tank sticker

[spikebot 81]

I was just under the rear of my car snooping around and saw the tank sticker hanging down over the front edge of the gas tank. Tried to grab it but its really glued on from above. Any way to retrieve this without droping the gas tank? Possably acsess through the rear compartment?

 

[Peer81]

Mine was reduced to some dust and a few remaining parts. If I were you I would take great caution to take it off because after 25 years it's very brittle. The only thing I can imagine is dropping the tank. Not a big thing to do but I think it isn't easy to remove the fuel lines with the body still on. Good luck!

Groeten Peter

 

[Vette79]

I dropped the gas tank just enough to get my hand in from the top were the filler tube is. I also worked at it from the bottom. It took some time but it can be done. You may lose some of it due to the glue. It is a great find. As Peer81 mentioned, it is very brittle...Good Luck.

 

[spikebot 81]

I dropped the gas tank just enough to get my hand in from the top were the filler tube is. I also worked at it from the bottom. It took some time but it can be done. You may lose some of it due to the glue. It is a great find. As Peer81 mentioned, it is very brittle...Good Luck.

It is very brittle but I can actually see legable writing and some numbers. I was going to have a guy steam clean under the car soon but I think I'll try an get this document out first.

 

[6880 Mike]

...I was going to have a guy steam clean under the car soon but I think I'll try an get this document out first....

I agree. Attempt to retrieve it before you blast it with steam. You will not be able to reach it through the rear compartment, but you might be able to get to it around the fuel tank fill collar.

 

[tcxd40]

All tank stickers were glued to the top of the tank and some were underneath the tank strap as mine was. It is nice to find it however most are falling apart and the ink if you will is faded beyond recognition. I had some access through the tail light openings but ultimately dropped the tank. I did save it in a zip lock bag as it was removed in peices.

If your car was built in St Louis there are no records available. If it was built in Bowling Green your in luck, call the National Corvette Museum and they can get a copy of it for you. They can also provide a copy original factory window sticker. The total cost I think is $60.00

Tcxd40

 

[spikebot 81]

TCX, Thanks for the reply. Kinda old thread I started and didnt finish. Over Chistmas I did drop the tank about a foot and got the sticker off. It was glued right on the back upper corner. The part with glue stayed on the tank but the rest is in my files and quite legable. I'm in washington state, looks like the dealer was in nampa idaho. So this car didnt travel too far from home. Good to have the document but didnt really show any suprises other than dealer location. Mark

 

[jims427400]

Another place to look is under your original front carpets. I had my tank sticker allready in good condition but the last option was hand written in "PO1 hub caps. I've never seen hand written options on a tank sticker before.
Last fall when removing my old moldy carpets, I found another tank sticker, only the left hand side though that had the options typed, and then it also had in blue ink the PO1 option hand written that matched the other tank sticker. It must have been the top copy of the build sheets.

 

[Vette79]

Glad you managed to get the buildsheet off the tank. Too cool, huh? I sent away for the factory window sticker and found no surprises. I did manage to get the location were the car was sent and eventually sold. The dealership is still there and I made contact with them and got some old pictures and details of the location.

 

[TheRedVikingSE]

anybody got any tricks for removing the tank sticker. I recently bought a 69' that I am going to restore. I have the tank out of the car and the build sheet is in ok shape I guess. I would like to preserve it. I am just starting the research part. I beieve it is a L89. My father actually owned the car and has told me about it. See anything special I would appreciate it. I have en thought about cutting the metal around it to preserve it and replace the tank. take a look at the pick and see ewhat you think

 

[GerryLP]

anybody got any tricks for removing the tank sticker. I recently bought a 69' that I am going to restore. I have the tank out of the car and the build sheet is in ok shape I guess. I would like to preserve it. I am just starting the research part. I beieve it is a L89. My father actually owned the car and has told me about it. See anything special I would appreciate it. I have en thought about cutting the metal around it to preserve it and replace the tank. take a look at the pick and see ewhat you think

Of course, take many images of the document..even close up ones, so that at least the information is not lost. You could bring a Public Notary to sign a document for you stating that the document's VIN number matches the Vette's VIN number (just in case).

