Project : Ass Kicker, Name Taker, and reliable daily driver

Aracheon

New member
vip09":1poc8rn7 said:
Looks like it's coming along nicely. It just hurts to see you butcher a '93 All-Trac like that :(

The finished product is going to be so much nicer, cleaner, and lighter than stock. If there was any butchering done, it was the rust that had started to eat away at what was left of the gas tank.
 

Aracheon

New member
It's really not as bad as you guys are making it sound.

The hole was cut VERY cleanly. The metal plate will be scoured and then primered/painted on the trunk side, and rubbercoated underneath once the cell is strapped in and sealed. The entire idea behind the fuel cell is to reduce weight, give plenty of room under the car for access to the rear diff and exhaust, and clean up the nasty, cancerous looking glob of metal once formerly known as the stock fuel tank.

Functionally, I'm losing my spare tire along with any real or usable trunk space, yes... but the benefits far outweigh the downside. I don't plan on hauling any cargo aside from the widgets and things I'll manage to toss into the back seat - and I've got AAA Plus should I ever blow a tire.
 

Aracheon

New member
Cutting hole in the trunk plate for the cell:

DSC01114.jpg




More cutting:

DSC01116.jpg




Test fitting the cell:

DSC01125.jpg




Another shot of the test fit:

DSC01126.jpg
 

lumbercis

Moderator
Totally your decision of course, but I don't see why all the cutting was even necessary. It looks like the fuel cell could have fit in the spare tire well. Of course, I don't know anything about fuel cells, so maybe there were other considerations that made it necessary. I have to agree though, it would have hurt less to see it done to a '90.

J.
 

Aracheon

New member
lumbercis":2lh4l2yj said:
Totally your decision of course, but I don't see why all the cutting was even necessary. It looks like the fuel cell could have fit in the spare tire well. Of course, I don't know anything about fuel cells, so maybe there were other considerations that made it necessary. I have to agree though, it would have hurt less to see it done to a '90.

J.


The fuel cell I chose has a lowered section in the bottom for gas to collect with the aid of gravity. That being the case, it's not perfectly flat and needs to be mounted to something flat and secure. I'm not sure if you've ever removed your trunk carpeting, but the trunk of our cars is anything BUT flat. That is the reason I fabbed up the plate. Also, because the outlets on the cell would hit the rear subframe, the cell had to be turned sideways so the fuel lines faced the driver's side of the car, where not only will I be mounting the fuel pump, but also that's where the factory fuel and rear brake lines are routed. Finally, the spare tire well is not centered perfectly in the trunk - it's offset a little to the right. That poses a problem because Toyota routed the exhaust through the right side of the subframe, where it would conveniently sit only inches from my plastic fuel cell. The cutting was necessary to move the cell to the left - towards the center of the car - to provide room for not just the muffler, but also the heat shield that we'll be welding in.

Sure, it would have hurt less on a 90... but I didn't buy the car with the intention of rebuilding it from (basically) the ground up. This happened to be a side necessity after I saw the horrific condition of the gas tank.
 

darthripley

Moderator
everything you have done looks very nice and cleanly installed.

i must say that it did hurt me to see the body cut for the fuel tank (mostly b/c i am a pansy & couldn't do that to mine lol)
BUT i can definitely respect the fact that it fits your goals and needs.

the kicker 8" speakers look great.
i've been thinking about getting a set of those or possibly the MB Quart's.

i like the way you installed the Defi unit in the ashtray cubby area, gives me lots of ideas for a EBC/turbo timer in mine.

i look forward to seeing more pics as you progress :)
 
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