Author Topic: 130mph club fuel line question  (Read 10710 times)

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Offline Polyhead

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130mph club fuel line question
« on: January 27, 2016, 09:04:13 PM »
I under stand all the rules for the 130mph club, save for one, and this one is perplexing me.

"• On unibody cars such as Corvair, VW, Porsche, Etc. the fuel lines must be higher than the lowest part of the pan or the unibody structure. They must also be installed inside of a heavy metal tube or above a skid plate. The metal tube or skid plate must be positively attached (no sheet metal screws will be allowed). This is to protect the fuel system from damage if a wheel/tire failure should occur."

I have a Unit body car, although it has a front and rear subframe.  To be specific it's a chrysler unit body.  Does this mean the entire fuel system must be inside a skid plate or heavy metal tube, running all the way from the fuel tank to the point where the fuel line enters the front subframe?  The fuel line closely follows the rear sub frame (as in the OEM application).  Getting tubing or skid plates over the fuel line where it follows the rear axle hump is going to be pretty difficult.  The fuel line is constructed of zinc plated 3/8ths steel tubing all the way from the fuel tank to the front sub frame, where there are 3" long pieces of rubber hose to make the connection to the fuel tank pickup, and the piece of metal line that runs through the front subframe.

  The fuel line routing has it well above the lowest portion of the rocker panels, closely hugging the floor boards.  I felt the OEM push in clips were a bit cheese ball so I instead used bolt in retainers with rubber isolation.

If someone could also clarify what constitutes a "skid plate".  Can I just form some 18 gauge sheet metal into a box with a flange on either side so I can drill holes and bolt it through the floor board? Say a 3" wide by 1" tall box with a 1/2" wide flange for retention on either side?

I see the rule also says it's to prevent a fuel line failure in the event of a tire failure.  Good call, and, the stock fuel line routing actually took it inside of the passenger side rear wheel well.  I've changed that routing so that it stays in board of the tires along the rear sub frame.  It removed several tight bends and will keep the fuel line safely away from the rear tire.  The only thing I can see causing an issue is that if a shock came apart during the run it could possibly hit the fuel line if it swung around very energetically while tearing free from the car.  But it would more likely poke a big hole in the fuel tank first.

I noticed in rules for SCTA classes the heavy metal tubing is only required in the plane of the flywheel/torque converter.
Ben 'Polyhead' Smith
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Offline RichFox

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #1 on: January 28, 2016, 11:25:56 AM »
i have not payed any attention to 130 club rules. But are these fuel line rules limited to rear engine cars (Porsche, VW, Corvair) that the engine is hanging from the bellhousing? I know there are special rules for these engines in case the flywheel saws it's way out.

Offline Polyhead

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2016, 10:49:09 PM »
i have not payed any attention to 130 club rules. But are these fuel line rules limited to rear engine cars (Porsche, VW, Corvair) that the engine is hanging from the bellhousing? I know there are special rules for these engines in case the flywheel saws it's way out.

Not from what I can tell, I mean the rules are really short and simple.  Certainly the cars they give as examples are all rear engine cars.  But it doesn't say rear engine it says unibody.... but then says unibody cars such as...and then lists nothing but rear engine cars... so ...
Ben 'Polyhead' Smith
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Offline Milwaukee Midget

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #3 on: January 29, 2016, 12:13:22 AM »
I ran the 130 club in 2010.  Unibody MG Midget, stock fuel line location.  Nobody said boo or goodbye.
"Problems are almost always a sign of progress."  Harold Bettes
Well, I guess we're making a LOT of progress . . .  :roll:

Offline 4-barrel Mike

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #4 on: January 29, 2016, 01:45:01 AM »
Jeez, Ben: "For all Official Business, Technical Questions, Permision to Race, Ect." http://saltflats.com/contact.htm  :evil:

Mike
Mike Kelly - PROUD owner of the V4F that powered the #1931 VGC to a 82.803 mph record in 2008!

