Should I body filler my tank?

[zohanisback]

Pretty much just fixing it up and selling it. Has some minor pitting from rocks and negligible amounts of surface rust. Should I use body filler to get it perfectly smooth, or just prime and paint the thing? What do you guys think? Maybe just a decent urethane paint? Should I still use the body filler? Thanks!

[BluDestiny]

It's a gas tank, you won't get much more for it if it looks smooth or not. Now if you cleaned, boiled, and coated the inside that would be another story.

[OldAndyAndTheSea]

Yeah, I wouldnt go too far making it perfect.

 

I wouldn't risk making a "Good looking spot" and have the rest come up short aesthetically,

 

And a big plus (to me) would be the use of a GOOD paint, not spray paint. If you're gonna paint it, paint it with a hard paint.

 

Nothing more annoying than draining your fuel and having your gas tank turn back into a rusty hulk from the gasoline (paint stripper)

[zohanisback]

Ok... I might just skip the body filler... Idk. Maybe a basic coat and sand. I do not intend on using spray paint (horrors!!!!!), I'll be shooting it with an actual spray gun. Probably just thinking of using some high quality auto primer. Idk if I want the gas tank shiny with a base and clear coat.

 

Any recommendations on paint? I've looked all over google, but having a hard time finding something that will work and last a long time with gas tanks. Should I use a urethane (still shiny once finished) or base coat with maybe one layer clear?

[Snailed]

Single stage Imron is pretty nice for fuel tanks and under-car stuff like suspension parts and subframes. I'm impressed with how it holds up well to various fluids and tool marks. I'm not a painter but I would think you could add a flattening agent to Imron to make it more of a satin or flat finish. That will hide small imperfections much better than 100% gloss.

[Prest's240]

I like using a single stage urethane paint. That's what we used at the body shop I worked at for areas that would recieve a lot of wear. So basically, I agree with Snailed.

[cockerstar]

Personally, I'd go with a chemical resistant semi-gloss powder coat. It holds up well to intermittent exposure to gasoline. 

If you clean the interior of the tank you can probably have it coated for less than the cost of your paint supplies...

[zohanisback]

Single stage Imron is pretty nice for fuel tanks and under-car stuff like suspension parts and subframes. I'm impressed with how it holds up well to various fluids and tool marks. I'm not a painter but I would think you could add a flattening agent to Imron to make it more of a satin or flat finish. That will hide small imperfections much better than 100% gloss.

Ok cool.  Sounds good to me.  I'll check it out and see what I can get a hold of.

 

I like using a single stage urethane paint. That's what we used at the body shop I worked at for areas that would recieve a lot of wear. So basically, I agree with Snailed.

Ditto.

 

Personally, I'd go with a chemical resistant semi-gloss powder coat. It holds up well to intermittent exposure to gasoline. 

If you clean the interior of the tank you can probably have it coated for less than the cost of your paint supplies...

I thought about it, but:

 

1) I'm not keeping the tank

2) I want the practice painting with urethane

 

Also...the tank is super clean inside.  No rust and all white.  I have suspicions that at one point it was actually dipped and coated.  Rocks just chipped a lot of paint off it, so I figured why not get in the practice and refurbish a perfectly good tank.