MartySantic
Well Known Member
The fuel filler neck flange has to be bent to match the compound curve of the inside of the turtle neck skin. How is this best done??
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Forming the Fuel Filler Neck Flange to the Turtle Deck Skin
- Thread starter MartySantic
- Start date
I used a wood mold
I traced the profile of the turtle deck skin, and then traced it on a board, and cut it out with a bandsaw, with 2 cuts to get the flange width.
I cut the fuel neck profile in the other dimension. I had already prebent the top and bottom lip, but I wanted the side profile better.
I put it in a big vice and squeezed it hard. It worked!
John
I traced the profile of the turtle deck skin, and then traced it on a board, and cut it out with a bandsaw, with 2 cuts to get the flange width.
I cut the fuel neck profile in the other dimension. I had already prebent the top and bottom lip, but I wanted the side profile better.
I put it in a big vice and squeezed it hard. It worked!
John
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It is already bent enough. Following the instructions and forming a gasket in place to fill any missmatch works well.
MartySantic
Well Known Member
My flange is perfectly flat.....Has not been pre-bent at all. If I filled the gap with fuel tank sealant, it would be rather large.
MartySantic
Well Known Member
Thanks to all for the replies. My flange was not pre-bent (guess that is the risk of a very early finish kit). Was able to add all of the curves such that I have less than a 1/32" all the way around.
Also found that my neck length was about 3/16" too long. Compared my neck length with that of 3 other builders. My neck length was 3/16" to 1/4" longer than their's. Cut it back 3/16" after talking to Gus at Van's.
Was a bit worried that I did something wrong.......All is OK, again, the risk of an early kit delivery.
THERE MUST BE A BETTER IDEA FOR A GASKET, between the fuel neck flange and the turtle deck skin. A layer of fuel tank sealant does not appeal to me. IDEA's???? A crushable, fuel friendly, tolerance freindly gasket material??
Also found that my neck length was about 3/16" too long. Compared my neck length with that of 3 other builders. My neck length was 3/16" to 1/4" longer than their's. Cut it back 3/16" after talking to Gus at Van's.
Was a bit worried that I did something wrong.......All is OK, again, the risk of an early kit delivery.
THERE MUST BE A BETTER IDEA FOR A GASKET, between the fuel neck flange and the turtle deck skin. A layer of fuel tank sealant does not appeal to me. IDEA's???? A crushable, fuel friendly, tolerance freindly gasket material??
Cured proseal.
It meets all of your requirements better than anything I know of.
It really does work well. Just wax the skin inner surface well to act as a mold release and only tighten the screws enough to get squeeze out of the sealant on the entire perimeter of the flange. Make sure you let it cure for a week or two (depending on your shop temp.) before trying to remove it.
