Bluddy IVA I need to make a new external fuel filler to meet the SVA regs which say that it must not be in the engine compartment, passenger compartment or luggage compartment so I'll have to create a new one on the outside but the problem is where and how? I can't move the tank behind the seats either because that is also forbidden now. I've spent hours trying to come up with something and I'm really stuck. Any bright ideas out there? This issue on its own could be enough to kill the project stone dead Coincidentally, the motto on my calendar today says 'Do it today because tomorrow it might be illegal' - never a truer word...

Can't it be in the "bonnet"? There's nothing that says it has to be fastened to the external panel so if you can extend the existing filler neck so that the cap is flush with the outside of the body then you just need a clearance hole in the bodywork. As far as it being a luggage compartment then until after the test it isn't a luggage compartment.

I'm looking at this on my 200. I'm going to investigate whether I can take the filler flap from another vehicle (the donor Sierra maybe) and incorporate it into the rear bodywork. I'll then arrange the filler neck to line up with the hole. This way when you open the flap you can access the fuel cap/filler but the filler neck doesn't have to move when the rear section of the bodywork is opened.

Iain

Hi Iain
I'd been sort of thinking along the lines you suggest. I had a flush fitting cap assembly from Europa in mind like this one
https://www.europaspares.com/FUEL_CAPS_ ... _2616.html which could fit into a hole in the bonnet like you say but I'd have to find some way of sealing it to keep water out and any spilt petrol from getting in. There doesn't seem to be much option but to go this way, although I'm a bit paranoid about a nitpicking inspector failing it after I've spent a small fortune on it including £500ish for the test. The car already owes me several thousand (yes, I know, I know...) because I've got everything I need to finish it bought apart from materials to trim it with so I can't afford to abandon it either. I can't see me getting away with claiming that it isn't a luggage compartment though - I think they'll claim that that's what it's for even though it's full of tools, tanks, battery etc

I'm with Ian.

I kind of thought that the boot was behind the engine and the engine compartment was where the engine was, surely the tank is in it's own compartment (guess the spare wheel can be removed temporarily). The large flap is lifted to reveal the filler like most cars (it's just bigger is all)

Think it needs a good read of the regs.

But could a flush filler be fitted to the scuttle (by the corner of the windscreen) and plumbed(through bulkhead) then glassed in so it isn't actually in the cockpit?

I'm in a good mood today - my rossa passed it's mot - damn glad I don't have to sva.

Sorry post hijack  
The magic words are in there, 200,rear bodywork and Seirra donor

Is that a Ford RS 200 we are taking about ? 

Ooooooo I want one.

I used to service those when I was at Tickford What a car! .

Oh flush fit filler with a hole in the bodywork, thats what I was gonna suggest

I'm not familiar with the mk2 Rossa so am assuming that the tank is in the front and your issue is finding somewhere to place the filler that you can lift the front for access without affecting the filler hole.

If that's the situation then it isn't insurmountable but will entail some good bodywork. As someone has already said put an aero filler just in front of the screen and feed your pipe to the tank and glass it all in from the underside so that if looked at from inside the passenger compartment it looks like a manufactured recess for the pipe.

The front section is NOT for luggage it is for the tank, spare wheel, jack and tools. The luggage area is at the back near the engine. (just like all MGF's, mind you the tank on them is also in the back bit).

Alternative to fitting in the scuttle you could cut the top of one of the front "wings" and glass that in place , cut your filler into that and reshape the clam to fit around it so when closed you just see a small gap (like a panel gap would be anyway) again done well it would look factory not a bodge.

Alternatively, and this is my preferred way, get the thing ready now and put it in for the SVA before the end of February and see what it fails on, you then have 6 months to rectify the fails to get a pass and they only check what it failed on at the retest. cost of test is about £200 at present and the retest is £35.

I assume that the new IVA although more costly and stringent still gives you a time period after a fail to get things rectified and retested without paying the full test price.

If you go for the test before the end of Feb then you need to get your paperwork in NOW or you will be too late. My other project is currently without seats, wheels, lighting or interior but the paperwork will be sent off by the end of this week just to get a test date before the new test comes into effect.

As an aside the TVR that is currently staying at my place has the fuel filler under the boot lid (read luggage area) and that is standard fitment, however it is segregated from the luggage area by a lip around it with a rubber seal ontop that seals when the boot lid is closed, maybe this is a possibility for you under the clam. If you want I can take a photo to give you a better idea of how that works, if there was a spill it would vent to the outside not the inside.

I made a lockable flap in the flip front of my Coupe which gave access to the standard fuel filler neck.

You can't just cut out a square and use that as the flap so the first thing I did was to take a mould of the bonnet in the area I was going to cut.

