This is hard to understand, but I just pulled the gas tank off my '68 H/O which was parked in 1986 and the engine pulled at that time. I bought the car and brought it home 3 years ago. Three days ago I emptied 3 gallons of gasoline from it, no stinky varnish smell at all. The gas was nice and red, see photo. How could this be?

 

That gas will probably burn better than the crap that’s sold at the pump now!

 

Do you have Covid, lol? Hard to believe it don't smell. Are you sure it is not diesel they put in it? I know people back then that put diesel in the tanks of cars they knew were going to sit for many years.

 

^^^
This or maybe trans fluid.

 

Second this.... ^ Looks like off road diesel fuel to me. I never seen gas with this much red color.

 

Leaded regular gas was often dyed red. Shell esp comes to mind.

My guess is someone may have added Stabil or Marvel Mystery Oil to it.

About 20 years ago the Pontiac bud bought a 66 Starfire that had a gas tank from who knows what on it. It was wedged into the straps with 4x4 lumber and 1) looked screwy and 2) the sender was wildly inaccurate since that tank held only about 20 gallons.

We got a tank (among other things) off a junked 66 Dynamic sedan that had about 3 gallons of red gasoline in it. No idea how old it was but that gas smelled normal too.

We drained it to be safe, but after we got it installed and functioning, he added a gallon of it per tankful of 93 unleaded till it was gone. That Starfire burned it just fine.

 

I say put it in a jug and sell it as vintage gasoline for your classic vehicle. Folks will pay top dollar for it!

 

I have heard from many old car collectors the gas from cars stored for decades is better than modern gas that’s a year or so old.

Assuming what was in the tank of that car really was gas, it probably would run. Probably not all that great, but it would run.

 

This is the best response yet!
I don't think it is diesel, no oily smell or feel to it. It's gasoline, probably very high octane as they raced the car before rod bearing went bad and ruined crank. May have some additive in it.

 

Aviation gas? Any small airports nearby?

 

Be sure to call it "Barn Find" gasoline

 

Our family (agri. farm) purchased both diesel and several octanes - 300+ gal containers. All petroleum gasoline was delivered to the farms dyed red - tax exempt.

 

put some barn dust on the container

 

For obvious reasons, Avgas uses color coded grades:

Grade/ Color/ Lead content per gallon

80/87 Red 0.5 mL
100LL Blue 1.2 - 2.0 mL
100/130 Green 3.0 - 4.0 mL
115/145 Purple 4.6 mL