1960 Valiant Restore: advice welcomed.

So, back in '86, a recent college grad living on a shoe string, my '67 Dart had a little problem. The fuel tank leaked if I put more than a few gallons in it, at the seam. So, being young and intrepid I replaced it myself in a back alley on a February day with a pair of vice grips. This resulted in getting drenched in gasoline. No worries, I was yet to discover the joy of tobacco (a wretched condition I picked up while in the Army, a few years later).

Well, fast forward to 2024 (where did the years go???) and the restorer wants to slap in a new tank in this '60 (if I can find one) sight unseen on the basis that it is 64 years old. But, wait it doesn't leak, and I've put gas into it. Should I blindly follow his advice, or is there a more economical solution here?

I found a fuel sending unit without much effort, but a tank could be a very expensive Easter Egg hunt, methinks. And a NOS??? Please someone clarify the issue. Not to mention, if it works, why mess with it? He's already hinted at wanting to pimp my ride into a hot rod, and no thank you. One of the reason I like this old beast is that we weren't in such a damn hurry (to quote Shashank Redemption). I like to cruise along unhurriedly. James Dean I am not.

And again, I'm not a purist, but I am a pragmatist. The radiator doesn't leak, but he wants to throw out the old and put in a new one. OK, I'll let him have the radiator as I don't fancy getting stranded on these desert highways out here, where heat stroke is a real possibility. But overall, I'd like to keep it as close to original as possible, and I am not motivated in the slightest to pimp this car out with nitro fueled fuel injected turbo charging.

I love her because she is old. I am a nostalgist. Like many, I am not thrilled with the New Age. But we won't go there.