Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

me and my friend installed my fuel cell. cut the entire trunk out and did this........lol

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

t-top havoc

iTrader: (3)

SIGH!!!

Envy over here!!
Looks realy nice!!
So in doing this, how do you stiffen that portion of the body?

Did the tank fuel sending unit work?

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

its completely framed in with 1x1 tubing. the sending unit it has is from summitracing. it came with the cell. im also instaling subframe connectors tomorrow.

BlackenedBird

iTrader: (5)

Any reason you didn't put it further forward over the rear axle, like the stock tank sits?

I'll be doing a tank install soon too, but to a 68 C10. Gonna get rid of the in-cab gas tank, right behind the seats.

t-top havoc

iTrader: (3)

By surrounding the sump with the metal, this appears to be a street // strip car?!? Rather than just hanging the cell for street unless you are part of the Very few who take safety serious.

I can't even fab a bad lie!!! LOL!!

Very nice!!

xpndbl3

iTrader: (5)

when are you fabbing the top piece to cover the entire fuel cell since that setup is no longer NHRA approved due to no firewall between the passenger compartment and the fuel.

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

im in the middle of making a rear firewall as we speak. this is a street/strip car, and it is up to code with nhra rules. the guy in the pics has a 1000hp all motor 499bb in his 81 camaro, and knows nhra very well. the way i wanted to do it he laughed at me then gave me the rundown.

//<86TA>\\

iTrader: (14)

what if you get rear ended hard on the street? there is no cruple zone or any layer of protection between the tank and the back of the car? Dont say "the bumper" because that will move.

race car, sure, but i dont know if i would drive it on the street.

87350IROC

iTrader: (2)

Very nice looking craftsmanship, but why not just use a conformal fuel cell instead of cutting up your car?

FueledSoul

iTrader: (18)

The fab looks great!

383 rs

looks Great. I did the exact same thing with the 16 gallon summit cell. It has worked great for me. For everyone worried about a collision what would be the difference between this setup and every other kind of a hot rod with a cell in the trunk?

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

i like to custom anything i can. so when im at a car show, mines not the same as everyone elses.

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

heres 95% done. fuel lines ran and plastics are getting mocked up. the rear firewall is 95% done also

sick84

Very nice fab work!! I was thinking about doing something very similar to this in my 88 street strip car. I dont know the nhra rules off hand but i know youre supposed to have a firewall separating the passenger compartment. if you were to just build a "cover" i guess you could say to fully incase the cell would that pass or would you have to go with what you have?

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

i believe you need a rear firewall with any typr of exposed fuel cell in the trunk area of any type of hatch style car.

83RDRACR

why cut the car up when you can put a 15 gal fuel cell under the car? Here is a few pics of RCI aluminum cell in my 83Z. More pics on home brew road racer in fabrication forum.

dennisbernal91z

iTrader: (2)

I know this is super old, just reviving becuase I am doing something just like this. I still have stock glass hatch.

Wish the OP could post more pics of the finished product, showing the tank inlets and outlets, etc...

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

Badass355ciz28

iTrader: (17)

nice job!

83RDRACR

Dennis please reconsider cutting up the rear floor and putting a 16 gallon fire bomb inside the car with you. Even with a well constructed firewall that seals against the rear glass with weather stripping, it is useless in a crash if the hatch becomes ajar. Also you have exposed the fuel cell and its contents to all of the sun and resulting heat that the rear glass lets in. On a sunny day even if air temps are in the mid to upper 80's the temp under that hatch can easily approach the 120's.

The pics from the OP show a single aluminum panel running from wheelwell to wheelwell but not near high enough to seal to the hatch glass. Also cutting out the rear storage well really weakens the rear crumple zone. The one inch square tubing used to support the fuel cell is just that...to support the fuel cell. It will add little if any rear end crash protection.

My post just prior to yours shows the 15 gallon RCI aluminum fuel cell that I was able install in the factory location UNDER the car without having to cut up the floor pan in any way. All of the factory safe guards are still in place and the cell comes with a GM fuel sending unit to boot. If you want I can send you detailed pics of how it was mounted and even give you exact dimensions of the mounting frame work that holds it in place.

I have seen dozens of similar post on putting fuel cells in the inside of these cars and it scares me to death, I just have to shake my head. You might as well just put in a 5 gallon plastic gas can in the storage well and bolt it down with a piece of strap steel and a couple of sheet metal screws. Really what is the difference???????

Project-RS

iTrader: (1)

mine is fully safe and passes nhra tech. I am not using a factory hatch, but a fiberglass notch. my cell is completely closed off from everywhere. the rear firewall is altered since last pics, but roughly the same. as far as my cell frame, its more sturdy than the molded factory trunk. it still has all the factory crash supports and the aluminum I used is really thick (pics don't show really how thick it is). do what you want dennis, ill chop my car up however I want.

dennisbernal91z

iTrader: (2)

I agree, I am not worried. You think guys in model t Fords are worried they don't have crumple zones. I plan on driving my car to work, 9 miles and to shows. It is not a DD. Even with that said, the bumper is still there. I understand the concern, but I also think it is a bit over the top. Why don't you drive around with 4 spares, your car has 4 wheels... chances of them all going is low. Same principle. Still thousands of times safer than a bike...

deadbird

hey.... where's the 18gal gas tank on a 71 camaro....

dennisbernal91z

iTrader: (2)

Lol. So true! Thanks deadbird.