Fuel Tank Closing Plate

[StainlessBullet]

Like the title says, I'm needing a fuel tank closing plate in good shape. If anyone has one for sale, feel free to PM me.

[Delorean Industries]

We offer a stainless steel version if you are interested. I have started producing these because the mild steel ones are starting to see better days. Let me know if you would like more information.

Our next batch should be ready mid December. I couldn't find one fabricator to do everything so it goes to three different local shops between the laser cutting, folding, side channel press work etc.

[StainlessBullet]

We offer a stainless steel version if you are interested. I have started producing these because the mild steel ones are starting to see better days. Let me know if you would like more information.

Our next batch should be ready mid December. I couldn't find one fabricator to do everything so it goes to three different local shops between the laser cutting, folding, side channel press work etc.

Yeah, I'm interested. What's the price for a stainless version? Got any pics you could post?

[Mark D]

I'm also interested in a S/S fuel tank closing plate as long as it matches the factory look with the drain channels, etc. From your description it sounds like it does.

[r00b]

Grady has the stainless closing plate that looks like the original one.

[sdg3205]

I'm looking for options here.

I cannot find anything at DMC, DPI or Grady be it stainless, oem/nos or otherwise.

I've found rust damage to part of 2510s closing plate and I'd like to try and figure out if it would be more cost effective to repair my current one or buy a new one.

Cheers!

[Mark D]

I really wanted a stainless fuel tank closing plate with the correct stamped drain channels and center relief stamped section but the vendor that PJ Grady was having these made no longer supplies them. It doesn't sound like the tooling exists anymore at that particular vendor either.

NOS mild steel ftcp's don't seem to be available anywhere either, so at the moment your best option would be to repair your original rusty one with POR 15. I ended up going this route and I can post a few pictures later.

Otherwise Josh from DPI may be able to give us an update on when new SS ftcp's will be available. As of earlier this year I think he was having stainless works produce some for him.

If your current plate is completely rusted through and not able to be repaired you could get a good used one through one of the vendors, otherwise as a last resort hervey has some aluminum ones.

[LEVY]

I really wanted a stainless fuel tank closing plate with the correct stamped drain channels and center relief stamped section but the vendor that PJ Grady was having these made no longer supplies them. It doesn't sound like the tooling exists anymore at that particular vendor either.

NOS mild steel ftcp's don't seem to be available anywhere either, so at the moment your best option would be to repair your original rusty one with POR 15. I ended up going this route and I can post a few pictures later.

Otherwise Josh from DPI may be able to give us an update on when new SS ftcp's will be available. As of earlier this year I think he was having stainless works produce some for him.

If your current plate is completely rusted through and not able to be repaired you could get a good used one through one of the vendors, otherwise as a last resort hervey has some aluminum ones.


I know someone who, according to him can make those fuel tank plates in SS with the correct drain channels and even a logo if needed.

In order for him to proceed, he will need a "loaner" so he could take measurements.

We also need to know how much people is willing to pay and for last, we need enough people interested in this.

No money would be required in advance but yes, we need to know if enough people want to buy this product, depending on the price, we may need at least 40 people, tooling is not cheap.

LEVY

[sdg3205]

Replace or repair?

-500 words.
-APA or MLA is acceptable.
-Include all footnotes and a detailed bibliography.
-bonus marks for using the phrase "like a debonaire Henry Kissinger" in context.

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[ccurzio]

Ouch. That looks a bit deeper than surface rust, but in the off chance I'm wrong I'd always go for repair before replace. Sandblast the fuck out of it, smooth it out and repaint it.

EDIT: Whoops, just caught the holes. Looks like it's already been repainted once. Yeah I'd go for a replacement. Ditch that thing.

[DMCMW Dave]

EDIT: Whoops, just caught the holes. Looks like it's already been repainted once. Yeah I'd go for a replacement. Ditch that thing.

Yeah - it could be fixed functionally but it will never look right. Of course a stainless one won't either.

[Morpheus]

It doesn't have to be stainless, If someone could make one out of mild steel and powdercoat it the factory color it would work (and probably be relatively cheap).

I had mine repaired (extensively) and then galvanized. It warped a little bit, and it still doesn't look right.

Before it was dipped, covered in undercoating:

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/morpheus34711/Daphne%20VIN%204363/06%20Frame%20Teardown/c47014f2.jpg

After dipping, it resembled swiss cheese:

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/morpheus34711/Daphne%20VIN%204363/06%20Frame%20Teardown/d1c5147b.jpg

New center section welded in:

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/morpheus34711/Daphne%20VIN%204363/06%20Frame%20Teardown/917130b7.jpg

Post-galvanization, you can see a bit of the warpage:

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/morpheus34711/Daphne%20VIN%204363/06%20Frame%20Teardown/4b536b09.jpg

I managed to tack it back down to the frame with new hardware, and it has been sitting like that for a while. I think that when I must remove it for powder, I'll have the same problem with forcing it back down.

[sdg3205]

I've decided to go ahead and try and repair mine. A new one is $300. With taxes, shipping and duty I would easily see a $400 bill.

It's getting stripped this week. Ill keep everyone posted on its status.

[Mark D]

Here are a bunch of pictures from when I fixed up my rusty FTCP earlier this year. The process would be a little different if you're stripping the whole thing down to bare metal or if you're planning to powder coat. But for anyone who's interested here's what I did:

Mine wasn't too rusty, but the epoxy was ruined in a few places from a brake fluid leak. Had I not repaired the rust it probably would have gotten much worse pretty quickly.

http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15742&d=1357280534
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15743&d=1357280551
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15744&d=1357280570
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15745&d=1357280586
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15746&d=1357280602

The epoxy was soft a few inches past where good metal showed beneath it. Brake fluid is some nasty stuff.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15747&d=1357280617


I scuffed the front and back with a red scotch brite to prep the epoxy surfaces for paint, then I applied Metal Ready to the bare metal areas, then POR 15.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15749&d=1357280641

Two coats of POR 15 self etch primer over the POR 15 before I top coated. This helped build up the thickness to about the same level as the stock epoxy.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15750&d=1357280936

Top coat with Rustoleum Smoke Gray
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15751&d=1357280946
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=15752&d=1357280957

[Mcv200]

I made a template from my old rusty one and had it laser cut out of 3/16" aluminum. It only cost me about $70.00 total (30 for aluminum sheet, 40 for the laser cut.
It does lack the embossing and drain channels, but fits and looks quite good. Of course I replaced all the bolts and washers with Stainless Steel ones.

$300.00 is better spent elsewhere in my opinion.

Just another option

Mike V

[lazabby]

I made a template from my old rusty one and had it laser cut out of 3/16" aluminum. It only cost me about $70.00 total (30 for aluminum sheet, 40 for the laser cut.
It does lack the embossing and drain channels, but fits and looks quite good. Of course I replaced all the bolts and washers with Stainless Steel ones.

$300.00 is better spent elsewhere in my opinion.

Just another option

Mike V

This is very similar to what I did. I had several SS plates made w/out the channels.

[DMCMW Dave]

If you are going without the channels it probably ought to have some drain holes cut into it near the front corners (the back is wide open). Just to minimize moisture where you have aluminum or stainless againt steel for long periods of time.