Drain the tank, then remove the gauge sending unit and shine a bright light through the hole. You should be able to see what's causing the problem and maybe fish it out. The fix is going to be installing a later model gauge unit that also includes a suction tube with a strainer instead of pulling the fuel right off the bottom of the tank.
Jerry

"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt!
There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway
Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!