches - that were not. Tank was WAY CLEAN.
Cleaned her up and through some McQuires Carnuba wax on her and she sure shined up nice.
It didnt come with the sending unit or lockset, so used the ones off of Traveller's tank. Rolled Traveller out of the garage to give it a test fitting.
Looked good! After 16 years and over a 100k miles, I am going to have to put a paint job on Traveller -but until then, it actually looks good with the blank tank!!!!
Also ordered the whole set of engine hanger covers/carb cover ends from Matt at Carolina Bike and Trike and the mail lady dropped it off this evening.....Whooooooo-Hoooooooo....like Christmas all over again! Thanks Matt - will open it tomorrow.
Traveller is coming back together - slowly but surely..............WHOOOO-HOOOOO! Man, I am getting excited! I may be able to crank her back up tomorrow from an actual fuel tank for the first time in years......man, she is going to come back even better than before. Real happy with the tank and think it was an awesome price for such a clean one. Another coat or two of wax, and you wont even be able to see the super fine scratches it had.
