VOSA Emailed over Tank

[iank]

Broadly that means bad news IMO.
Having it down as 'testers opinion' (that would be subjective rather than objective BTW) means you won't be able to get an answer until you turn up and effectively flip a coin on the decision your tester will make - with no chance of appeal if you get the wrong answer - at which point you either have to re-think/engineer everything or scrap the car if it's not possible to fix.

 

[Phaeton]

You all now have a new deadline!!

Reply from VOSA

Good morning Mr. Smith ,

Thank you for your patience while waiting for a reply to your technical
query. I have just received this instruction from the Department for
Transport in relation to fuel tank filling points:

Dispensation 1:

Section 3A (Fuel Tanks) - RS 14: Fuel tank filling points must not be
located in the passenger compartment, luggage compartment or within an
engine compartment.

In respect of Amateur Built Vehicles only, the above item shall not be
applied in respect of a fuel tank filling point. This dispensation will end
after 28th April 2010.

Therefore, as you can see, for a limited period, the filling point can be
located in its current position. However, this dispensation is simply to
allow manufacturers more time to move the fuel filler to a more suitable
position, not to allow the continued practice of having fuel fillers in
unsuitable locations.

I do hope this information is helpful, but should you have any further
questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Best regards,

Mark

Alan...

 

[collie]

Good news!
I like a challenge, I shall continue with my currrent plans with the fire-extinguisher!

 

[Angel Boy]

Looks like a fire extinguisher with a firewall might be a way forward in the interim then.  Cool.

Andy

ps what size extinguisher are we looking at?

 

[Phaeton]

ps what size extinguisher are we looking at?

The ones I had in the image above are 9 Litre ones, I got mine from a firm that replaced fire extinguisher's for free, I could have had as many as I wanted, so might be worth ringing round. They changed the rules on them a few years ago, they were all different colours & now they are all the same red with different coloured labels, a backward step in my opinion but that's Europe for you.

Alan...

 

[Phaeton]

Oklay guys, of the many topics we talked about whilst on the Welsh trip was the problem of the petrol tanks, we may have come up with a solution, but it will be a bit of work for people. Dave had made some panniers for the side of the buggy, for the many that didn't see them I'll try to explain, which maybe difficult. Actually it's not I've just found a picture,

So Dave had these for storage, but how about using something similar, sealing one end off with an open floor & putting a petrol tank in it, with the filler on the top, it's not in the passenger compartment & the engine bay. You could also build radiators into the front of it as well.

Alan...

 

[HolyCount]

Did think of a similar thing myself -- could go military and mount jerry cans there --- but was worried about side impact protection -- would this exposed area be acceptable to VOSA, being outside the frame ?

 

[Phaeton]

IVA only mentioned front & rear impact, I would put diagonal brace in at each side going from top to bottom & then a full X brace on the bottom with no floor. Fit the tank from the top with the filler poking through, you could just do small ones for the tanks & not do the storage bits.

Alan...

 

[Mini Mad Max]

When is the date before the leeway runs out? And if you test before then and fail can you get a retest under the same regulations?
Thanks guys,
Max

 

[Danny]

lol I took them photos I think,  I want some of those pods for my buggy but for luggage!

I would love to get rid of my roof box!

Danny

 

[Phaeton]

lol I took them photos I think,  I want some of those pods for my buggy but for luggage!

I would love to get rid of my roof box!

Danny

Me too Danny, I intend to put rads at the front, so we'll see how mine go & then might be persuaded to make more than one set.

Alan...

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Well i decided i will try make some for my DT GCSE.
I was thinking Aluminium chequer plate heald together by alluminium edging with a rounded plastic top that can be colour coded to the car with the lid on gas struts and a light that comes on when opened. I also thought of a way of mounting it inspired by those clamps that works like a pop riveter and gets tighter the more you squeeze it then you release it with a little button.
What do you think guys?
Max

 

[Phaeton]

Well i decided i will try make some for my DT GCSE.
I was thinking Aluminium chequer plate heald together by alluminium edging with a rounded plastic top that can be colour coded to the car with the lid on gas struts and a light that comes on when opened. I also thought of a way of mounting it inspired by those clamps that works like a pop riveter and gets tighter the more you squeeze it then you release it with a little button.
What do you think guys?
Max

Max,

Couple of things, plastic lids, don't forget you're probably going to have to slide across these to get into the buggy, will plastic lids be strong enough?

On using Ali angle & plate, how will you join the angle in the corners? do you have access to a tig welder?

Alan...

 

[Mini Mad Max]

If not alluminium edging, i would use alluminium box, make a frame and rivet the sheets to the frame. The frame would be held together by triangular steel plates riveted at every corner.
True about the plastic top, but i don't like it being completely boxy and made entirely of metal, would want some colour and shape. Just me being fussy.
I could make that comfortably at school, You're no longer allowed to take projects home, too many kids getting their parents to do it for them.
Max

 

[Danny]

The ones in the pictures above were welded corners and I think Dave got them welded inmy opion it looked a lot better welded.. The top lid needs to be ally because you need to sit on it to get in!

but also with a metal lid the security is much better!!

Daves ones are a little short really which means a loss of a lot of space!

The way that dave mounted them was using ally inch spacers then bolted through to the chassis into a rivnut insert!

Radiators in teh front.... hmmm would need to make sure that the meshing is strong enough cos it kicks up a lot of shit!

Danny

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Thanks for the help guys,
Max

 

[Phaeton]

Just to bring at least this topic back on track, I have emailed VOSA with Steve's pictures, but Mark is on holiday until the 18th (I think), he is going to have one full mailbox when he gets back, he'll need a holiday to recover.

Alan...

 

[Angel Boy]

If the VOSA dude isn't happy with the tank projecting forwards can the hub units be swapped from left to right and vice versa?  No idea how practical this is as I'm trying to finish of presentation for work tomorrow and looking for inspiration.  You could then mount then steering rack on the outer bulk head and then have the tank coming into the passenger compartment but have a slope on it so it became a footrest.  If you have the pendulum pedal box type approach then you should still be able to operate the pedals and have the clearence.

Thoughts,
Andy

 

[Mini Mad Max]

Regulations will be angry if fuel tank steps foot inside passenger compartment. I see the only way to pass IVA is to have a fuel tank in a trailor, bit excessive, but then it's not in passenger or engine compartment.
Max

 

[biddleboy]

thanks alan hope we get some were with it its just some think all of us can fall back on if we miss the dead line in april as for that idea andy i know watt you mean and yes that could wosrk as well