I cut out a rectangle and cleaned up the edges.



The markings show the area I copied with the mould.

I moulded and attached a flange for the flap to close against.



I then made a new flap from the mould i'd taken off the bonnet and trimmed it to fit.



I made a 'swing away hinge for the inside of the bonnet.

For my filler on my Mk2 Rossa

i just pop the bonnet, and there is a minivan petrol tank securely wedged in place at the front...and he spare wheel is again wedged behind it...

What GTMdriver has done works other than RaymonH's interpritation of the new rules is that you are still filling into an open space so looking at your work I would suggest that a collar/ funnel arrangement placed just below the filler cap and rising up to just under the bonnet itself with a seal on top that would be in contact with the bonnet should work. The funnel would also need a pipe to drain any spillage when filling and this could exit throught the open space and down through the bottom of the body to the ground. That's only my idea but if a tester agrees is another matter, however I would suggest you would have a good arguement for it to pass as any spillage or fumes is taken care of and therefore no build up of a flammable atmosphere can be present.

Close - it's an SPD200.

GTMdriver's pictures do a far better job of showing what I was trying to explain and his flap will probably look far better than what I was planning.

On my 200 the engine is up-front unlike the real ones so there's nothing under the rear section of the body whilst there is a bulkhead and window behind the seats like the original so I've got a pretty huge area which will in the fullness of time be my boot. When it goes for the test though it'll contain the fuel-tank and not much else (spare wheel strapped to the chassis rails). I've even thought about not putting the rear screen in the rear body section and having a fuel tank in pretty much the original RS200 position. That way the filler will be external (simply reach over the rear wing to get to it) and not in a compartment of any sort (no floor or cover). After it's on the road I can then put the screen in and open the rear section to fill up with fuel just like the real ones do. I'll add a box with a sealed lid under the rear screen to be my boot - I even got a resin mould of a BDT engine with the kit to put under there so that it looks like there's an engine in the right place (doubt I'll use that though).

If the only thing that's under your bonnet when it goes for a test is the tank then if you say it's not a storage compartment it isn't. Even if the tester is 100% convinced that you'll be adding a box for storage at a later date he can't fail you for something you might do later.

Iain

Its amazing what you can spot in someones post  
  SPD200 close enough, I prefer the other SPD 200 With the engine is in its rightful place   
Still In my veiw the best loking of all group "b"'s And stoped  short in its development.
The RS200 "S" (610bhp road spec cars were) Interesting on road tests

Oh!   pictures please

Where can I start? Thanks for all your replies. My understanding of the new regulations is that they are designed to prevent fume build up from spilled petrol in an enclosed compartment so the filler must be sealed outside them - I'm pretty sure that the exact wording will ensure that all compartments are covered regardless of their use but I wouldn't want to be the first one to test it with an inspector.... I don't think that the TVR setup would pass either The new regs come into effect on 29th April (not February, so you've got a little bit longer, lyndiloo )but I haven't a hope in Hell of even getting back on to four wheels before then. The back end is still stuck up in the air minus absolutely everything which, in turn, is also in a thousand pieces

However, chewing things over on this forum is a big help and I think that I have a solution... If I turn the tank around and move it to nearer the bulkhead I can fit brackets to the other side of the bulkhead to take an aero cap which will then need just a 2" hole cut in the bulkhead for a short length of hose which will be sealed where it passes through. There is 4" between the air grille on the bonnet and the top of the bulkhead which is just enough to cut a hole for the cap so when the bonnet is closed it will sit in the hole flush with the surface and the front compartment will still be completely sealed off. This way water getting in around the cap won't matter because it will only be getting into the open area below the grille anyway. A new breather will also be needed because the fuel level will now be higher than the tank if it is filled up high enough to fill the pipe. I'll be happy to move the tank back a bit from the front as well and the only downside I can see is that I won't have room for a spare wheel but I always carry a couple of cans of tyre sealer/inflator anyway. If that makes sense, can anybody see anything wrong with it?

Is there a floor under the tank? if not (or not when it's tested) then it's not a compartment.

Iain

Hi Iain.
Yes, there is a floor. It's fully enclosed when the bonnet's shut. I've been looking at it again today and am now thinking about leaving the tank where it's meant to be because it sits so well there but having the filler neck removed and welded up and a new one made on the back of the tank from where it will be a straight run to where I intend to have the filler coming through the bulkhead and it will also be on a good slope down for filling. The only thing is that I might have a problem finding somebody who is prepared to cut and weld a petrol tank..

Raymond

Cut and welded my own tank today

Filled with water with copious amounts of fairy liquid, then using an old SU fuel pump, circulated more water thru for 20 mins, then got on with the grinder. No dramas at all.