Saving Old Seagulls

My Fuel Tank Looked Like New, I filled the tank ready for the next day.
Over night, fuel leaked to the underside and the paint has flaked off, doesn't look new anymore!
What paint should I have used?

John, more information is needed about your tank.

Have you just repaired it. If so where and how. What did you paint it with.
There are various suitable paints and clear lacquers. What you may lacquer over a certain paint might seal it except if there is paint break near an outlet (or leak)

Maybe its a good thing the paint bubbling up has shown a leak.

It was painted with international paint. Primer, basecoat, and then a black topcoat. Looked as new, It was leant against the shed wall, it was, I think, overfilled! The fuel continually seeped out overnight and caused the paint to flake and bubble on the underside. As Luck would have it there is no leak from the actual tank! Wrong paint I guess. It was not laquered either.

PS it's a metal tank.

Something of a length of piece of string question. Sounds like you had only recently repainted your tank? Most paint systems require quite a time to be fully dried and cured. It may well have been totally proof if you had left it another week, fortnight or month. As many here know to their irritation Hammerite will still wash off with petrol or white spirit after a couple of weeks although appear totally dry after a day or so.

Some owners do use petrol resistant lacquer after topcoat but once again it would be wise to read the manufacturers data sheet on curing time. A popular type here in the UK is the own brand sold retail on the high street by Halfords.

Peter

John the inadequacy of this site is really pissing me off - I wrote a long piece on rebuilding and painting and it was lost, I can't repeat it. Took several attempts to get a 'reply' post.

However the answer is - the black paint needs to be authentic cellulose and the finishing clear lacquer over the decal needs to be two-pack spirit based to be petrol proof.
Andy