Shaving Ke70 Fuel Filler Lid.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

I was having a smoke in my garage checking out my car (as you do), and I was looking at the eyesore that is the fuel filler cap/lid.

 

I was thinking its full of bog and rust and I'm gonna need to cut it out and do some major welding at some stage.

 

Then I thought, why not get rid of it.

 

My questions/ thoughts :

 

Would moving it be something that would need to be inspected or signed off on for some reason?

 

What do you guys think of utilising the C pillar vents to hide a filler cap?

 

It may require some fancy welding and possibly something inside the cabin by the parcel shelf to cover it..

 

Also has anyone utilised the vents for this purpose? I couldn't find/haven't seen anything.

I'd rather be able to fill it from the exterior.

 

Idea's?

 

This is purely a thought exercise ATM but also something I would like to seriously consider down the track.

But I'd also like to get some opinions before I get serious about it.

 

Cheers guys

 

Reed

[wde_bdy]

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Edited October 16, 2010 by wde_bdy

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Yeah true that could be the go. :hmm:

[ke70dave]

hinging the taillight or hinging the number plate???

 

plenty of old cars had hinged number plates for the fuel filler cap.

 

you could just "shave" off the locking mechanism on the standard fuel door, that would defiantely be an improvement. then just get a cable pull thing from a CSX and use that.

 

or get one of those alloy plates to make it look like a race car filler cap :cool:

[wde_bdy]

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Edited October 16, 2010 by wde_bdy

[philbey]

I think hinging the taillight could be a better plan, problem with the vent is is gets into some fairly structural areas that you would want to be very careful cutting where as the light would just be a matter of setting up a hinge mechanism and catch.

 

Callum

 

So you're going to put your fuel filler (and breather) right behind some electrics and an incandescent globe?

[ke70dave]

hmm yeah i woudlnt be putting any fuel (more specifically fuel vapours) anywhere near some electrics.

 

you want the fuel filler to be completely sealed from the cabin and any electrics.

 

which is why the number plate idea works, as the number plate is just there to cover up the ugly fuel filler, and at all times the fuel and vapours are completly seperate from the interiour of the car.

 

and sure it will take up boot space, thats why toyota put the fuel filler where it is:P

[Trev]

Electronics and fuel don't mix, so glad that they never made an intake electronic fuel pump.

[flamingheads]

What about having the filler inside the boot?

It wouldn't be as cool but it would probably be the easiest way.

[ke70dave]

Electronics and fuel don't mix, so glad that they never made an intake electronic fuel pump.

 

touche'

 

but electrics designed to be around fuel pumps (minimal wiring, bolted connections), is a little different to a hot glowing bulb in a (more than likely) cracked and rusty bulb holder/tail light assembly.

[ca18ae71]

i'v done it before as well as shaving the handles ,its not that hard as lond as u have a nice mig with light wire and some bog and fiberglass

[wde_bdy]

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Edited October 16, 2010 by wde_bdy

[LittleRedSpirit]

Weighing up what you gain:

 

Perceived customness

Perceived cooleness factor

Smooth lines

 

Against what you lose:

 

Ease of filling.

Factory legal looking car that will not attract attention.

Need for custom fabrication.

Boot space

 

For me Id never do it. You will get fuel fumes in the cabin if the filler is located inside, as Ive not seen a fuel tank on a 30 year old car yet that didn't pass a slight bit of fuel vapour past the cap. The only way it will be fumeless is if you retain the rubber seal around the neck to the car body and let the fumes breath to the exterior.

 

If you go putting it right in the rear dead centre of the car or even more crazy behind a tailight, you will have placed it in a more common place to be crashed into. I think thats not a good idea. When I got rear ended I was within 1 centimeter of having my fuel tank popped and only reason i didn't was because I had the tow bar installed. If my filler was there I would have compromised the tank for sure.

 

I like smooth lines on a car too, but I don't really try to change how the car was made, it is what it is. If your worried about how the fuel filler looks there are a bunch of other things that need visual attention before you should be getting that picky. If you want to clean up the look of it, panel beat it really well, paint it a factory colour, black out the door frames, tint the windows darkest legal and remove unnecessary trinkets from the car such as toys hanging off it, extra antennas, aftermarket chrome crap, pointless oversized taillights that block rearward vision, foglights that don't suit it at all, too many stickers, towball, louvre, or worse still louvre spoilers that people cut down, dodgy boot spoilers or bright coloured crap in the interior. don't even get me started on checkerplate...

 

I see too many cool cars here that are just over the top with how much crap is hanging off them Even super decent cars that just look like they are junked up with crap. Just because an accessory is made for a car, is not a reason to attach it. I prefer mods that enhance the driving experience, even if they are invisible to the naked eye.

[B.L.Z.BUB]

Yeah PERSONALISING a car is personal I suppose.

 

Kinda sucks we aren't all robots, and have different tastes.

[LittleRedSpirit]

You asked for opinions, don't like my opinion, no need to get snippy (or ask in the first place).

 

If you just wanted a chorus of "yeah man do it to get pimp status", you came to the wrong place.

 

I put real effort into that reply, which i now regret. Remind me to leave threads like this alone in future.