IT is a California truck, not one speck of rust on the bottom side of the truck. Really nice too, I remember trying to do anything on my old mans stuff, since we are in the Northeast everything was always rusted and rotted. Matter of fact, my tank straps are in perfect condition.
I did get the tank back in, got rid of the long filler neck deal. The rubber hose on the inside of the actual filler tube. I just cut it off right below the cap. Everything went back together really easy. Had to do a little acrobatics in order to hold the tank up and get the straps lined up, and the same to get the bolts started on the skid plate, but used my knees to push up on it while I started the nuts, prety easy actually.
Do have one problem though, I let the air out of the tires, and I missed two of them before they let too much air out and came off of the bead. Any idea how to get them back on without having to take them to a tire shop? I was thinking of jacking up the truck and apply air and watering the bead so maybe if I pull/push on them enough I can get them to take a seat. No idea, that is how I usually do it on the jeep, but these wheels and tires are a might bigger. Scotty