BUILD-OFF CHALLENGE: Tygaboy's '75 LS3, It seemed a good idea at the time... Options

[sixnotfour]

clear plexi on tunnel.....

[tygaboy]

I had the fuel tank all set to go but after some thought, and given the fact that it had a couple rust spots I had to patch, I decided to start over.

I got a new tank and started in on the driver side filler. With the first version, I made a small eyebrow to close the small gap between the front edge of the filler plate and the tank. Here's that version.

[tygaboy]

I figured I could do a little better so...
Take one brand new tank (repro, not NOS so relax), fab the filler plate, mark for fit and cut a big hole in the brand new tank!

But this time, around the front of the curve, leave some extra material on the tank.

[tygaboy]

And instead of making an eyebrow, I opted to try a little hammer and dolly work to stretch and reshape the tank opening so it becomes the eyebrow. You can see where the tank's eyebrow dips - I should have left a little bit more material in that area but this turned out pretty well.

Next, I need to weld fasteners to the underside of the plate, then weld the plate to the tank.

[914forme]

Looks great, not sure why you ever show us version one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) It does remind people that fabrication does take time, you make mistakes, and well you learn from them. Errors are just opportunities to learn.

[tygaboy]

Looks great, not sure why you ever show us version one. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/confused24.gif) It does remind people that fabrication does take time, you make mistakes, and well you learn from them. Errors are just opportunities to learn.

@914forme Stephen, I post essentially everything I'm doing on this build, just in case it's interesting to someone. As to the redoing? I end up with the do-overs because I either screw it up and can't use the part or, as is the case with the tank, it had rust that I had to patch (see pic), needed to be boiled out, etc. Given I got the new tank for $200, it was destined to be replaced. Hope that makes sense.

[tygaboy]

I spent yesterday and today finishing the filler plate and pump plate install. Everything went well with both pieces. I also updated the design of the pump plate in such a way that I retained the entire tank seam. That "seems" (IMG:style_emoticons/default/laugh.gif) a better way to go.

It did necessitate a re-routing of the lines.

[tygaboy]

And in keeping with the "he's making it up as he goes along" method, I realized I hadn't fully accounted for where the fuel filter would mount. I played with somewhere in the engine bay but ended up going with right on top of the fuel tank.
I'll make a suitable platform to secure the filter but this is certainly a more convenient location for servicing.

[914forme]

I like it better than the factory location as it gets the opening further out allowing for more clearance to get to the opening. And since it is a fuel cell cap, the opening should be much larger allowing for increased entry angle giving even more clearance if needed.

I really like it so much so I may borrow the idea for my build. Holly, Earl both use the cap, they are laser etched with the logo etc. My thought is to strip it, and anodize it, and then laser edge a modified crest into it to represent the true nature of the car.

Chris I love the details and the fact your willing to share them, that is really what makes me follow this thread so much.

Kinda like I follow some insane builds where some people remove a microgram off a part by machining a millimeter or replicating it in Ti.

[Andyrew]

Easy access fuel filter is big with me. I seem to clog them up often. Especially a 100micron. Good spot there!!

[76-914]

Chris, what gasket material did you use? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[tygaboy]

Chris, what gasket material did you use? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

@76-914 - Both the pump (Aeromotive) and the filler came with gaskets. You can sorta see the filler gasket in the pics above- it's just a circular rubber-ish material that you can see between the scallops of the filler base.
The pump gasket is a thick foam-like material that compresses down to ~ 1/8 inch. See the pic. It's designed to account for corrugations in the surface of the tank. I spoke with the Aeromotive folks this morning to see if they make a thinner gasket. They said use the foam one. OK then.

[76-914]

Looks great. Nice and tidy. Nice kit, too. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/beerchug.gif)

[tygaboy]

And since I was in the frunk, I figured I ought to get to making room for the coolant lines. I've decided not to try anything fancy with line routing and will go with the standard "Gates hoses tucked into the recesses in the floor".

But I couldn't just have the lines poking through the sheet metal so quickly made up a hose support plate. It'll rivet in place.

And I have all the aluminum tubing and 90s to fab up hard lines from these hose locations to the radiator. It should look pretty nice in here, once things are finished

[sixnotfour]

I want to believe you have something more clever in mind other than cutting holes in the wheel wells,,,, (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/popcorn[1].gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/flag.gif)

[tygaboy]

As I started fitting the hose plate, I noticed that the area where it sits isn't completely flat. There's a slight indented curve on the lower section where the plate needs to go.

I certainly don't want a gap there... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/idea.gif)

English wheel to the rescue! I figured I might be able to wheel a raised area into just the lower, center portion of the panel.

[tygaboy]

Here it is nearly done. You can see it's flat across the top but has been stretched along the lower edge and inward, up between the holes. The stretching causes the metal to grow in area and it has to go somewhere so it bulges up.

[tygaboy]

And it wouldn't be a Tygaboy post without some Clecos! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/shades.gif)

You can see those two on the inner lower area point inward, indicating just how much curve that really is there.

This was a fun little effort and it turned out really well.

[tygaboy]

Planning and mock-up for radiator hard lines. The hoses are just to help size the lengths of the straight sections. The plan at this point is that both will be one piece from the hose connection at the radiator and through the bulkhead panel. It looks like I can fab a bracket to support things so the connection to the Gates hose happens just behind the steering rack.

This design hides the transition from hard line to soft while enabling me to keep the lines as close to the frunk wall as I can. This to create as much room as possible for the battery, as well as air flow.

Comments on this approach from other experienced water-cooled folks appreciated. @Andyrew @BIGKAT_83 @ValcoOscar @dan10101 @burton73 and others I'm sure I'm forgetting.

[burton73]

These pictures are of a Subaru conversion that was for sale in the SF area early this year. The work on the bottom to protect the soft lines is a good idea. I personally used the heater tubes and ran my Gates lines there. You just had to put a hard 90-degree fitting and hose clamps to make the turn as the lines are coming back up from the tube back into the cabin. From rear forward. My old V8 made a lot of heat in the cabin but I was never sure if the heat was coming in from the front of the car or from the water lines.

One of our brothers in So Cal bought this car. I liked the idea of how he did this.

Sharing this in case you never saw it. Nice car

Bob B