Hi Doug (your question), Beth and Ken (your answer) and the list (just to
annoy you all :)))>
I have indeed RACED my car with the stock gas tank. But then again, I wear
enough fire protection to walk out of an 1800 deg fuel fire after about 10
seconds with "less than 2nd degree" burns. My fire suit and ear is as worn
by the Indycar guys, the seatbelts are the same, etc.
In order to deform the rear valence sufficiently to crush the tank to the
point of leakage, I would suggest you'd need more than an "I slid into you
at the light" type of accident - ie a real solid crunch. You would need a
spark to ignite the fuel vapors, provided thoughtfully by the LUCAS
electrics which would also be shorted out by now (surprised?). But, the
above said, Mr. Nader DID NOT condemn the cars as unsafe - not even the
swing axle ones! So, the likelihood of a serious fire occurring must be
relatively rare, or they didn;t care since we must be crazy to drive these
wee GT's anyway.
And, as far as it goes, I can say I have done a measurement for a 12 gallon
cell and it WILL occupy the entire trunk including spare tire well. You
will need to raise the trunk floor by about 2 inches to clear the fill
plate - unless you elect an angle filler in which case you will also need
protection for that hose. Your fuel gauge "replacement" will be a paint
stir stick unless you opt for the $100 or so option of a universal gauge and
sender. fuel cells pick up from the bottom but exit the top generally, so
you will also need an electric pump. While you're there, you may as well
include some braided stainless fuel line since rubber hose is/should not be
anywhere inside the driving compartment. Etc.
An 8 gallon cell makes like a bit simpler (smaller and lower), but short of
a custom cell you still will lose the spare tire compartment.
The best possible option can be found in magazines like Victory Lane. By
special order, certain companies will split, line, and foam your existing
shell for about $80,000,000. It will LOOK original and retain the tire
cubby. You will still need to change fuel senders, though they may have an
adaptor to "Lucas resistence" (either infinite or dead short?) to use your
GT gauge. Foam and bladder are recommended to be changed every 5 years.
Is it worth it? Only "you" can decide. Deathtrap? Of course it is.
Maybe. And maybe if a few of us Mk I/II owners get together we can have our
cells relined at a lower cost. Until then, I've got engine, tranny, body,
and paint to worry about first.
And I like BBQ :)))>
Dave T
Winnipeg,
soon to be Winterpeg.
-----Original Message-----
From: Beth and Ken <BethKen@erols.com>
To: Douglas Frank <frank@zk3.dec.com>; Triumphcars
<Triumphcars@onelist.com>; Triumphs <triumphs@autox.team.net>
Date: Monday, September 27, 1999 4:18 PM
Subject: Re: YyeeeEESSsss! I'm an lbc owner!
>
>Doug;
>
>Congratulations. I've owned mine for about two months. For some reason, I'm
>enjoying it more than the Stingray or Europa or 914 (that was a great car)
>I've previously owned. Oh yeah..the Miata too.
>
>Anyway, how common is the fuel cell thing with GT6 owners? I assume if I
>get hit in the rear I'm dead anyway. Since I want ot be cremated, I thinnk
>I'll leave the tank as is. What do the rest of you think?
>
>ken shapiro
>baltimore
>1970 GT6+ KC81872L
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Douglas Frank <frank@zk3.dec.com>
>To: Triumphcars <Triumphcars@onelist.com>; Triumphs
><triumphs@autox.team.net>
>Date: Monday, September 27, 1999 2:28 PM
>Subject: YyeeeEESSsss! I'm an lbc owner!
>
>
>>
>>I just bought a GT6 yesterday! I've been looking for a few months now and
>>finally found one that I could afford, and that was driveable (sort of).
>It's
>>in Memphis TN, and the PO is doing the delivery-- how can I complain?
>>
>>Oh, it has its problems--
>>
>>serious front end shake (probly ball joints or bearings, not sure) that
>seems
>>to go away at highway speeds
>>
>>rt. halfshaft seal leaks a bit
>>
>>coupla snotloads of bondo, but not in critical areas
>>
>>it has a stock GT6 gas tank, i.e. it's a D E A T H T R A P in a
>>rear-ender-- so in goes a racing fuel cell, first thing.
>>
>>wish us luck!
>>--
>>Douglas Frank Compaq Computer Corp.
>>ZKO 110 Spit Brook Rd.
>>DTN 264-0501 Nashua, NH USA 03062
>>
>>'73 GT6 KF20642U (needs a name-- "Proud Mary" tops the list so far)
>
>
|