Gas tank date codes

[Dave69x33]

** Adding a summary to Dave's original post **

 - The date is stamped on the front right corner of the tank. 67 has a calendar week code. 16 D 7 would be the 16th week of 67, day shift. 40 6N would be 40th week of 66, night shift.
 - The format changed in 68 and 69 to have the week counted from the beginning of the model year. The extended 69 model year used tanks dated for the 70 model year.

 - There are pics of the codes in the thread and my last post has the compiled data from the thread, organized by build date.      Kurt

** end summary **


I recently read a discussion topic relating to gas tanks.  In the discussion, gas tank date coding and design of the seam stitching was mentioned.  This prompted me to get my original tank out of storage and look for the date code, study the seam stitching, and compare the original bends in the flange versus those on my reproduction tank. 

The following pictures show the date code and its location.

I would like to confirm the date code "37 69", which I assume March 7, 1969.  My Camaro was assembled "05A", or the first week of May.

Questions:
For those of you with a 1969 survivor, or your original tank, what is your date code vs. the build data of your Camaro? 

If your tank is date coded in the same location as mine, you’ll find it stamped on the passenger side, rear corner flange, facing downward and visible from the bottom of the car.

Does anyone know of a shop or an individual that restores original gas tanks?  I need to have a few minor dents removed, and prefer to have the tank exterior re-galvanized back to its original look rather than use the “tank tone” paints available?

I plan to consult with local paint less dent removal companies about removing the dents.

Thanks! 

[rich69rs]

Dave,

I just had the tank out of my 01C Norwood built RS this past Oct as a part of the restoration of the rear undrcarriage.  The tank was totally cleaned, stripped, sealed, etc. 

I have rechecked the pictures I took as well as taking another look under the car at the tank.  There were no stampings or date codes anywhere on it.  Sorry I couldn't provide any helpful info.

Good luck

Richard

[JohnZ]

If your tank is date coded in the same location as mine, you’ll find it stamped on the passenger side, rear corner flange, facing downward and visible from the bottom of the car.

In the second photo, it appears to be on the front corner on the driver's side, not the passenger side?

[69 skunk]

Found mine right where John Z. said, front corner, drivers side.
The date appears to be 2 4 69 with the 4 stamped upside down. Anyways the car is 06A build.

[1968RSZ28]

I just checked the original gas tank on my Van Nuys built 02C '68 Z/28.  John Z is right again as far as the stamp location (front corner on the driver's side).  My tank is stamped...  68 2 7

Paul

P.S.  I never noticed this before!  It's always very cool to find out new information like this...   

[Pex68]

I brought this up in the other thread.  The survivor judges at the show said it was year and day, no month.  Not sure how correct that interpetion is, especially now seeing others, but my car is a 12D 68 and stamp is 68 20 so go figure.  They also had a original 69 Baldwin Phase 3 car at the show this year and the tank had an extra number in there, was like 69 8 28 if I remember correctly.  They were all scratching our heads at that one.

And yes, drivers side front corner.



So I'm curious, how did your reproduction tank compare to the original?

[1968RSZ28]

Chris -

Based on your gas tank date code (68 20) it looks like the year and Julian date is the correct format.  They wouldn't have dated something February 0.

Our gas tanks were made one week apart (my tank date code is 68 27) on a Saturday!  January 27th, 1968 works for my 02C car, but I'm curious what the judges had to say about your tank's date code (January 20th, 1968 for a 12D car).  Did they think it was mis-stamped?  Replaced?  Or?

Paul     

[Dave69x33]

Sorry everyone....I glanced at my picture and described the location incorrectly.  Thanks for the correction.

It is kind of cool to uncover some new date code on a part.  Again, I read about date codes on tanks on CRG then had to get my old original tank out to see if I could find the date code.  My goal was to uncover some common date coding on tanks versus the build date of our Camaros.  Hopefully we can uncover more on this topic!

PS: Much to my wife's dismay, I am glad that I am a "pack rat" and never throw any of those "old, rusty and dirt parts" stored in the attic.

Pex68,

The repro tank appears identical except for the bends in the mating flange.  It is hard to get good pics of the repro tank installed my car to clearly show the difference.  Attached are a couple pics of my original tank showing the bends.  If you by a repro, hopefully you can use these pictures or your original tank to compare.  I restored my car back in 1995 – 2000, so better quality tanks may now be available.

Richard,

What did you use to strip and seal your tank?  I thought about using paint stripper on my, then try to buff it back to the approximate original look then clear the tank with a satin clear. 

Thanks Everyone.

[Dave69x33]

Here is one more pic of my original tank to see the bend in the flange.

Dave

[rich69rs]

There were no stampings or date codes anywhere on it.

Gentlemen,

I stand corrected.  Took another careful look under the car at the tank and sure enough, on the LH (driver) side front corner on the bottom the tank is coded 22 69 (Julian date; i.e. 22nd day of 1969), which would be consistent with my 01C Norwood build.  All four numbers are very lightly stamped.  The 69 is barely visible, but it is there.  Stamping is so light I never noticed it before, even after detailing the tank.  See attached picture.

Another great example of how this forum brings knowledge to us all.

[rich69rs]

Richard,

What did you use to strip and seal your tank?  I thought about using paint stripper on my, then try to buff it back to the approximate original look then clear the tank with a satin clear. 

My tank (original to the car) was covered with dealer undercoating.  It is a mess to get off.  Several applications of airplane paint stripper (available at WalMart), some scraping to get as much off as possible, then I went over the entire tank with a wire wheel (actually about 3 wheels) to get the tank completely stripped down to bare metal on the outside.  First picture shows the tank after it came out of the car.  Second picture shows the tank after stripping and wire wheel cleaning.  Picture in following post shows the tank ready to go back into the car.

The inside of my tank was rust free and in very good condition, so I rinsed it out and then chemically cleaned and sealed it with a product from Eastwood.  Outside of the tank was finished off with a zinc oxide tank tone paint, also from Eastwood. 

[rich69rs]

The attached pic is after the tank was finished.

[Buddy]

First Question I have is...Does 67's have date codes? Where?  If not, should I restore the original or replace it with repro??

I think I know the answer.....here comes more work and cost...aarrrgggg.

Thx
Buddy

[JohnZ]

The attached pic is after the tank was finished.

Although the vendors love to sell parts that never existed, insulators were never used between the tank straps and the tank on any 1st-gen Camaro; they were only used between the top of the tank and the underbody.

[Pex68]

Chris -

Based on your gas tank date code (68 20) it looks like the year and Julian date is the correct format.  They wouldn't have dated something February 0.

Our gas tanks were made one week apart (my tank date code is 68 27) on a Saturday!  January 27th, 1968 works for my 02C car, but I'm curious what the judges had to say about your tank's date code (January 20th, 1968 for a 12D car).  Did they think it was mis-stamped?  Replaced?  Or?

Paul    

I have an old GM tank on my car I bought years ago-there's no stamp on that tank for whatever reason so it was considered replaced but GM.  I guess they only stamped the production ones?
I'm not about the date code format though, my impression of their explanation was it was year & day but day could be of any month.  It didn't make sense to me then and defiantly doesn't now seeing a 37 for a day...but I have also never seen anything other than a 2 digit code in the second part either.  If it was Julian, there obviously would be 3 digit codes.  Weeks would make more sense for the code format, but that would put a lot of the posted codes after the build date of the cars-and still leave my tank WAY early so I have no idea how to decipher the code.