Well, we did it!  Paul Wies and I, working all day Saturday and half
the day Sunday, replaced the gas tank on my 78.  The job was
complicated by the fact that the first part of the process involved
getting the replacement tank out of my 77 parts bus.  So, two gas tank
removals and one installation, in about... 14 hours of work.

We got the tank out of the 77 very easily.  Paul noted early on that
it didn't look like the tank in his 79.  We soon discovered this was
because it was "dented to facilitate removal" from some earlier
replacement session.  We didn't have to remove the engine, drop the
engine two inches, or even struggle very hard to get the 77's tank
out.

So, when we got around to removing the tank from the 78, we learned
what all the fuss is about.  It was NOT going to come out of that
engine bay through any normal means!  We debated lowering the
engine...  for about 5 seconds.  Then, I grabbed a short piece of 2x4
and a big hammer, and applied the, "If it won't go with force, it'll
go with more force" concept.  With Paul pulling and me hammering, we
dented the 78's rusty-leaky tank until it, too, would slide out of the
engine compartment.

A few pieces of gas line and a couple hose clamps later, and the only
thing left was a short discussion of why the 78 was missing and
backfiring.  Turns out we put the spark plug wires on the distributor
in the wrong order!

Final observation: Always follow the maxim "If it ain't broke, don't
fix it."  We opted to keep the 77's gas gauge sender with the 77 tank,
when we knew the 78's sender worked, and we didn't know squat about
the 77's (except that it looked cleaner).  Well, now my gas gauge
appears to be non-functional!  Tests will be in order.  Does anyone
know if it makes a difference which side of the sender is grounded,
and which is connected to the gas gauge?  It looked like a simple
variable resistor setup to me.

So, Paul and I both felt it was a VERY, VERY successful weekend.
Aside from checking the compression in February before I bought it,
this is essentially the FIRST mechanical procedure I've ever done on a
bus (or any kind of car, for that matter).  I hope they're not ALL
this difficult!!! :-) And now I can actually DRIVE my bus, since it's
not leaking gasoline any more!!!  Yay!  Watching it sit in my driveway
was getting to be a drag!

Feeling positive,
Rodney