Fuel Line Fabrication (February 7 - 10, 2013)

This post covers the fuel line fabrication. I used 3/8" stainless steel with AN fittings. I sourced the tubing from Inline Tube. They were very helpful and pleasant to deal with. The fuel line will be two sections, one front and one rear with a union connecting them together.

This pic is the engine compartment showing the Aeroquip -6 Push Loc line routed from the passenger side fuel rail to a 90 degree bulkhead fitting at the rear of the inner fender.

From there the first line will run along the subframe connector towards the rear. First bend.

At the front the hard line will have a flex line to the bulkhead fitting.

  

Needed a slight offset to follow the contour of the subframe.
From here the line runs rearward along the subframe and will have a union just ahead of the lower rear control arm mount. From there it will connect to the rear section.

This is the beginning of the rear section. I started this one at the tank and worked toward the front to meet the end of the front section. I was really happy that I got this right on the first try! It is a pretty complex run and fit perfectly.

Next bends.  My method, I used some old solid copper wire to make templates before forming the actual lines. I would adjust the template to match the actual line after each bend and then re-check the template to the car for any further adjustments.

Connection to the fuel tank.

Coming from the tank (right side of the picture).

Moving forward from the tank along the inside of the frame rail. Some small wood workers bar clamps make a nice second pair of hands!

This is where the front and rear lines will be joined by a union. I waited to offset the front line until this point so I would know exactly where the rear line would be.

  

Offsetting the front line.

  

Here I am installing the spring wrap before putting the last fitting on the front line. The piece of green tape in the last picture was my reminder, sucks if you forget to install the wrap before the last fitting!

Front line with spring wrap and clamps in place.

Completed union between front and rear sections.

In this pic the rear line has the spring wrap and clamps in place.

Rear line looking rearward from the union.

  

Front line looking forward from the union.

Front connection to the flex line and bulkhead fitting.

  

One more shot of the lines.

Rear Seat Bulkhead (February 3 - 6, 2013)

I am building a bulk head to separate the trunk area from the passenger compartment, mainly to help with road noise. I started by welding a piece of 3/4" square tube across the lower side of the "A" shaped opening between the rear package tray/rear seat supports. This will be the attachment point for the lower side of the center closure plate.

Next I made poster board templates of each of the openings.

Then I traced them on to 16 ga. sheet metal. I used a shear to cut these out for clean straight edges.

Test fitting each piece.

I formed up a closure plate for the portion between the square tube and the trunk drop off. This will be screw removable for wiring access.

Once I was happy with the fit of each piece, I added some beads to stiffen up the filler plates and give them a bit of detail.

Cleaning the surfaces of paint to prep for welding. These will be plug welds.

Then I used a pneumatic punch to make the holes for the plug welds.

The center panel needed holes at the bottom to weld to the square tube support.

Plug welding the panels in place. The panels go in behind the rear seat braces. The bottom edge of the center panel lays on top of the lower brace (square tube).

Panels welded in prior to grinding the plug welds. The silver you see around the edges is weld-thru primer.

Grinding the plug welds flush.

Finished panels.

View from the trunk side.

Drilling the filler panel for screw holes.

I slotted the rear side so that the screws that are in the trunk can be left in place and will just need to be loosened a bit to remove the panel. Those screws are threaded into the DSE brace for the upper control arm mounts.

This is the opening without the filler panel in place (viewed from the trunk).

Filler panel slides in over the screws I mentioned above.

Then attaches from the cabin side with 3 screws into the square tube brace at the bottom of the center panel.

View from the trunk with the filler panel in place.