Petrol tank for a kit car

[W.olly]

I am wanting to soon make a new petrol tank for my kit car, now i know metal is best and i can do the job, but i have a load of fibreglass here that i could use to make one using poly resin as i have that aswell.
Is it ok to use GRP with petrol, maybe with a protective coating aswell on the inside?,

 

[rich the mechanic]

There are fibreglass petrol tanks for bikes but the stuff they put in fuel rots them out so they are all going down the chemicaly sealed route or getting alloy ones made, I think it would be possible but may be quite difficult to produce the baffles and a shape that won't flex as the fuel load sloshes about. As an extra thought it maybe worth checking the construction and use book as well as checking your insurance will cover you with a GRP tank.

 

[hotrodder]

As Rich you'd need to coat it with one of those fuel tank sealers as modern ethanol blends of petrol can eat lots of materials including resins in fibreglass and some flavours of plastic and rubber.

UK unleaded has been generally been E5 for a while now with the exception of superunleaded in some parts of the country which remain ethanol free. Environmental legislation means fuel companies have to sell a certain amount of renewable fuel and the UK was supposed to join the rest of Europe with E10 late last year. AIUI pumps dispensing E10 are supposed to clearly labelled as it has caused problems with older stuff, i haven't noticed any labels on pumps but i've been sticking super unleaded in everything i own for a while now

 

[anjum]

Could you not find a suitable tank from a breakers? How much capacity, and what shape would you need. Must be something out there!

 

[brightspark]

mk 1 or mk2 escort van - estate arent they

 

[W.olly]

mk 1 or mk2 escort van - estate arent they

Yes mine is an MK2 escort tank and 35l capacity, not much, it has room for 125l which i bit much but thats the room i have, 36"lx12"wx18"h, what i want is the tank to be 12" high instead if the 18" , this will give more room above the tank, hopeing to get it ready for summer for weekends away.

There are a few tanks out there i guess that will go in with a faff about, i could use a plastic boat fuel tank which i have will fit nice but they are around £160 and are taller than the 12" i want. As said i domnt mind treating the inside with something if i was to be fiberglass, even steal will need treating.

Was just thinking GRP as i am skint and it wont cost much to make one, all thoughi can get a 2x1x1.6mm cover sheet for £10.

thought i would show my pride and joy, so wish i had it on the road now for this good weather

.

 

[norlander]

nice job, on the fuel tank, I personally don't like doing the cheapest option on fuel tanks/brakes/or tyres-ditto spare fuel cans-always use the steel gerrycan type with the clamp down top.
For a road going vehicle with todays road surface conditions and driving standards I'd opt for a strong fuel tank that has more impact resistance then grp-mind you-you could build a safety cage around a grp tank I suppose? Hotrodder and Chevy would be the lads to talk to on that one I would think.
Fuel is one of those everyday things we take for granted-heres a carbon fibre tank letting go

- good luck with getting her on the road-I like that colour too-what paint is it?

These any use?:
http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/fuel-tanks-cells/forge-alloy-fuel-tank

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motor...brications-11-gallon-group-4-escort-fuel-tank

http://www.demon-tweeks.co.uk/motorsport/fuel-tanks-cells/a-h-fabrications-alloy-fuel-tank

 

[W.olly]

Nice tanks them Norlander, bit over my price range though but its what i can make form steel.

The car is in its original black gel coat, come up a treat afetr being sat for over 10 years

 

[CompoSimmonite]

Yes mine is an MK2 escort tank and 35l capacity, not much, it has room for 125l which i bit much but thats the room i have, 36"lx12"wx18"h, what i want is the tank to be 12" high instead if the 18" , this will give more room above the tank, hopeing to get it ready for summer for weekends away.

Not sure what that is supposed to say / mean


Surely the simplest method would be to take the existing 18" high tank, slice a 3" strip out of the centre and weld the top back on ?

Paul H

 

[Wedg1e]

.

Better looking than the Phaeton, that was a hideous thing even before amateurs started bodging them together and putting them on the road unfinished.
When my old man was asked to build a kit car for a one-armed customer (in '82) they got brochures on almost every kit on the market at the time, there was a lot of dross about (Magenta, anyone?!), some of which needed parts from a dozen donors.
In the end the guy bought a Merlin TF which only used 2 or maybe 3 donors for almost everything: Cortina Mk3 engine, auto 'box, back axle, column and wiring loom, VW Beetle fuel tank, wipers, screen and rear lights... we used a Viva heater box and the exhaust was welded together from whatever dad found in a local factors Seats by Corbeau, wheels were 13" alloys from the aftermarket. Dash was a plank of Cherry wood, instruments from a Triumph (Herald/Spit/GT6, I forget).
Good-looking car (copy of the Morgan), one sold on Ebay last week for the thick end of three grand which if I recall correctly was about what dad's customer paid 32 years ago!

 

[Fergus]

I was always under the impression that fibre glass tanks were used in Duttons?

