Anybody Ever Cut A Fuel Pump Access Panel?

[CarMichael Angelo]

I hadn’t thought of doing that!

You should ask more Dave...

 

[billison]

If you found a doner car that you could cut the same part from but make it 1” bigger all around so it will sit in the hole and be easily screwed in and out, I can see that. I hate the diamond plate thing.

 

[Noobz347]

If you found a doner car that you could cut the same part from but make it 1” bigger all around so it will sit in the hole and be easily screwed in and out, I can see that. I hate the diamond plate thing.

Maybe incorporate the whole thing into some kind of rigid aluminum brace.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Or, ( just a thought here) keep the piece you cut out, add a 1" border, and screw it back down.

 

[jrichker]

Or, ( just a thought here) keep the piece you cut out, add a 1" border, and screw it back down.

Best idea so far.

But there is a better way to do it...
The Mustang unibody spreads the stresses of motion throughout the body. Consider that you just cut a big chunk of metal out of the body in the area close to the shock struts. The unibody loses stiffness and stresses accumulate in the weakened area where the hole is. Given enough time and stress from racing the car, cracks will form in that area.

The answer is called a doubler plate. Every removable aircraft inspection plate or access cover has a metal ring that overlaps the hole and provides a mount place for the cover. The doubler plate is typically 1" larger than the hole and is riveted or spot welded in place. It has a lip that is about 1" smaller that the access cover that goes over it. There are nutplates on the bottom side of the doubler for the cover's structural screws to have something to fasten to. Airplanes don't use sheet metal screws to secure inspection plates - they offer no structural support .

See the picture below and you get the idea...

This is the doubler plate....

 

[Stevenmverrill]

Seams like a good thing to have. But, granted I was probably the first person to drop my tank since 1994.. the amount of grave and grime I cleaned was weight reduction Worthy. It's also nice to get in there to clean up and protect from rust.