Removing spare tire well

[Doug Brown]

I removed the spare tire well on RED, my future BP drag racer, so I could more easily inspected what was going on around the rear axle.

It will also make it easier to install a tiny fuel tank and high pressure fuel pump back in this area, as well as get rid of a little more weight.

Even if you are not going racing, this is a simple way of replacing a rusted/rotten out well. I used stainless pop rivets to secure the new piece of sheet metal onto the original body work and the cross beam that I added. The cross beam is the only thing that was welded onto the frame.

When you are first positioning the sheet metal, you can temporarily hold it in place by installing #8 self-tapping sheet metal screws. These will hold everything where you want it to be and "pulls" the metal together for a very tight fit. Once everything is where you want it, remove the screws one at a time, drill out the hole for the 3/16" pop rivet and then secure the pop rivet in place. Harbor Freight Tools sells a pneumatic pop rivet tool that works really well.

This same basic sequence works for replacing any piece of sheet metal with pop rivets or you can spot weld the sheet metal together thru the hold left when you remove the #8 screw.

Various sizes of ball peen hammers and vice grip pliers also are a big help in getting the sheet metal to conform to the shape you need.

[TominMO]

But where will you put your spare tire while drag racing?!?!?!

[Advancedynamix]

Doug, if your local track let's you mount a tank in your front bumper, that's where it should go, not way out back. Use that fuel weight for your advantage.

[Doug Brown]

Hi - the thought of having a fuel tank in front of the engine gives me concerns as in any kind of wreck at a track, the front end is going to get stove in with a good chance of fuel igniting.

That being said, I had thought about a "tube in the bumper" fuel tank. I think I would also have room to put a fuel tank over the transmission.....

I have seen pictures of Honda drag racers with the fuel tank in the passengers footwell area and in the engine compartment.

I just have to figure out something I'm comfortable with!

But you are right, there would be additional weight savings of far less fuel line tubing, no gas tank filler door on the side of the car, no filler hoses, etc.

[jawja jim]

At last Madness I had a discussion with Gauge-half-inch about deleting the spare tire well and mounting one of those "suspended spare tire" arrangements, such as are found on lots of trucks and wagons, since so few people have stock wheels and tires. It would be nice to have a real, full sized spare without hauling it inside. At least, you have accomplished half of that. I wondered what it would do to the structural integrity of the Festy. Any thoughts from anyone?

[william]

I think without a brace you would loose some strength back there. Rounded shapes are much more ridged then a flat peace of sheet.
Also notice those lines in the stock underbody those arnt for looks this also helps to strengthen the back.
I think what he did with the brace would be just fine. As for adding a spare tire and cable style setup it can definitely be done but the end result even without the tire there would be heavier than stock .
If your not racing and done care that you have a few extra lbs back there it would be just fine.

[jawja jim]

Not unbraced, but with creases/Vs in the replacement metal, as well as a brace or two. And not for weight reduction at all, but for freeing up space for road tripping, as well as having a real spare. Sorry about the hi-jack, Doug, but the pix reminded me and I might not have remembered if I didn't write it then. lol

[Doug Brown]

No problem - I like added conversation as it may have a suggestion or comment that I hadn't thought of.

There is quite a bit of room back there and you might be able to get a bigger spare tire well out of another car and installed it (rivets/spot welding)

I was going to roll in creases at first and then I thought Why? I'm only going a 1/4-mile in a straight line - I'm not road racing. The brace between the frames I welded in is sort of a "top hat" shaped piece of steel and makes everything back there rigid. The new sheet metal is also riveted to this brace as well as the existing sheet metal.

In one of the pictures you can see I removed the shock tower/rear seat back braces and cut out a lot of sheet steel between the door frame / rear wheel wells. I also got rid of the towing strap fittings and the fuel tank supports.

I am only going to use the rear bumper cover - no steel bumper or bumper mounting hardware...

[ryanprins13]

I was gonna say the rear rebar holds the frame rails togeather reasonably well, then i saw you cut out the frame rails and arent using the rebar, lol.

