This tank has light surface rust inside. I want to restore properly and not damage the baffles inside or remove the copper plating under the black paint on the outside. What should be done? Thanks, Mark

I would check with a radiator shop to see if boiling it out would properly clean it and what they recommend. I am interested in this too as my tank definitely needs to be restored.

BBs and a rotisserie, you will be amazed.

properly???
Strip it at a radiator shop by getting it dunked.
Send it to a chrome plating shop and have them replate it with copper, then powder coat it black.

After it gets stripped, have it pressure tested for pinhole leaks.

Rich

I imagine the radiator shop can pressure test?

Should I just add some oil inside the tank once it is dunked to keep it from rusting?

Yep to all the above. Had mine stripped, pressure tested, and then painted. Then never used it.

Steve Hurt

I've seen lots of people posting electrolysis techniques on biker websites for getting the rust out of motorcycle tanks.

I would not put any kind of coating that wasn't truly baked on. I'll 2nd the boiling out at a radiator shop and then give an ospho treatment.

Boiling out sounds good... I'm guessing this works for steel tanks?

I think bikers go with the electrolysis method so they can try to keep the original paint on the tank where possible. Or just maybe because people who ride old bikes are just CSOBs.

Is it for sale?

Sent you an e-mail.