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The PO of this car cut a hole in the rear and simply put the thin metal back with some screws and caulking. They cut the hole to be 6.5" W x 12" L. Not perfectly straight either...
I'm hunting around to see if I can find a hatch/panel that will fit properly but cannot seem to find the right size. Anyone have some leads or other options?
Last edited by Boostmaster; May 6, 2026 at 07:23 AM.
Go to local hardware store and buy piece of sheet metal and some self tapping metal screws. Add some foam weatherstripping too if you want to seal the metal cover plate over the hole. Cut metal to fit over hole, screw in place, done. Pull the carpet back over it and nobody will ever know it's there.
Or go ahead and just drive it to the scrap yard, since the car structure is now irrevocably compromised and the tiniest fender bender will cause it to burst into flames, killing any occupants in a gruesome death. If you want to know how many times that has happened just Google "Camaro trap door fire". Post your search results here and let us know how many Camaro people have died from these.
^ I saw the DS unit but it's 9" x9" and opening is 6.5" x 12"
PO had previously used the paper thin metal that was cut with some self tappers and caulk.
My "fix" doesn't have to be SEMA pretty just something clean and safe in terms of fumes.
Understood. Missed the hole dimensions. Fumes are part of it, but if you get hit hard from behind, you want a repair that is likely to stay together, in case the tank is ruptured, or the pump displaced. Sound like you have the right things in mind. You may have to fabricate something to fit the dimensions of the hole you have.
For the fumes, you may need to get a metal patch/cover that will cover the opening and over lap the existing metal at the edges. You will need to seal/caulk it between the metal cover and the hatch floor where it overlaps. That should seal it up pretty good. I don’t think you need an access door or anything like that because you probably won’t be changing the fuel pump again for a very long time.
You really don't need fab skills to do this. Just some simple tools and some careful thought.
Here's a hole that I recently cut:
It will get covered with this:
That panel was purchased from my local hardware store. It's just 16ga sheet steel and that's the size it was purchased in. It only needs cut shorter.
To attach it, I will NOT use self tapping screws. I will drill holes and use j-clips (aka blind nuts) in the body, with short, blunt-tipped button headed bolts to hold the panel down. Blunt tips are needed so the tank won't likely be punctured by them in a bad wreck. And there will be a thin, closed cell foam gasket applied to the cover.
You really don't need fab skills to do this. Just some simple tools and some careful thought.
Here's a hole that I recently cut:
It will get covered with this:
That panel was purchased from my local hardware store. It's just 16ga sheet steel and that's the size it was purchased in. It only needs cut shorter.
To attach it, I will NOT use self tapping screws. I will drill holes and use j-clips (aka blind nuts) in the body, with short, blunt-tipped button headed bolts to hold the panel down. Blunt tips are needed so the tank won't likely be punctured by them in a bad wreck. And there will be a thin, closed cell foam gasket applied to the cover.
Rivet nuts for a nice-looking, strong finish and closed-cell foam for a gasket. OR, if you're good at laying a bead of caulk, lay a 1/8-1/4" bead around the hole, and let it set before screwing the panel into place. But I tend to overthink/over do things......
Rivet nuts for a nice-looking, strong finish and closed-cell foam for a gasket. OR, if you're good at laying a bead of caulk, lay a 1/8-1/4" bead around the hole, and let it set before screwing the panel into place. But I tend to overthink/over do things......
I chose against riv nuts due to the overall depth that would remain under the floor. I can gain a small amount of clearance with j-nuts and proper length bolts.
I chose against riv nuts due to the overall depth that would remain under the floor. I can gain a small amount of clearance with j-nuts and proper length bolts.
I haven't measured them, but I'd not expect a 10-24 riv nut to take up much more than 3/16-1/4" under the body panel. You would have to get all the kit together to install them, though, which few usually have.
J-nuts will allow some 'adjustment' to take care of construction variances, but will probably be harder to seal up. You could use bulb or edge seals, but there would need to be some creative work to use those around j-nuts.
I haven't measured them, but I'd not expect a 10-24 riv nut to take up much more than 3/16-1/4" under the body panel. You would have to get all the kit together to install them, though, which few usually have.
J-nuts will allow some 'adjustment' to take care of construction variances, but will probably be harder to seal up. You could use bulb or edge seals, but there would need to be some creative work to use those around j-nuts.
I've got some low profile j-nuts in the m6x1.0 size. They aren't as deep as the typical ones you find from most suppliers. They also don't have the typical aggressive spring clip on the top side. My seal will fully encompass them. I didn't want to use smaller hardware than that.
