The New Rear Tank

[Old Dave]

Managed to get the new petrol tank fitted and up to now there are no leaks in the drain tap and the outlet etc. I fitted a new proper tail-pipe while I was at it.
I am very pleased with the result.

   


Unfortunately I managed to create another problem. We had the rear wheels up on ramps, having jacked the car on the rear chassis frame. I had chocked the front wheels and reached in and pulled the handbrake further to check all was solid before getting underneath.

Now I can't get the handbrake off !!!!!!!!!    Stop laughing at the back!!!!! 

Any advice please on the best way forward????  The car is now on all 4 wheels.

[Steve Jones]

Jack it back up to where it was when you pulled the handbrake on then try to take the handbrake off. Slight flexing of the chassis can lead to this issue. I saw exactly this happen to a Chummy on Saturday.

Steve

[Reckless Rat]

I second that.

Dave your tailpipe seems a lot shorter than mine (but I'm not bragging) - is the spare wheel likely to obscure your number plate? (perhaps it's just the camera angle)

[Old Dave]

Well RR - When I bought Alice a few years ago she had a length of straight pipe that came out of the silencer under the axle and hung in free space!!! THe new one came ready bent to go over the axle in the prescribed way. I had the thought to attach it at the back in much the same way as yours, but having seena video on YouTube where the highest point of the pipe was attached to the floor above the axle - I have fabricated such an attachment with a rubber fitting. The pipe ends level with the rear plate - ish.

I like your neat indicators - my current ones are the old lucas festoon type but with LED boards inside now which raises the output considerably. I am moving in the opposite direction by installing the LED boards in the body of a Land Rover indicator (inards removed) which are 6omm across - see pic

   


Thanks for your advice Steve and seconding Bruce.   I will give that a go in the morning. Sounds like that might do the job.

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Thanks Steve - I will give that a go in the morning.

[Reckless Rat]

There is another clamp on the tailpipe on my RP, on the upward sweep just in front of the axle, attached to the chassis extension. The one at the back is just belt & braces. My indicators are "Rubbolite" supplied by Willie MacKenzie. They now run on 6v LEDs with an electronic flasher unit.

[Old Dave]

Yes your indicator lights look smart and unobtusive - which you can't say for either of my sets  

By the way the spare wheel fits in behind the number plate OK - BUT the indicators need encouraging outwards so the tyre clears them. I think whoever fitted them didn't think they would need the spare wheel!!  . I will address that problem when I fit the Land Rover set. I will use the same LED boards transferred from my current ones. The boards were supplied by Classic Dynamo & Regulator Conversions in Lincolnshire.

[Reckless Rat]

That's one of the differences introduced with the rear tank LWB RNs. They had to alter the angle of the spare wheel against the back of the body to a more vertical position. That pushed the bottom of the spare rearwards when it was secured on the mounting. These little things are sent to try us...

[Chris KC]

Just out of curiosity, who made the tank for you Dave? Looks smart.

[Old Dave]

Sorry for delay in replying, been beyond contact.

Thanks for the advice on getting the handbrake off, worked a treat.

Chris. The tank was supplied by Compbrake Motorsport near Wigan. They supply tanks for racing cars etc.
I took my old leaky tank and asked him to copy it, although he has done others before and in fact advertises such on website and eBay, which is where I spotted him. I went direct not through eBay. 

Because the tank is 3mm aluminium it has a modern screw on filler cap, but I have dismantled the old one and epoxied the chrome cap on. I have drilled a 1.5mm breather hole near the top of the filler tube.

Very pleased with the result. As I have said elsewhere on the forum I have no connection to the company other than as a satisfied customer.

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An interesting factoid on the spare wheel RR, all back on today.