Took the plunge, and bought one. I hoped for the best and despite some of the feedback regarding me buying one, most told me to buy another spectra tank or convert to 4th gen. I am still learning my car and I prefer plug n play or keep it simple. So, 150 dollars bought me a gas tank, then the shipping cost. Cheapest option was also 150 dollars, so... what did 300 bucks get me?

It appears I struck luck in the best way. From what I can tell, and also talking with a former GM employee from the 80s, I believe I received a authentic GM service parts replacement gas tank. The tag is almost eligible but certain parts can be made out. Its manufacturer date I believe is 02 or 03. Its completely made out of some kinda corrosion resistance metal, not a coating, but treated metal. Minor rust outside and inside is spotless except for old rubber debris. It was shipped with a sending unit which I did not expect.
the sending unit is very clean as well. I am hoping it works, and then I just have to modify it to a standard pickup tube as my car is not fuel injected. I have already seen how to do this modification.

 

Some more pics

 

That is a score, looks super clean. Makes we wish I went that route now.

I unfortunately had to replace my factory tank when the pump got weak and while inspecting it saw a lot of rust on the outside that was more than surface rust. Went with the Dorman and only got to fill it once but it did not take gas as fast/well as OE. I tried adjusting the neck a bit but have not had the chance to try again.

 

Red, my camaro came with a spectra tank, but I didn't know this till after I removed it. I was told by previous owner that the tank had a bit of trash/rust in it. No biggie, As I have dealt with that in old cars before. Well, it started with my carb jets plugging up, tore into the carb and the fuel bowls were full of fine rust powder. Rebuilt it and installed two large fuel filters, one before and one after pump. A week later I noticed the car starving for fuel at WOT, upon checking my fuel pressure gage and seeing it at lower than 2 psi, I knew I had more serious problems. I removed the fuel filter after pump and cranked engine. Hardly anything came out, so I checked the filters for stoppage by shooting carb cleaner through them, both had a bit of rust but otherwise seemed fine. That led me to believe it was a tank issue.

The tank was clean outside, and I noticed it was a Spectra unit. Ok, "Well, it can't be that bad" I thought. Cracked it open and yuuuup! BAD!

Inside completed rusted. And the pickup sock was just oozing with fuel soaked rust chunks. Found the problem. Thats when I began to find a better tank. Thanks to Hawks, I have one. I got lucky, and I am grateful, as everything on my car is a hack job mess that I am slowly fixing.

 

That happens a lot I’ve heard, where the outside looks good but the inside gets rusty and it’s a new tank from there, at least on these cars where tank removal is so labor intensive.