Boot Idea or Bad idea

[dannyteal1990]

I've had an idea that I wanted to run by you guys.

My Austin 7 Cambridge Special has two fuel tanks. A skuttle one (the main one) and a rear one (not used/Not connected up).
Since I'm a lot taller than the previous owner I'm having to move the seat back to allow me to fit/drive the car. In doing this it takes away the limited storage space that was behind the seat. 

Now onto the idea. I want to convert the rear fuel tank into a kind of boot with a door on rather than just carry it around with nothing in as the front tank will hold the fuel! Something to hold a few tools/jack etc.

Before i start hacking away at the fuel tank I wanted to make sure I'm not about to destroy a genuine Austin fuel tank. 
Anyone got any ideas what the following tank is from? Or if it's genuine Austin? There's a square cut out at the back of the tank.
   

   

[JonE]

in answering your question, we really need to know where your spare wheel is kept...?

[Ian Williams]

Why not remove the tank and build a storage locker to fit in its place, or use the rear tank and make a scuttle mounted storage locker? Seems a shame to destroy the tank, even if you do not need it.

[dannyteal1990]

in answering your question, we really need to know where your spare wheel is kept...?

Hi JonE  Thanks for replying. Well the car has different sized wheels front and back. With the previous owner, one lived hanging off the back of the tank (with a home made bracket which left a lot to be desired) and another where the passenger seat should have been. I want to return to having two seats so it can't live there so.would need a way of hanging one off the rear door.
Or scrap having a spare and "risk" it 

Cheers

[JonE]

you could go back to equal size rims and then have the rear locker (looking like a rear tank) with a side panel opening, so the (single!) spare wheel can be happily fixed there on the solid back. Simplifies electrics a bit too?

[Zetomagneto]

in answering your question, we really need to know where your spare wheel is kept...?

Hi JonE  Thanks for replying. Well the car has different sized wheels front and back. With the previous owner, one lived hanging off the back of the tank (with a home made bracket which left a lot to be desired) and another where the passenger seat should have been. I want to return to having two seats so it can't live there so.would need a way of hanging one off the rear door.
Or scrap having a spare and "risk" it 

Cheers

Hi Danny, I would love to have this tank for my special, regards Gene

[AllAlloyCup]

It’s pretty obably a tank from prewar MG J2 or P type I think or also a Singer ale Mans
In which case it’s worth money!!

Bill G

[Jeff Taylor]

I too was thinking MG J2. The photo below is of a 1933 MG J2. I personally wouldn't cut it up - someone somewhere would welcome it for their MG restoration. 


  Screen Shot 2018-05-02 at 23.13.23.png (Size: 834.83 KB / Downloads: 440)

[Hugh Barnes]

That person could be me, for example! Yes, please don't cut it up, far too good to have it destroyed...

Hugh

["Slack Alice" Simon]

I could also use a tank like that.

They don't come up very often, I think the last one on Ebay went for well over £ 100.

A look-alike would be easily made, particularly if it doesn't have to hold fuel.

Just because you have two different wheel sizes, you don't have to hold two spare wheels - not in "get you home" mode, anyway.

I'm sure there are all sorts of legalities, but .....

A couple of spare tubes and a set of tyre levers, a mallet,and a bit of practice is a lightweight answer.


Cheers

Simon

---

Thinking about the original problem- I had to adapt my short chassis Cambridge to fit a lad so he could drive his bride to his wedding.

He was around 6'4, at least.

Changing the steering angle makes a big difference, there is suddenly space for the knees.

(Though maybe not for the knuckles!)

Seat goes back until it is against the step in the floor  - which is a floor made by me, so the step is angled rather than vertical.

The offside third of the brake pedal is removed, so his size 11s could get on the accelerator.

And the bit of the seat that determines the height of your bottom from the floor is only 1" thick.

With all that, there is still space behind the seat for stuff.

And he could drive the car.

Simon