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[Doug Brown]

Hi - not sure what you mean by rear rebar and frame rails, but the only thing that got cut out was the spare tire sheet metal.

Neither of the main frames were cut, nor the forward transverse frame - only the sheet metal up to it was cut back. It's one of the reasons I made up the "rotisserie" - so I could cut from the "bottom" of the car to see what was where!

I used the frames as the main securing points for the rivets as well as the sheet metal lip that I left attached to the frames. There are two rows of rivets securing the new sheet metal to these points.

The very rear - the "inside" of the rear bumper attachment area - was the hardest part as there was only a partial area of sheet metal that could be fasten to. I made up a "L" bracket for the new sheet metal to rest on, riveted it in place, then tack welded the rest of the sheet metal to the car body.

It is all pretty stiff, but then this is a non-street car that only goes in a straight line!

[ryanprins13]

Lol! I was totally looking at the engine bay on your first photo. Had it zoomed in on my phone...
Rear rebar, aka steel part of the bumper

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[Doug Brown]

OK, while I haven't started on it yet, I am going to put the fuel tank up front. I did some more on-line research and it turns out that a lot of drag racers have a small fuel tank up front or in the engine compartment (yikes!)

My plan at the moment is to use a 1 x 3 or 2 x 2 inch steel tube for reinforcing the front end/motor mount and as the fuel tank. I'd have some bungs welded on for the fuel line fittings to attach to and have a fuel neck filler welded on one of the tube's end. Maybe I'll just use the Festiva filler pipe....to be determined.

Since it would be a steel "tube" I could also weld on small tabs for the front bumper cover to attach to.

Other plans are to get rid of the sway bar and install tubular arms to control/locate the lower front suspension. These would attached to the Festiva frame work/front bumper. Again, to be determined exactly how it will work out!

Comments always welcome!

So far to start the "front fuel tank" plan I have removed the fuel tank filler door assembly and all the hoses and connectors and sealed off the hole in the back floor where the fuel hoses ran thru. So by getting rid of these parts, plus the fuel lines, fuel tank, fuel tank supports and electric fuel pump, you save quite bit of weight from the rear of the car.

[Advancedynamix]

OK, while I haven't started on it yet, I am going to put the fuel tank up front. I did some more on-line research and it turns out that a lot of drag racers have a small fuel tank up front or in the engine compartment (yikes!)

My plan at the moment is to use a 1 x 3 or 2 x 2 inch steel tube for reinforcing the front end/motor mount and as the fuel tank. I'd have some bungs welded on for the fuel line fittings to attach to and have a fuel neck filler welded on one of the tube's end. Maybe I'll just use the Festiva filler pipe....to be determined.

Since it would be a steel "tube" I could also weld on small tabs for the front bumper cover to attach to.

Other plans are to get rid of the sway bar and install tubular arms to control/locate the lower front suspension. These would attached to the Festiva frame work/front bumper. Again, to be determined exactly how it will work out!

Comments always welcome!

So far to start the "front fuel tank" plan I have removed the fuel tank filler door assembly and all the hoses and connectors and sealed off the hole in the back floor where the fuel hoses ran thru. So by getting rid of these parts, plus the fuel lines, fuel tank, fuel tank supports and electric fuel pump, you save quite bit of weight from the rear of the car.

Depending on how you build your front, maybe try to incorporate kia Rio trailing links. They are stiffer than the Festiva sway bar, but will still allow the flex needed to absorb hard launches. You'd need to extend the front a bit, but you'll want that anyway to hold your fuel cell. If you use an appropriate fuel cell and have a fire bottle in the car, you'll be safer than the stock fuel tank. Most drag racing disasters are not head on collisions, but side swipe n roll type accidents. We build parts for top fuel and nitro funnycar where I work, so I'm exposed to lots of dragster stuff, even though I'm a corner junky myself.

[ryanprins13]

1 gallon is enough fuel for a 1/4 mioe run and idle time in between?

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