Fuel cell removal

[panozracing]

I need to remove the 32 gal fuel cell. Its seems the only way out is to remove the roof body work? Anyone get the entire fuel cell out without removing the bodywork too?

I HOPE SO!!!!

It seems both cars 9 yr. old tanks are in good shape. The foam is fine and the bladder is clean. The sheetmetal on the other hand is rusty and bent. If I could get it out and do some welding and painting it would be as good as new.

[Gatorac]

I got mine out without removing the roof. I cut it into smaller pieces to do it. The smaller ATL cell I got fit in throught the trunk.

Might be a good time to do some cutting and welding to get the cell out the bottom.

[NZGTRA17]

Originally Posted by panozracing

I need to remove the 32 gal fuel cell. Its seems the only way out is to remove the roof body work? Anyone get the entire fuel cell out without removing the bodywork too?

I HOPE SO!!!!

It seems both cars 9 yr. old tanks are in good shape. The foam is fine and the bladder is clean. The sheetmetal on the other hand is rusty and bent. If I could get it out and do some welding and painting it would be as good as new.

Brian, I have had the 32 gal fuel bladder out of the cell a couple of times now without distrubing any of the cars body panels. Have not tried to remove the shell though.

What life do your racing bodys stipulate that the fuel bladder can have? Motorsport New Zealand have put a rule in place that fuel bladders must be replaced every 5 years (from date of manufacture). Is this not the case in the States?

I contacted Fuel Safe and initlally they told me the bladder only had to be 'inspected' every 5 years. When I pressed for more detail around this they did not get back to me. I note that Panoz put 'Pro Cell' bladders in our cars which are the top line bladder from Fuel Safe so am really interested to know what actual 'hard' life these have from the manufacturers perspective.

Kel.

[panozracing]

I have had a few people inspect the bladder and tell me they are fine. Ours are 9 yrs old and I think we are going to continue using them. I have not had any issues with tech. inspections.

I wish I could get the shell out without removing bodywork.

[Gatorac]

Aww come on, take the roof off. You might like it. It's not as hard as it looks.

[David Eastman]

I think on the Plastic cars there is a panel above the fuel cell and under the rear window that needs to be removed to get the cell out.

David

[gamacdon]

I have a plastic bodied car and to remove the fuel cell i removed two nuts securing the roof to the roll cage (located above the rear window) this allowed enough body movement that i could now remove entire unit.

[Gatorac]

Originally Posted by David Eastman

I think on the Plastic cars there is a panel above the fuel cell and under the rear window that needs to be removed to get the cell out.

David

Plastic cars don't have that panel. The roof is one piece all the way to the trunk lid.

[Cobrafang]

Originally Posted by Gatorac

Plastic cars don't have that panel. The roof is one piece all the way to the trunk lid.

I think he is referring to a interior black sheet metal panel...kinda like a rear firewall. My father's GTRA had the panel and we had to remove it to get the fuel cell out and even then it was a PITA. The panel connects the sloped sheet metal behind the seats toward the rear window to the body panels.


This post is really hard to describe with out a picture....but alas I don't have one. Anyways...if you tilt the fuel cell toward you and the "trunk" opening the top font edge of the fuel cell (toward front of the car) will hit this panel. That is how we figured out we needed to remove it.