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To answer your first question...I would have thought all the rust should form only on the bottom of the tank, where condensation falls under the (lighter) gasoline residue. However, DB has a 412 that rusted at the top due to the vent tube that runs under the top of the tank from one side to the other...

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Since it's impossible to see the top of the tank with it in the car, and since I've got mine up on jackstands in the garage I'm going to drop the tank to see if the top's rusted. Just another data point.

I think it is safe to assume that all of our cars have had that overflow tube problem. Mine had it untill I replaced it, it was all crumbled. My type 3 had the same problem when I got it 8 yrs ago. This inevitably leads to rain water spray/spalsh thru the tube and onto the top of tank. When I saw DBs pics, it drove the message home and now I am real curious how yours will look.

The tank will come down after I get the engine back together and regain space on the workbench, maybe a week or two I hope? I'll keep you guys posted on its condition.

well, my 2 door has sat for about 15 years, I am also curious to see if that same rust problem has occurred in other cars, in different parts of the country. Since Alabama is so dang humid, maybe in Cali where LB is it might not be as bad?

I didnt realize you had limited workspace when I said to yank the suspension. I would yank the fuel tubes, remove the sock screnn and reassemble it, use a LARGE fuel filter (you can get them at a FLAPS) and run it, just keep your eyes on the filter. This should work ok for you, unless your tank is just a crispy critter, then the only solution is a tank yank.

Well, once I drop mine we'll get a data point on tank rust when stored in Gulf Coast SE Texas humidity. Yeah, it wouldn't surprise me to see LB's tank not have any topside rust given his favorable location.

You guys havent seen what most "california" cars look like, if they spent their lives close to the shore (read: salty air) ......My type 3 came from san diego.....floors, fenders and doors were shot. This 412 lived all its life in my area of long beach, 3 blocks from the ocean. It has a good amount of rust spots thoughout. Still is nothing comapared to what I had to deal with when I lived in MAssachusetts during the late 70s & 80s. You practically watched your car disentegrate within 5 yrs! The only time you get a true cal. car is when they come from the "inland" or, valleys, or desert. As to limited work space, when the time comes, I will still drop the tank, and to hell with the torpedos

A little worse than where I live, 20 miles inland. We get lots of surface corrosion from industrial fallout (Bayport Complex, Ship Channel, etc.) and what little salt spray makes its way this far inland, and the humidity (RH's in the summer bottom out around 50-60% during the day, go up close to 100% every night).