<VV> Gas Gauge Problems ---- Again!

[JRVIDRINE at aol.com]

Folks,
 
I have had ongoing problems with the gas gauge on my 62 Monza Coupe just  
about since I have had it (12 years).  It worked intermittently when I got  it.  
It sat in the garage for about 7 years before I began work on  it.  I have had 
it in driving condition for about 3 years.  I am the  second owner.  
 
At first it would work erratically.  If you pulled the wire from the  sending 
unit it would normally go to full.  I put a new sending unit in  about a year 
ago.  One mistake was that I didn't order it with a new  float.  When it came 
in I used the old bronze float.  It worked for a  while and then erratically 
and then stayed on empty (or essentially in the E  area of the gauge).  Then I 
thought, the float has sunk.  I ordered a  new one and put it in Saturday 
evening.  After draining the tank (about 5  gallons) and replacing the float, I 
put it together and put the gas back  in.  It showed a little more than 1/4 
full.  I was excited.  
 
I drove it to Church this morning and again it worked.  I then decided  to 
drive over to visit a friend in a nearby town, but felt that I should put in  
about 5 more gallons of gas.  I did so with an excited expectation of  seeing 
the gauge showing the additional fuel.  Is that what I saw,  --------- NO, it 
was on E, and I mean dead on E.  I pulled the wire from  the sender and got 
absolutely no change.  Turning the ignition key on and  off repeatedly results in 
NOTHING.  
 
Any ideas.  I sure would like to know how much gas I have from a gauge  and 
not just from a computation.  When I had my brand new 63 (in 63), I  often ran 
out of gas because I had gotten spoiled as to how many miles I could  put on 
after it hit E.  Of course that was a game of diminishing returns as  it left 
me dead in the water in some unpleasant surroundings.  Of course 18  year olds 
don't think too deeply.  Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Randy Vidrine 
62 Monza Coupe
Branch, LA