Do you ever need to get under the scuttle?

[seajayare]

I am wondering where to put the fuse boxes and fuel line to the carbs and I am thinking of using the front face of the scuttle ( that bit of body the windscreen is fixed to that is inside the engine bay. )

With the arrangement of the fuel filler in my kit I can't see that getting the scuttle off is ever going to be a quick job (fuel filler cap screwed to the scuttle and jubilee clips in an awkward place onto the tank pretty much fixing the scuttle) so I am thinking of putting the fuse boxes through the scuttle front face so you can get at them from the engine bay and also running the fuel line from the fuel pump ( located just in front of the fuel tank ) across the scuttle front too (as suggested by westfield129 seems safer than across the front of the chassis ).

will make taking the scuttle off a bit harder but do you ever actually need to take it off or is it easier to take the dash off to get access to the electrics?

cheers

Chris

[Splat]

The scuttle panel is the most labour intensive part to remove. It usually takes all of three minutes. The only thing attached to the front face on mine is the fabricated aluminium expansion tank. For ease of access, mount the fuse box on the inner face of the passenger footwell. Run the fuel pipe clipped to the ally inner scuttle panel. Keeping the scuttle panel easily removable isn't exactly vital, but it's a boon when it comes to any later wiring changes, or even for relamping the instruments.

[Westfield 129]

All of the cars that I build have an easy to remove scuttle. This includes both LHD and RHD chassis, early and late generation.

When I build a RHD car, I use remote reservoirs (with twin brake masters in place of the tandem master).

I don't use the fuel filler that was supplied with the kit. I cut the scuttle to fit a Monza type filler cap that sits on the fuel hose. The scuttle drops over.

If you do use the supplied fuel filler, you can position the hose clamp in a place where it is easy to access with a long extension on your ratchet. In reality, this increases the time of scuttle removal by about 10 seconds.

Thumb screws for the instrument side panels to aid in a quick removal of the scuttle. I install 8-32 rivnuts into the chassis for the thumb screws. Again, this eases removal of the fuel filler if you choose to keep one that is attached to the bodywork.

I run the fuel lines beneath the scuttle, using a hard line, just inside the cross frame tube, with flex lines from the tank/pump/filter to the cross over tube beneath the scuttle, and flex lines to the carburetor. Aeroquip or Goodridge push on hose does the trick in this application. This keeps the fuel line from harm in an accident. I have seen numerous kits with the fuel line running across teh FRONT of the frame, which is not such a good idea as it is easily damaged in a front end collision.

I use a small Dzus sliding clip fastener to hold the scuttle in place, along with a pair of Dzus buttons on the firewall. This allows scuttle reomval within 60 seconds, or less if you are in a hurry. Slide clips in the inside interior edge, and Dzus buttons (as supplied with the scuttle, on the firewall side. Easy, and very quick.

Because the scuttle is quick to remove, I put the fuse box (Painless race fuse block) beneath the scuttle, with the entire dash wiring harness easily viewed. No schematic needed, using a Lucas wire code. Again, easy to service.

Note that LHD cars have the master cylinders for brakes and clutch are located beneath the scuttle, so fitting the Dzus clips are really useful for routine service.

The Dzus slide clips can be fitted using the existing threaded holes in the chassis, so the amount of modification is really minimal.

With a little thought, the scuttle is no more difficult to remove than the rear clam... Maybe easier.

With a little thought, and a few quid (Dzus slide fasteners are inespensive), you can make a scuttle tht comes off in a minute.

[Westfield 129]

Picture of the Dzus quick release slide latch inside scuttle. Uses existing threaded mounting holes. https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Wes ... 1526931246