Strange Fuel Tank

[Temmck]

All,

I have recently acquired a 1970 S4 DHC chassis 35K. The car does not have the typical, under the floor fuel tank. It looks more like an Plus 2 tank (up on the shelf) but with the filler neck on the right side. Was this an option for a larger tank?
Does anyone else have one of these? If so, could you send me some pictures of the cross bar under the tank where the straps attach and the cross bar brackets. My bar is heavily bent and distorted. The brackets that hold them to the car are also bent but not sure if this is original or not. (See attached pictures). These parts do not show on the Elan or Plus 2 parts manuals so I have nothing to go by.

Thanks,
Terry

[gjz30075]

Welcome to the forum! Possibly - viewtopic.php?f=40&t=27846&start=

[Temmck]

Greg, Thank you for the link. Seems there are others out there.

Unfortunately, the pictures don't show the crossbar brackets. I can't see if they are bent like mine. One of my PO's did remove the fuel tank, as evident by the cut straps, so maybe they bent the brackets to try to extract the tank from the rear. Not sure why they didn't just unbolt the straps.

If anyone has one of these tanks, I would appreciate knowing the shape of the brackets (bent or not) and also what the floor sits on. My car came without one. There is a long flat tab on the crossbar above the spare tire area that looks like a place the floor would sit. But no tab over the area of the typical fuel tank. Not sure why. Was the floor just a shelf over the spare? So many questions.

Thanks,
Terry

[oldelanman]

Was the floor just a shelf over the spare?

The boot floor consists of three pieces: - plywood over the spare wheel, plywood between the tank and RH wheel arch and fibreboard over the gap at the front of the tank. The whole lot was then covered by the boot mat.
Have a look at this earlier thread it has lots more details.

viewtopic.php?f=36&t=24368

[Temmck]

Thanks Roger,

This link is very helpful, a god place to start. I need to improve my forum search skills. But, I'm still looking for input from anyone who has one of these cars as I expect the flooring to be different. The floor above the spare can not sit on the body because the cross bar sits above the body. I think it will sit on the tabbed portion of the crossbar. Without the tank, the right side floor pieces are obviously different. Perhaps the floor is lower in this area given there is no tabs on the crossbar right of the spare. I would think that since the tank is between the shock towers, there must be a closing plate in front of the tank.

I see that the previous post was from Ted. I'll reach out but I assume he sold that cars years ago. I may just have to wing it.

Terry

[0005K]

I have 0005K, a 1970 federal car with the same tank. I've had the tanks out and steam cleaned and I have them reinstalled. I can take and upload pictures in a few hours.
Dick

[Temmck]

Perfect, thanks Dick.

[0005K]

The tank fits in the boot below the hood tray on the shelf above the differential. There are two straps that hold it in place. Mine has a second smaller tank attached to the T-shaped cross-car support brace. It looks like I have to load separate attachments

[0005K]

photo

[0005K]

photo

[Temmck]

Yup, looks just like mine. Can you shoot a picture of the brackets that holds the crossbar to the body. There are two holding up the crossbar. The straps are bolted to these brackets.

Also, Is there anything under the tank, between tank and the body or does the tank sit on the fiberglass? My fuel filler sits too low on the car so I think there maybe a shim or felt under the tank that raises it up a half inch or so.

Terry

[mbell]

Mine has a second smaller tank attached to the T-shaped cross-car support brace.

This may well be a charcoal canister to capture fuel vapors from the tank rather than vent them to atomsphere.

I believe this was a requirement in California from ~1970, and soon followed by rest of the US. My guess would be it likely the reason for the different tank setup on these cars.

[0005K]

The end brackets for the cross-piece appear to be about 3 1/4" long. The riveted side is about 1", and the inboard flange is about 1/2". They appear to be welded to the cross piece. They are riveted to the inside of the boot at an angle.... not vertically, with the 1" flange towards the front of the car. The first picture is the LH end (and is upside down - sorry). The next picture is the RH end.
I don't have evap canisters. I think they came soon afterwards. The second smaller tank is to the left of the first and is hose-connected to the first and I have a small vent hose on it which is vented to the outside in the LH rear wheel well.
Dick

[0005K]

I have the thick jute sound deadener under the fuel tanks. I will also have the jute on the top and rear side of the tanks - behind (forward in-car of) the cardboard trim piece. The jute has a large cutout for access to the fuel sender. My trim is not fully reassembled. The cardboard trim is held in place by a nut and fender washer on the left side which attaches to a rearward projecting stud welded to the left rear side of the small fuel tank. I'm not sure how the RH side of the cardboard trim is held in place.
Dick

[Temmck]

Interesting. What is the purpose of installing this crossbar at an angle? That may be why the brackets under this bar have a bent angle. Are yours bent also?

Ah, I was wondering what that welded stud on the catch tank was for. Does the cardboard fit into the U-channel on the crossbar? It seems like the right location. I am also not seeing anything on the right side for the cardboard to attach to.

Terry