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Learning how to build Lotus Seven replicas...together!
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PostPosted: April 24, 2014, 9:53 am 
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I've got a few tasks to do before the Gathering. Wifey say's the shoulder belt hits the side of her neck. Can't have that! I just ordered those fancy Lotus seat belt shoulder pads on eBay. Hopefully that will help.

I also have been not so happy with my rear panel mounted fuel filler. I have to premix oil for my engine and pouring 5-9 oz of oil in at every fillup seems to dribble down the shiney aluminum. in addition, the low angle to the tank menas I have to fill it at the lowest click on the pump nozzle. SO I just oredered a new filler neck (yeah, I'm getting lazy) that will bolt in place on the top of the tank. Tanksinc.com was great. I wanted their packaged kit (45 bucks), but the location would eliminate my existing venting port. They substituted a neck with a vent for only 6 bucks extra. In 24 hours, it was on my doorstep. Now to drill holes in the tank without blowing it apart. I plan on draining my tank, then washing it out several times, finally filling it with water to the tippy-top. Then I should be able to take my tools of destruction to it with minumum risk.


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I've got a few more things to address before my travels, but I'll hold off on stating those in case I don't get around to it.

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Last edited by rx7locost on April 29, 2014, 9:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: April 24, 2014, 3:52 pm 
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Chuck, if you ordered the same ultra-cheap, free shipping from Hong Kong, Lotus seat belt pads that I got, they look great and are quite the bargain. They are not terribly well-padded, but you can't have everything. At least you made the effort.


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PostPosted: April 24, 2014, 6:22 pm 
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Those are them Nick. Thanks for the review. They are listed at $8.99 for the pair including shipping. I made an offer at 7.49 and ended up with them for $8.00. I feel that it is my obligation to offer less if they show a "MAKE OFFER" button, no mattter how good a deal is at the buy-it-now price. I just told my wife that she may have to remove one of the seams and add some padding. I can't be the only one preparing for the trip. :cheers:


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Chuck.

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Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

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PostPosted: April 25, 2014, 2:37 am 
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Hey Chuck,
I do not recommend the water trick on the tank = WAY too much mess. I was taught a trick that I have used without fail(!!!!) many times. Drain the tank, run a hose (garden ok but larger is better) from the exhaust of a running car into the tank thru the fill or sender hole. Wait a few minutes - tank will actually start to get a little warm. You are good to go! Cutting or welding on the tank will not cause any catastrophe because there is no O2 to cause a fire/bang. A lot cleaner and quicker.
Glad to answer any questions re the method.

JMR

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PostPosted: April 28, 2014, 5:12 pm 
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Kartracer, thanks for the suggestion. I ended up being too chicken to try that process out, even though I have read a lot of success stories. I ended up going with a slightly modified plan.

Today was E-day. the E stands for explosion!. Not really.(thank goodness) I ended up draining the tank, then washing it out with Dawn and a garden hose. Then filled it up with fresh water to within ~ 1/4" of the top to eliminate most of the air space. Since I wasn;t welding, brazing or soldering, I wasn't concerned ab out heat sinking. I threw in a couple of chunks of dry ice and the CO2 cloud came rushing out. I felt very confident in that procedure. I drilled the 6 clearance holes for the mounting screws and the big 2-1/8 " center hole without incident. I used magnets along-side the drill bits to catch the metal bits so they didn't fall into the tank as I drilled. Everything worked out pretty nice. I drained the tank of the water, then blew fresh air into the tank with my shop vac for about 15 minutes to help dry it out. Then I ran my hot air gun on low for another 10 minutes or so for the final pass. Everthing inside was clean and dry. No smell of gasoline at all. maybe my nose was desenstized by then. The fill neck was then fitted into place and that was that.

I decided to leave the original filler tube for several reasons. One was I didn't have any nice way to fill up the hole in the rear panel. And 2) I didn't want to destroy the Red Kote tank liner by cutting off and welding a plate over the first fill neck. I can always fit a plug later when I close off the hole in the rear panel.

I should now be able to add my oil and gas at a semi-normal pace.

Attachment:
CO2 venting 1.JPG
Attachment:
CO2 venting 2.JPG
Attachment:
new fill neck.JPG


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Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

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And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766


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PostPosted: April 28, 2014, 8:26 pm 
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DRY ICE!!! Great idea - totally bypasses the hassles of the exhaust "plumbing". You might try it out on a small can with gasoline vapors inside, add the dry ice and TRY to make it "go bang"!!!!!

JMR

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My build log viewtopic.php?f=36&t=10658&start=0 NOW NAMED =The Wycked 7

My other build log viewtopic.php?f=18&t=15162 The Skayt'R6


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PostPosted: April 28, 2014, 8:40 pm 
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Chuck-
In the environmental business, when you remove an underground storage tank almost every state requires you to "inert" it by putting a few pounds of dry ice inside after thoroughly draining or pumping out the tank. There's a chart around here somewhere for the amount of dry ice per 1000 gallon tank size.

It seems you've discovered the same process independently... Great minds, same channel, etc... But then, you always wuz the smart one in the family...

:cheers:
JDK

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PostPosted: April 29, 2014, 8:46 am 
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Chuck
That came out GOOOOOD :cheers:
I like your idea about putting a magnet next to the drill bit.
Dave W


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PostPosted: April 29, 2014, 9:04 am 
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One was I didn't have any nice way to fill up the hole in the rear panel.