As far as physically removing it, I removed a newer one (from my 1981 Vette) by spray water lightly so that it would not crumble. But the big glue they use s hard to remove. I have a theory that if one were to dust the document gently with a soft bristle brush (like the wife's blush brush or other like it), and then spray clear coat paint on the document and allow to dry. I believe that after it dries, it should be relatively easy to pry-off the back of the document (or scrape through the glue wad). I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS, BUT I THINK IT SHOULD WORK. At any rate, it would not help anything b y just shoving the tank up there with the build sheet still attached.

But perhaps an NCRS expert would beg to differ.... ;helpAnyone?

 

[IrishJoker]

I would think if you took a sheet of clear laminate and worked it "over" the tank sticker, you should be able to remove the old brittle sticker intact. If you wrinkle the laminate of course that could make it difficult to read. But I think this would be the best way to lift the Tank sticker intact off of the fuel tank.

 

[GerryLP]

I would think if you took a sheet of clear laminate and worked it "over" the tank sticker, you should be able to remove the old brittle sticker intact. If you wrinkle the laminate of course that could make it difficult to read. But I think this would be the best way to lift the Tank sticker intact off of the fuel tank.

Charley,

That's why we need to get a couple of sacrificial stickers to test these ideas. If someone is going to drop the tank and at least take photos of the build sheets, perhaps we could develop the best way to do this. Spraying the build sheet with a little bit of water (and drying the build sheet on newspaper) works, but it did not recover the entire build sheet (the center portion was destroyed, for the wet paper turned to a wad when I tried to lift it with the spatula).

What do NCRS' guys do? I wonder...:confused

 

[Rawj]

Here's my sticker after I took the tank down. Just too much glue to even think of removing it. So, inspected & cleaned the tank, changed all rubber hoses and put new fuel sender gasket.
Now the tank is reinstalled and I'm wondering: Maybe I should've put something over that sticker to protect it !

 

[IrishJoker]

Charley,

That's why we need to get a couple of sacrificial stickers to test these ideas. If someone is going to drop the tank and at least take photos of the build sheets, perhaps we could develop the best way to do this. Spraying the build sheet with a little bit of water (and drying the build sheet on newspaper) works, but it did not recover the entire build sheet (the center portion was destroyed, for the wet paper turned to a wad when I tried to lift it with the spatula).

What do NCRS' guys do? I wonder...:confused

The method I described has been used by me to "lift" a document off another surface before. I will admit the document I lifted was not as brittle as the tank stickers all seem to be. But my methodology is sound. What might want to be tried before the laminate is laid over top of the sticker is to use a flat bladed cake spatula - or what ever it is called - its about 2 inches wide 12 inches long with a handle and is used spread icing on a cake and to work the cake out of the pan, I guess it's called a Cake Knife.
Any way wedge the knife between the tank and sticker and break the glue loose. Once this is done lay a large sheet of the clear laminate over the sticker, press firmly to adhere the sticker to the laminate and carefully lift the whole thing off the tank.

 

[TheRedVikingSE]

Well I guess I am going to take one for the team. I have taken Pictures and maybe will take some more. The Idea I am going try is applying MOD PODGE to the sheet to seal the paper and hopefully give some strength. I am then going to continue with a razor blade scraper to scrape the glue from the the tank. I have applied a sealer to a couple of test spots. I have also tried to scrape some, so far it looks hopefull. I hope tat it isn't something that I regret later.

 

[GerryLP]

Well I guess I am going to take one for the team. I have taken Pictures and maybe will take some more. The Idea I am going try is applying MOD PODGE to the sheet to seal the paper and hopefully give some strength. I am then going to continue with a razor blade scraper to scrape the glue from the the tank. I have applied a sealer to a couple of test spots. I have also tried to scrape some, so far it looks hopefull. I hope tat it isn't something that I regret later.

Thanks Red! We didn't get any responses from NCRS experts here, but I suspect that there would not be any (or very few at least) to re-installing the tank with the sticker still attached. Since its fate would be to disintegrate into the wind....

This is a rather common situation and question asked in CAC, so the donation of your surviving build sheet will go a long ways for the well being of future CAC members asking the same question.

GerryLP:cool