fletchersons T project

[Indycars]

Also, any thoughts related to roll over
vents? To get a sender and roll over vent bung installed doubles the price... at least through
the vendors that I reviewed.

Why not use an impact switch .... impact obviously happens before the roll over !

 

[choppinczech]

Okay, finally found my old thread. Bear with me here, I am trying to get my head back around this project that has been on ice for too long. I have a few items of contention. Looking for suggestions or experiences, just food for thought. Fuel tank: I know that most have a spun aluminum 8” or 10” tank. I have a big block with dual carbs. Ten gallons of fuel is not going to go very far. My bucket is also a short wheel based bob tail model so there is not much space between the back of the tub and the rear edge of the frame. There is zero space underneath the tub or behind the seat. A 10” tank would hang over, not by much, but it would. I have searched on line and found a rectangle tank with a tapered back that would sort of work, but is a little too tall and wider than I prefer. While 18 gal sounds good, I just don’t have the space. I also looked at a oval tank, but they are designed to mount the wrong way. I am thinking about having one made to my design but don’t want it to look bad as it will be exposed. Any wisdom about the tank hanging past the rear frame? A 8” round would fit nicely, but I really want more fuel capacity. Also, any thoughts related to roll over vents? To get a sender and roll over vent bung installed doubles the price... at least through the vendors that I reviewed. I am not in need of fuel at this point, but need to decide what I am going to do to allow me to move forward with other aspects such as roll bar, shock mounts, and tail lights.

I'm using one of the Newton rollover vents.
Newton Fuel Tank Vent Valve THV45 from Merlin Motorsport

It's got 2 internal stainless balls so fuel doesn't splash out. Only requires a 7/16" hole.

 

[Indycars]

I guess even after roll over, you still need to stop the gas tank from dumping it contents.

 

[fletcherson]

Why not use an impact switch .... impact obviously happens before the roll over !

On the vent? Didn’t consider it. Hmm.

 

[fletcherson]

Has anyone used a hood latch for a seat latch? My seat will hinge forward on the riser. It rests on a steel plate that is encased in the glass in the tub in the rear. I had originally planned to simply run bolts from the bottom up but since the battery and many electrical components will be under the seat, it will need be accessible. I could fabricate a mount to use a hood latch with relative ease. I could then rout the release cable into the glove compartment under the drivers side of the seat. It locks so access would be privileged but easily accessible when needed. I should have finished this project when I was last working on it.... the tasks keep adding up.

 

[Indycars]

On the vent? Didn’t consider it. Hmm.

Well I wasn't thinking of using it like that. I have the impact sensor that shuts down the electrical
system, including the electric fuel pump if I get hit.

 

[fletcherson]

I wouldn’t normally worry about it but with the fuel tank located so close to the driver, makes me think. I also don’t like venting the tank via the cap so adding a vent bung or siphon type fuel tap will be necessary. Maybe I will just build a fuel tanker wagon to hitch to it! Lol

 

[Gerry]

When I made my tank I put a vent pipe in that goes right up into the filling neck (the straight one that goes into the hole at the top). This is connected through the tank perch to a roll over valve on the inside of the body with a pipe from the 'vented' end down through the floor and to atmosphere just in front of the diff.

You can see the oblong hole in the middle picture where the fuel feed, return and vent pipe run from the tank into the body.

I made the decision early on, that with a fuel tank hanging in the most vulnerable place, out back, running the Earls SS fuel hose through the body became an insignificant risk. Rally car in the UK run all their SS hose inside the body.

Last pic shows the tank positioned on the perch.

 

[Spanky]

Awesome work, Gerry. I admire your well-thought-out approach to your build.

 

[choppinczech]

Rally car in the UK run all their SS hose inside the body.

That would save me a lot of headache. I've got a ton of space on top of my driveshaft tunnel and under the console all the way up to the front.



Do you have bulkhead fittings exiting up front to the engine?

 

[fletcherson]

That would save me a lot of headache. I've got a ton of space on top of my driveshaft tunnel and under the console all the way up to the front.

View attachment 20136

Do you have bulkhead fittings exiting up front to the engine?

I have a Fiat Spyder and the factory ran the fuel line along the tunnel on the drivers side. Never give it a thought.

 

[Gerry]

Mmm. I steered away from running the lines near the prop shaft, just in case it ever had a problem.

Because my body is channelled over the chassis, it leaves a 'well' on each side below the floor level. This is where I ran the lines, mounted the filter and pump on the driver side and the by pass valve on the other side.
As the pipework was in the bottom of the body it exits through the very bottom of the firewall. I will try an find pic of the pump.

By pass valve mounted so that the retune runs up the RH side of the body.



Feed from the pump/filter is on the LH side




The planning stage of the perch. Cig boxes were very important back then.



I used a stick welder for the fillet. I could see better then. Now I get someone else to do any critical sutff.

 

[choppinczech]

Has anyone used a hood latch for a seat latch?

Check out BMW 51241944690 trunk latches. They're simple to mount, have a built in registration pin and cable pull lever.


There's a bunch of used ones on eBay.