Fuel filler neck behind the seat?

Anybody have a roadster/coupester with the deck welded shut and the fuel filler neck behind a flip forward seat back? I'd like to see pics of what you did.

 

That sounds scary...and I've been sitting on the gas tank in my old truck for decades.

 

I was gonna put mine on the inner door pillar on my 48 Chevy panel truck. Even that was a scary thought and I don't smoke.
What a stupid place those back-of-seat tanks on trucks were. Almost as bad as antique car tanks under the seat or on our laps.

 

Just put a metal back on the seat. Whats the difference between that and a trunk mounted fuel cell. Rhetorical question there.
Not decided yet, just looking at multiple solutions, this is one in the "possible" pile. I do not want a filler cap anywhere on the outside of the body. I am also considering hiding it in a frenched license plate surround, the problem with that is it restricts the hieght of the tank pretty severely, which limits its capacity. Havent discarded this one yet, but looking at alternatives. The third solution is an opening decklid, but thats not really what I want. Hiding it behind a flip open door on the body doesnt really fit with the time frame I am after.

I am open to other ideas that fit within the parameters I have outlined above. Car is a turtle deck T.

 

I'd suppose that the 'spring-loaded cap' that is a round body surface piece, might serve. It hides pretty well depending upon the color and fit.

 

I have been thinking about this also, On a '30 tudor sedan, where do you put the fuel tank? I am going to try to get it under the rear seat ( with a floor panel between it and the seat) with a filler behind a fold forward rear seat. But most likley will cut a hole in the side of the quarter panel. hate to do that.

 

I was in a similar situation. Did not want an opening lid to expose filler neck. Did not want a trunk lid. I did not like the look of the rear fender side access flip lid to filler neck. Plugged the inside of car entry for hose to tank. Relocated filler neck to rear of vehicle with flush mounted cap. Because of fuel tank's necessary location/design I had no other option but to go with the flush mounted fuel tank cap. I plan to paint the flush cap, when I repaint the car.

 

I don't know if you are after a totally slick deck area or not...but the welded deck probably gives that area considerable rigidity, and you could hinge the panel between back of ****pit and front of former decklid. Install a sort of tray under that to hold filler cap and also to tie that area together. Now you can have a firewall between ****pit and tank.

 

Maybe de-billet this type by painting?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Polished-Billet-Flush-Fit-Pop-Up-Streetrod-Fuel-Gas-Cap-/310353985948

 

Not bad, not bad...I'll give that some thought.
Honestly, I am really not that hung up on the percieved "safety issue" issue here, I dont see much difference between a metal seat back with a latch, and a firewall. To me, it doesnt seem any different from the piece of metal across the back seat area of a street/race car with a fuel cell in the trunk.
But I AM open to other ideas, like I said, and Bruces idea is worth consideration. And Bruce, bingo on the rigidity. Great minds think alike. Thats not the ONLY reason, but it is one reason why I want to do it that way.

 

I would put it where it should go, and not worry too much about it. It should go on the side of the car, near where the gas tank is, but a bit higher than the top of the tank.

 

I just have to say one thing about that. It may seem like a good sound fix and in normal operation it should be fine.
The only problem is, there will ALWAYS be that one incident where the worst case scenario confronts you. Trust me on this, I can vouch for it!! I always thought the same 'Yeah, but how likely is that to happen?'.
Well as a medic I have attended five aircraft crashes, one was at an air show in Nowra NSW when one of two existent and operational WWII CAC Wirraway aircraft crashed in front of me killing 2. Another was a New Zealand A4 Jet Fighter that in training rolled out of a low level display maneuver into trees killing the pilot. Another one was a Seaking Helicopter crash that killed 4. In all cases I had talked to the aircrew of all three of these aircraft before the flights, not one of them had the slightest thought that within the next half hour they would be dead. The other two? You don't need to know about them.

Out on the road as a Paramedic I have never kept a count, but I have seen more than enough dead people in MVA's. Now what the **** has any of this got to do with a fuel filler behind your seat?
You are placing another potential point of injury and danger into your vehicle. You have placed a point of entry for fuel into the p***enger compartment. Statistically there may only be an incredibly low percentage of danger but why take the chance?

Mate, I lived through an accident that 'statistically' should not happen for another 40 odd years. I am one of three people to have a double parachute malfunction in the Australian Army. We Aussies have been stupid enough to have an Airborne component since the 1930s, and going of the number of like accidents one should occur every 6million jumps. Well in less than 4 mill, three of us have had one I am the only one to survive.
So, IT CAN HAPPEN you can be ****ed up because that was easier and the chances of it happening are **** all.
But remember **** all still happens and you could be that one **** all that cops it.

Doc.

 

Not gonna happen. Lets make that clear, so we dont waste a bunch of time/bandwidth. NO plainly visible, external gas filler cap.

 

Seriously, channeled 1900 lb roadsters are not real safe in the first place. If I was that worried about it, I'd sell my chevy II, and falcon, abandon any ideas of building a traditional car, sell my Ducati, and buy a volvo. This is not about macho swagger, this is about what you choose to trade off to be "safe".
Oh and by the way, I was on scene and saw a woman burn to death in a (at the time) late model Olds because we couldn't get the door open after she was rear-ended, and the fuel tank ruptered. It CAN happen, I get that. And it can happen when I am driving my wifes Corolla, and unlike half the jack***es on the road, I am aware of THAT too. If I get rear-ended hard enough in a channeled car to split the gas tank open, the guy that hits me is going to go right over top of me and kill me anyway, I dont have any illusions about that, any more than i have any illusions about what is going to happen to me if some jack*** turns left into me when i am on my bike.
Embrace the nanny state.

