Painting a gas tank question

[57larry]

my buddy, Joe & I are putting a 69 Camaro gas tank under the bed of a 68 Chevy C10. the tank is new. should we paint the tank? if so, what color, black, silver, white? thanks, Larry

[enjenjo]

You don't have to paint it, it's plated for rust, but if you want to you can.

[wayne petty]

you might want to talk to the automotive paint suppliers about some of the flexible bumper additive .. to reduce cracking .

one might want to wait and see what Idrivejunk says.

[Mac]

If the tank is plated it's no doubt zinc / galvanized. Make sure the coating you use states that it's compatible with zinc or use a primer that is as a barrier coat. There's a reaction called saponification at work, also how soap is made.

[idrivejunk]

You don't have to paint it, it's plated for rust, but if you want to you can.

^^^^
This.

Normally an exterior coating is present on new tanks. If you wish to apply color just be gentle with that coating when scuff-sanding, and test-paint a small unseen area first to see if your paint conflicts with it. Personally I would expect to see silver or black on a tank but any color is fine.

[57larry]

thank you for the replys. didn't know it had a coating, we probably will not paint it now. thanks again, Larry

[manyolkars]

thank you for the replys. didn't know it had a coating, we probably will not paint it now. thanks again, Larry

Its not the outside that you need to worry about. Theres no coating on the inside and thats where the rust comes from that causes problems.  Tank sealer from POR 15 is the best I have found and I have been sealing tanks for about 30 years, I've done so many I wish I had counted them.