Offline Polyhead

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #5 on: January 29, 2016, 07:10:22 AM »
Jeez, Ben: "For all Official Business, Technical Questions, Permision to Race, Ect." http://saltflats.com/contact.htm  :evil:

Mike

yes well, sanctioning bodies usually reply wiht "we aren't here to tell you how to build your car"
Ben 'Polyhead' Smith
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Offline Elmo Rodge

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #6 on: January 29, 2016, 08:44:56 AM »
I guess you're out of luck then.  :roll: Wayno

Offline Mr. Schimstock

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #7 on: January 29, 2016, 01:21:51 PM »
I looks like the intent of the rule is to not have your fuel line as the lowest part of the car and protect it so you don't loose fuel.   It looks like you may be reading into it too far.  Ask yourself "If an event were to occur how would you like the fuel line protected?"       
Sproing, crack, ouch!

Offline Polyhead

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #8 on: January 29, 2016, 01:22:28 PM »
I guess you're out of luck then.  :roll: Wayno

No really what it is trying to avoid asking them a simple question that could be quickly answered here so they can spend thier time else where.  Knowing that is all run via volunteers, there are rarely enough volunteers to get everything done.
Ben 'Polyhead' Smith
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Offline Stainless1

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #9 on: January 29, 2016, 06:42:56 PM »
The rule is there so your fuel line is not your skid plate... Your subframes are the frame, they are just connected by sheetmetal.... so it is not really a sheetmetal frame like a unibody in the examples.
The sanctioning bodies for LSR already tell you what you have to do to race.... it is up to you to build within the rules or ask them for an interpretation.  I can tell you without any fear of being wrong that they will tell you "official answers come from us, not the internet"

Don't read into the rules...
We will be happy to give our opinions, take them or not...
No rules will keep you absolutely safe, it is up to you to build and race the safest vehicle you can.
Good luck with your quest  :cheers:
Stainless
Red Hat 228.039, 2001, 65ci, Bockscar Lakester #1000 with a little N2O

Offline Stan Back

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #10 on: January 29, 2016, 07:54:37 PM »
"Don't read into the rules."

This should be in capital letters.  Lots of time and effort have been spent to try to define the minimum requirements for your safety.  This particular brand of automotive (and, yes, our 2-wheeled step-brethren) competition allows YOU to meet the requirements.  Nothing is so much dictated as you will find in other organizations.  You can overdo any and all of it (within reason).

Maybe "within reason" is the problem.  But month after month, year after year, we see questions posted by those (no one in particular) have not read the appropriate Rule Book.

After all is said and done, at least in the SCTA, the answers (that are already not there) are given by the appropriate chairperson.
Past (Only) Member of the San Berdoo Roadsters -- "California's Most-Exclusive Roadster Club" -- 19 Years of Bonneville and/or El Mirage Street Roadster Records

Offline Polyhead

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Re: 130mph club fuel line question
« Reply #11 on: January 29, 2016, 08:53:20 PM »
The rule is there so your fuel line is not your skid plate... Your subframes are the frame, they are just connected by sheetmetal.... so it is not really a sheetmetal frame like a unibody in the examples.
The sanctioning bodies for LSR already tell you what you have to do to race.... it is up to you to build within the rules or ask them for an interpretation.  I can tell you without any fear of being wrong that they will tell you "official answers come from us, not the internet"



right, but between the subframes there is nothing.  The middle third of the car's body is the frame.  I haven't played with a proper corvair (just a weird old motor home powered by ones engine) to know what they look like on the bottom.  Or a vw... and nobody in their right mind lets me within 20ft of a Porsche.  (or any car they own for that matter!)  All I know about those cars is that most of them have the hot, noisy part at the wrong end.

Personaly I'm fairly confident that my fuel line routing is safe.  A skid plate would be even safer, sure... I have thought about putting a removable box around the junction where the main fuel line meets the front sub frame.  There is a break in the line there, as in the OEM application, and short piece of rubber hose connects the two.  But the OEM did lots of dangerous things on the car that I've changed.  For example NO fuse box in the car.
Ben 'Polyhead' Smith
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