Initial Assembly Questions

[Jeff Troy]

Hi, Group,

Some of you PA and Jersey people met me at Carlisle this year and last. I’m the unbuilt Fiberfab TD kit owner who shows up in the plum-colored ChromaLusion Bradley GT (1976 original owner-builder/600,000 miles).

My chassis modifications for the TD are complete, and the chassis and Freeway Flyer transmission have been coated with POR-15 and POR-15 Chassis Black. I have already begun to make some of the necessary cutouts in the Fiberfab TD body.

1. When placing the gas tank liner over the cutout in the upper body step, the lower curve of the liner bottoms out on the inner shelf before the flange around the liner seats to the shelf. I am concerned about adding any kind of spacer or gasket because it may cause the gas tank cap to contact the hood, or worse, make the hood unable to close.

If I must trim, do I trim the inner shelf below the gas tank liner or should I remove a portion of the lower curve in the gas tank liner? I need approximately 5/8-inch to seat the gas tank liner’s flange, so adding a closed-cell rubber gasket beneath the liner would be the easiest solution — if there’s gas cap clearance.

2. The instruction page is unclear about fuse block location — “mounted on ‘far’ side of firwall” is rather ambiguous. Does the fuse block mount on the firewall under the hood for easy access, or must it be on the firewall inside the cockpit?

Please tap here or to jefftroy@aol.com

Thanks and warmest regards.

Jeff Troy

Jeff Troy
759 New Holland Ave.
Lancaster PA 17602
717-917-3670
jefftroy@aol.com
www.bandmix.com/jefftroy

[Dale Schumacher]

Jeff,

I had the Red MG TD next to you at Carlisle – I will check mine for the tank question, but I am almost sure the tank on my rig had the neck cut down and welded back on by the original builder to provide the needed clearance on the hood lid. I will take a look and see how the bottom section was done and get back to you.

The fuse box in my car is mounted on the pass side under the dash and mounted to the firewall out of view. I don’t think you want it hood side as that area will get water in at heavy rain times.

Dale

[Keith True]

I have three of these cars,and in one of them The gas tank just would not fit the liner.It must have been pulled from the mold too soon or something I monkeyed with it for weeks off and on,I just gave up and mounted the tank without the liner.The original VW did not have a liner,the only drawback I can see is that if the tank was to leak it might run into the passenger compartment.You can trim the arc in the body if you have to,a new body requires this kind of trimming.As you go you will find lots of places that need trimming.

[Jeff Troy]

Thanks, Keith and Schu,

Thanks for the response, buds.

The kit is new and unbuilt, and I’m just starting to assemble the Fiberfab parts after completely prepping all the VW components.

Per the manual, I’ve already cut and welded the shortened neck on the tank, so that isn’t an issue. The problem is that the tank liner will not seat to the body unless I either relieve the body step beneath the liner or take a little glass away from the bottom of the liner. It’s almost as if the inner section of the body was glassed inside the outer body a bit too high.

I think that I will place the tank inside the liner to see if I can remove some of the bottom without consequence. If not, I’ll just cut away a small portion of the body step underneath.

I kinda figured that the fuse block went inside the car because the manual shows a dotted line instead of solid. I just know how inconvenient the block is in my Bradley, and I am hoping for easier access in the TD. Having doors on the TD will help, as the gullwing design of the Bradley requires me to lay down — feet up and over the T-top — whenever I have to get under the dash.

Thanks again, guys. Your help is appreciated.

Warmest regards,

Jeff Troy
759 New Holland Ave.
Lancaster PA 17602
717-917-3670
jefftroy@aol.com
www.bandmix.com/jefftroy

[M Watson]

Hi Jeff, sorry that I can’t be of much help with the gas tank question, but on one of my cars, the tank has a cut down neck and cap and there is lots of room left above it.  This tank is mounted longwise fore and aft.  On the other car, the tank is crosswise and the fit is tight because the neck was not cut and it touches the side of the car.   I plan on taking it out and having the neck cut etc. similar to the other one.  My fuse block is mounted under drivers side on one and pax side on the other..go figure…different builders and/or instructions.  In any event, keep us all posted..cheers

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