Bubba says that's what stickers is for...

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PostPosted: April 29, 2014, 9:46 am 
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davew wrote:
Chuck
That came out GOOOOOD :cheers:
I like your idea about putting a magnet next to the drill bit.
Dave W


yeah but that only works for steel. for other materials,or just in general, a trick I picked up from the mfg floor I worked at for the last couple years (where many repairs require drilling lots of holes in aluminum, and producing a metric crap ton of FOD you really don't want getting into the structures being repaired) was to simply place a running vaccum nozzle next to the drill bit as you drilled. used that when drilling the fwd cowl mounting holes on teh B-3 (for just one example). works pretty mint.

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Last edited by robbovius on April 29, 2014, 9:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

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PostPosted: April 29, 2014, 9:50 am 
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Bubba says that's what stickers is for...

And here I thought that "stickers" were for covering up rust holes. That is what they are used for up here where we salt our roads.

BTW, great info about "inerting" storage tanks. I knew that gas fumes were heavier than air. I guess the CO2 gas must be heavier than the gasoline fumes. It must just push the gasoline fumes up and out into the atmosphere.

Kartracer, I still filled up the tank ~98% with water, so it wasn't as low a "hassel" as you might think. But at least I didn't melt my garage vacuum hose from the hot car exhaust! :cheers:

Quote:
that only works for steel. ....... simply place a running vaccum nozzle next to the drill bit as you drilled.
Rob, that was my fallback position. But I didn't really want to be sucking any remaining gas fumes into the shop vac where the brushes of the motor are sparking continuously.

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“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766


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PostPosted: April 29, 2014, 10:06 am 
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rx7locost wrote:
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that only works for steel. ....... simply place a running vaccum nozzle next to the drill bit as you drilled.
Rob, that was my fallback position. But I didn't really want to be sucking any remaining gas fumes into the shop vac where the brushes of the motor are sparking continuously.


Given that the tank was filled with water, and then fogged with CO2 such that it was making the fuel tank look like a witches cauldron, you'll understand if I mention you might have been being a bit overcautious? ;-)

that new filler neck is the bomb though, and as usual your workmanship is pretty swank. well played.

But, THAT would be an interesting experiment: sucking fuel vapors into a vaccuum cleaner, to see if you could set it on fire. who wants to see?

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.


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PostPosted: April 29, 2014, 10:12 am 
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But, THAT would be an interesting experiment: sucking fuel vapors into a vaccuum cleaner, to see if you could set it on fire. who wants to see?
Ooh!!! Ooh!!! ME!!! ME!!! Let ME do it!!!! :shock:

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Quinn the Slotus:Ford 302 Powered, Mallock-Inspired, Tube Frame, Hillclimb Special
"Gonzo and friends: Last night must have been quite a night. Camelot moments, mechanical marvels, Rustoleum launches, flying squirrels, fru-fru tea cuppers, V8 envy, Ensure catch cans -- and it wasn't even a full moon." -- SeattleTom


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PostPosted: April 29, 2014, 10:20 am 
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GonzoRacer wrote:
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But, THAT would be an interesting experiment: sucking fuel vapors into a vaccuum cleaner, to see if you could set it on fire. who wants to see?
Ooh!!! Ooh!!! ME!!! ME!!! Let ME do it!!!! :shock:


I DO need a new shop vac... unless the experiement is a failure. ;-)

okay enough with Hijacking Chuck's build log

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The B-3 build log: http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=13941 unfortunately, all the pictures were lost in the massive server crash

The beginnings of the Jag Special,
https://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=19012
Again, all pictures were lost.


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PostPosted: April 29, 2014, 1:17 pm 
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Given that the tank was filled with water, and then fogged with CO2 such that it was making the fuel tank look like a witches cauldron, you'll understand if I mention you might have been being a bit overcautious?


Yeah, I'm a bit (over)cautious. I've witnessed a fuel tank explosion once in my life. I don't care to see it again. I'm OK with being called "overcautious" when you get only one chance to get it right. Think about: once the vacuum was turned on, the CO2 inside would be sucked away, eliminating the inert atmosphere. You know, the one you just created to help prevent the "BOOM"! :mrgreen:

Quote:
But, THAT would be an interesting experiment: sucking fuel vapors into a vaccuum cleaner, to see if you could set it on fire. who wants to see?
Quote:
Ooh!!! Ooh!!! ME!!! ME!!! Let ME do it!!!!


JD, this is your task for the day. Come back and report, if your capable of doing so afterwards. Video or it didn't happen! :shock:

OK - Confession time - As a kid, I played with fire. Didn't we all? Did you know, You can throw lit matches into an open coffee can of gasoline. If you get the conditions right, the match will extinguish itself in the gasoline without lighting the vapors. But conditions have to be right. I didn't succeed all of the time. And for all you little experimenters out there in cyberspace, you shouldn't try to put out the flames by blowing on it, especially with someone on the opposite side trying to do the same. Don't ask how I know.

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Chuck.

“Any suspension will work if you don’t let it.” - Colin Chapman

Visit my ongoing MGB Rustoration log: over HERE

Or my Wankel powered Locost log : over HERE

And don't forget my Cushman Truckster resto Locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=36&t=17766


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