 

George,
Food for thought.

Its a roadster right? so basically behind the seat is pretty much out in the breeze. But you could set your filler neck up with a noj vented cap, then with a ****** brazed to the side of the filler neck run a line out under the car somewhere and put an inline fuel filter on the line to keep it from ****ing up a bunch of dust.

 

Hey, I have made 2660 parachute jumps, even owned my own para equipment.
I have owned a Duc 916 and a 999, also had a MV Agusta F4RR, and a host of **** box smaller bikes. I have fought in combat for my country in five different country's.
Drag raced, every one of my cars, track raced and did time trial mountain climbs in my old XD Falcon 351C (590Hp) so danger I understand.
I have just watched a few two many people burn to death screaming because of something that could have easily been fixed.
Don't think of your self here, think of the people who have to clean your lazy **** up off the side of the road!!

Doc.

 

Vent...build the filler into tray under that upper rear panel. Vent comes out into the tray area so it is high above tank, where it connects to a hose going out much farther aft and lower. Vent hose and unvented cap make the area closest to your head fume free, at least after the inevitable gas station splash evaporates.

 

P.S. Did you ever notice that it took the NHRA several YEARS to figgerout that allowing a 5 gallon Moon tank held down by 2 screen door springs (!) bolted to the floor next to the driver(!) right over the flywheel(!) was less than optimum for safety?

 

Tank will be long, flat, fore and aft, and located low in the ch***is with a vent towards the rear of the car, regardless of where the filler is located. Bruce, thanks for your ongoing, USEFUL input. I can fit a tank in that way of about 9.5 gallons. Just not sure about being able to get the filler neck high enough if I put it behind the plate.

 

yea but once they got on the saftey bandwagon they have gone with double throw down saftey.

 

Ok, this debate, as well as the debate about hanging a fuel cap off the 1/4 panel, have been duly dealt with and dismissed. I really appreciate your concern about my welfare Doc, I really do. Thanks for your concern, duly noted. Whats funny is, if I suggested a filler neck under an opening decklid, in the exact same position, no-one would have a problem. Moving on...

 

I would have a problem with that too. It will be interesting to see what you come up with.

My main concern is with spilling fuel when you're filling up. If you can lick that problem....

 

Heres the basic plan IF I dont/cant do it behind a flip up license plate. Center of the seat flips forward, piece of sheet metal on the back side of the seat. The seat back will latch into place on both sides, probably with a key, as the area on the other side behind the driver will house the battery, again low in the ch***is, and a small luggage area. No kick-up to speak of, 1/4 elliptic rear springs with a tubing crossmember just above and behind the axle, mounting the panhard bar and rear shocks. Filler cap located at the front of the tank, under the deck. You unlatch the seat back, flip it forward, reach in under the leading edge of the deck, fill the tank. Tank is located on the p***. side, bottom of the tank even with the bottom of the frame rails.Tank is about 8" deep, vent at the upper rear of the tank, venting under the car, in front of the rear axle.

 

Ok, I dont think you guys are quite following me here, and that may be my fault, maybe I havent been clear enough. Maybe the description I just gave Benno will help. The tank and filler would be located UNDER the turtle deck, and it is open to the ground under/around the tank. The tank will be mounted to the inside of the p***. side frame rail on one side, a small square tube crossmember on the other. The tank will run fore and aft between the torque-tube and the inside of the right-hand frame rail, seat back in front, rear axle tube behind. Tank is not going to be real deep, about 8". You access the filler by flipping the seat back forward, and reaching back under the leading edge of the deck. Can you visualize it a little better now?

 

If you have a tank vent then you won't need a vented cap. Fumes should not be a problem at all. I think all you really need to worry about is a concentration of fumes for your own saftey.

On a side note, I used to race at a track where they let the bugs run with the battery under the back seat "because it was the stock location." I had to run a sealed battery box because my battery was in the trunk and it was not the stock location. Ignorance gone to seed, I'll say.

 

mmmmm, Apparently safety, the knowledge there off, or the desire to ensure anothers longevity is not Useful.
Beanner' can you help me here and inform the NHRA that they are wasting valuable time with this 'keeping' people alive foolishness.
Oh, and the stupidity of being concerned in the least for the Emergency Service workers that have the endure the results of others actions!
I do invite you to spend a night or two in a Trauma Center, that may change your mind from placing an opening into the p***engers compartment for direct flow fuel.

Doc.

 

I spent a month in a burn ward once. I couldn't eat pork for the longest time.

 

I might have missed it and Im not trying to be a smart ***, but why would anyone want to weld a deck lid closed? I have seen some custom bodied cars that never had a functional trunk/deck lid, and even that seems like a waste of space to me.. But if you have a car, say a ford roadster or whatever, that came with a deck lid that opens and closes, what is gained by welding it closed? am I missing something?

 

Falcon,
Reading through this thread, your last description of what you're wanting to do now makes sense. A friend of mine is building a turtle deck T for a customer, the petrol tank sits either side of the torque tube and in between the ch***is rails, admittedly the filler deck is high on his, but I can't see any reason why you couldn't run a flush mounted one on the floor of the ****pit (aircraft style or similar), if you had to hide completely then just have a hinged section of the floor covering the filler.

 

I understand that, when that A4 went in, there were 4 of them in formation. We were on scene pretty quick, first priority was to locate the pilot. Now this thing had gone in hard and there was not much left, I managed to confirm the pilot was deceased when I located his sternum. The smell of the JP4 and the remains is still with me.
Found out after about half an hour who the pilot was, the Sqn Co and a good mate of mine.

Doc.