1968 Barracuda Rebuild

Time has come for me to start a rebuild on my 68 Barracuda. This will be a project that will probably take me a few years to complete as I don't have the time to devote to it to complete it over one winter. I got the interior pulled out, the gas tank pulled out and I removed all of the hardware on the deck behind the windshield. The next step for me will be to remove the carpet.





I have a few questions before I move forward.
1. Should I pull the floor up before I remove the engine or after I remove the engine. Is there an advantage to measuring the engine mount locations with the floor removed or can I remove the engine before I remove the floor. The floor I am referring to is the wood floor on top of the fiberglassed over foam.

2. In the following picture you can see that the port seat back support had been cut and had a metal plate on each side holding it together. I imagine this was not factory, but I needed to unbolt the plates and remove the support in order to get the fuel tank out. Should the tank have been able to come out without having to remove the support?





3. Once the gas tank was out, I saw that the bottom had some rust. I want to reuse the original tank. Do you think sanding the surface rust off the bottom of the tank and applying primer and paint would be a sufficient repair to reuse the tank?









4. Now that the tank is out, what is the best way to store the tank? Leave the fill cap off and the vent open so air can circulate? Seal it up? I just want to make sure the inside of the tank doesn't start rusting as it is in good shape.

5. The engine is going to sit out of the boat for couple of years while I am working on this project. What is the best way to store the engine? I am going to remove the trans as it needs to be rebuilt since the prop will spin in neutral. Should I store the engine on an engine stand? I am assuming I should leave the oil in to help lubricate it and also turn it over by hand every month or so.

I will be asking plenty of questions and seeking out advice. This site has been a great resource and I value the knowledge of the people who have undertaken rebuilds and the knowledge that they have gained. Many thanks in advance!