 

[ibrooks]

Better looking than the Phaeton, that was a hideous thing even before amateurs started bodging them together and putting them on the road unfinished.
When my old man was asked to build a kit car for a one-armed customer (in '82) they got brochures on almost every kit on the market at the time, there was a lot of dross about (Magenta, anyone?!), some of which needed parts from a dozen donors.
In the end the guy bought a Merlin TF which only used 2 or maybe 3 donors for almost everything: Cortina Mk3 engine, auto 'box, back axle, column and wiring loom, VW Beetle fuel tank, wipers, screen and rear lights... we used a Viva heater box and the exhaust was welded together from whatever dad found in a local factors Seats by Corbeau, wheels were 13" alloys from the aftermarket. Dash was a plank of Cherry wood, instruments from a Triumph (Herald/Spit/GT6, I forget).
Good-looking car (copy of the Morgan), one sold on Ebay last week for the thick end of three grand which if I recall correctly was about what dad's customer paid 32 years ago!

I always thought the Melos was about the prettiest Dutton (although I also have a soft spot for the Legerra).

The kits using several different donors tended to be the better cars in the end (assuming a decent build). The ones where the designer had tried to use all the parts from a single donor tended to end up as a compromise where a component was used because it came from the donor rather than because it was the best bit for the job. Nowadays there are far more custom parts in the kits that are designed specifically for that car rather than having been lifted from A.N.Other manufacturers parts bin.

As it happens I've just spent a chunk of my weekend chopping a hole in the top of the tank for my GTM Coupe so that I can stick an in-tank pump with integral swirl pot in it to supply fuel to the new injected engine. I've also added a baffle in there which it never had (and I never had a problem but I figured it can't be a bad thing). Now I need to think about how to hold the pump in place and get the wires into the tank.

Iain

 

[W.olly]

Wedg1e is am ashamed to admit i had a Magenta, but never got it on the road, must of been 20 years ago now when i had it, now i look back i ma glad i neber got it going, that is a REAL noddy car,morso than the Melos. And a Phaeton, i can decide, they look good at times, all depends on the usual visual aspect with what wheel are fitted and colour, always make a car that does.
All i know about my Melos is that i has MK2 Escort hubs and axle, 4 speed mexico G box and a 2l Pinto from i dont know what, good bit it has Spax adjustable coil overs all around, and now a straght threw exhaust to a classic Peco big bore 2 rear box , gives a real sweet sound

GTM, always liked them, cheap kit cars a bit better than a Dutton aswell i believe, shame on the engine as being A series, i know they are good but i like more grunt, i am tempted to stick a V6 in the Melos while i am playing with it as is, i want to rebuild a V6 Colonge 2.9, maybe cossie version if i will do it, do it properly.

 

[Wedg1e]

I always thought the Melos was about the prettiest Dutton (although I also have a soft spot for the Legerra).

The kits using several different donors tended to be the better cars in the end (assuming a decent build). The ones where the designer had tried to use all the parts from a single donor tended to end up as a compromise where a component was used because it came from the donor rather than because it was the best bit for the job. Nowadays there are far more custom parts in the kits that are designed specifically for that car rather than having been lifted from A.N.Other manufacturers parts bin.
Iain

Fair point, although in the case of the Merlin pretty much anything that wasn't grubby came with the kit (e.g. you couldn't use the Cortina dashboard in something that was supposed to look like it came out of the 1930s!).

My old man quite fancied a Dutton Sierra as he had a '78 Mk 2 Escort van decomposing on the back lawn (much to my mother's disgust) - the Sierra kit as I recall used the Escort doors with GRP outer skins to disguise them, just as well if you recall how Escorts rusted... I quite liked the GP Talon kit which was based on a Beetle but had a styling mix of Fiat X1/9, TR7, Lotus or TVR wedge... but then I do like wedgy (ahem) cars. But not the Princess ;o) I just thought it was a shame to have a Beetle underneath it

I did once see a Kit Car article about a guy who'd built a replica Countach that ended up costing him more than a real one would have; that said the magazine writers thought his kit was better than the real thing in quite a few ways!

 

[ibrooks]

GTM, always liked them, cheap kit cars a bit better than a Dutton aswell i believe, shame on the engine as being A series, i know they are good but i like more grunt, i am tempted to stick a V6 in the Melos while i am playing with it as is, i want to rebuild a V6 Colonge 2.9, maybe cossie version if i will do it, do it properly.

The A-Series was OK but the Mini gearbox REALLY needed a 5th cog for modern use. I'm in the process of shoving a Nissan Micra CG13 in there. It'll make similar power to the 1380 I removed but in a much more refined way plus I get a 5th gear for motorway cruising and it's hugely lighter than the A-Series. It might "only" make 100bhp but given that I can lift the rear of the car with the engine and gearbox in place it'll be quick.

For grunt the next project is a Focus. It's got a Sierra floorpan and I've got a Sierra GLSi 4x4 to donate it's running gear. Apart from the 12v 2.9 V6 - because I've got a Scorpio Cosworth lump to go in it's place. I've also got the makings of a hybrid MT75 so that I can run it 2wd if I so desire.

I'm not letting myself mess with the Focus until the GTM is back on the road though.

Iain

 

[anjum]

I just measured the Saab classic 900 fuel tank and It seems to fit into the measurements you posted. I've got one and the fuel pump and sender which are on ebay at the moment. pm me if you want to know more.

Edit - not on ebay yet.