Stainless Fuel Tank Closing Plate

Looking for a SS fuel tank closing plate with oem look...aka has drain channels and features similar to the original. Not interested in completely flat plates or the aluminum ones Hervey sells.

PJ Grady was making these for a while but they are no longer in production. He's searching to see if he can dig up an extra one ... If other people are interested it may be possible to do another run of these if there is a great enough interest.

Otherwise Josh at DPI said that he has these in the works but no official timeline on when they may be available.

Anyone else have one laying around that they may want to sell? It can be used as long as it has no dents. Dirty and scratched is OK since I'll be brushing it with 80 grit to match the look of the rest of the car.

Any help on this?

I REALLY want a SS fuel tank plate. My OCD won't allow me to bolt the old rusy one back on there. I could repaint it but I'd much rather go stainless.

Any help on tracking one down is appreciated.

Thanks;)

We are still waiting on the final product. The center stamped section is the issue. We were able to produce the side channel bends no problem. One of many irons in the fire....

Thanks for the update Josh! Sounds like you guys have a lot of other projects in the works too.

Control arm nightmare and the most expensive all out turbo system that money can buy that no one in their right mind will buy. Or something like that.

Interesting that you mention the control arms, I may end up wanting to buy a set of those as well. They don't exactly seem like the easiest part to reverse engineer... Creating a fixure so welding everything consistantly from part to part seems like it would be a challenge.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mjdehlin

Interesting that you mention the control arms, I may end up wanting to buy a set of those as well. They don't exactly seem like the easiest part to reverse engineer... Creating a fixure so welding everything consistantly from part to part seems like it would be a challenge.

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Ours will look nothing like the stock components and rely on a thicker material with bends to produce the required strength. ball joint fitment is the current issue.

Still looking for a stainless fuel tank closing plate. Any updates on availablity of new ones or does anyone have a used one to sell?

I don't know if it's still available?
http://www.deloreanmotorcenter.com/101716s.html
On the other hand, another option is a French guy whom makes them, but shipping to the USA must be pretty expensive I guess:
http://deloreanlettrage.blogspot.fr/
Scroll down to the bottom of the page.

Thanks for your help Domi!

I just called DMC Garden Grove and they are completely out of the stainless tank closing plates. Called Houston also at the recommendation of Danny Botkin and James told me that they also do not have any in stock, and if they did they would be of the flat design.

At some point in history Grady was making them with all the correct stamped features. I'd love to get my hands on one of those or try to convince his fabricator to make a small run of new ones.

There are a few pictures on this website of a guy that bought one and installed it on his car back in 2006.

http://johnspangler.com/DMC/closingplate.htm.
http://dmctalk.org/attachment.php?at...5&d=1346955066

DPI Josh, you mentioned you were working on this also...are they still a long way out or would there be a chance of getting one in the next few months? If not I'm just going to fix up the old one with some POR-15

Any update on this plate please?

I just ordered a couple from DMC Europe . Lots in stock there.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DMCMW Dave

I just ordered a couple from DMC Europe . Lots in stock there.

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Do they have the stamped center section and drain channels like the one shown in those pics a few posts back??

I think the design is flat, not like the original ones.

Bummer.

If I hadn't seen those pics of the stainless version with all the correct details I would be satisfied with a flat one...

The tooling obviously exists somewhere to create all the drain channels and center relief... it must have been a really low demand part for them to completely stop making them. I guess for now I'll stick with the stock plate that I repainted.

Mark- how hard was it to get the old one off? Did you have to drill any bolts? Tell me how you prepared it for painting, etc. I need to do the same, just looking for some ideas. Thanks.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Hokie

Mark- how hard was it to get the old one off? Did you have to drill any bolts? Tell me how you prepared it for painting, etc. I need to do the same, just looking for some ideas. Thanks.

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It was easy to remove the old plate, I got pretty lucky and didn't have any stuck bolts or have to drill any that twisted off or anything like that. If you want to see pics I have an album in my profile that shows what I did to refurbish mine. Basic steps were:

scrape away flaking epoxy
wire brush
150 grit sanding discs to remove all rust and get to shiny bare metal.
Wet sand with red scotch brite pad.
Degrease
Metal Ready
POR15 paint 3 coats
POR15 etching primer
Rustoleum smoke gray.

You can skip the self etch primer if you dust on a VERY light coat of rustoleum before the POR15 fully cures. The primer is kinda nice though and builds up the total coating thickness to give it that factory 'dipped' look.

Prep is critical so follow all instructions on the POR products.

I FINALLY found myself a stainless steel fuel tank closing plate with the OEM look...drain channels, stamped center section, etc.

Sorry if I outbid anyone here, but dammit I've been looking for at least 2 years. The only other one I had a chance to buy about a year ago was $1000. Got this one for much less than that. From my records these were originally selling for $300 back in the early 2000's so I don't think I did too bad.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221542115458...%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Attachment 30844

All that's left now is for Josh to log on and tell me DPI will be offering these next week at half what I paid...

Same price as ours which will be available separate from the stainless chassis. Stamping is expensive.....

This seller has at least 1 or 2 more for sale.
He sold 2 of them about 8 months ago.
I bought mine for around $220 (from him)
Attachment 30856

NICE!

Can't wait to get mine. Have you installed your yet? Hows the fit, finish, etc? It looks like standard #2 finish in the auction photos, I was planning on brushing mine with some 80 grit.

No, still not installed yet.
Anyway, I guess it will be plug & play as it is exactly the same.

GAH!

UPS damaged the FTCP during shipping. One of the corners close to the weld on nuts was bent pretty badly. The plate itself is bowed in the middle as well...not sure if that's normal/because of the stamping or if UPS did that too. The packaging was done pretty poorly.

Working with the seller on a resolution...

I'm sorry to read you had a problem with shipping.
I really hope you'll be able to find a way to repair the plate.
The seller is really a serious person, I'm sure he'll be able to help you quickly.

So, did you find a way to repair or receive your plate?

Yes, the seller gave me a discount on the plate since it was damaged and I was able to have a local shop flatten out the bent sections for me.

Good news :thumbup2:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mark D

Looking for a SS fuel tank closing plate with oem look...aka has drain channels and features similar to the original. Not interested in completely flat plates or the aluminum ones Hervey sells.

PJ Grady was making these for a while but they are no longer in production. He's searching to see if he can dig up an extra one ... If other people are interested it may be possible to do another run of these if there is a great enough interest.

Otherwise Josh at DPI said that he has these in the works but no official timeline on when they may be available.

Anyone else have one laying around that they may want to sell? It can be used as long as it has no dents. Dirty and scratched is OK since I'll be brushing it with 80 grit to match the look of the rest of the car.

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Mark, The only reason I don't make it out of Stainless is heat problems and the way Stainless holds heat and radiates it into the tank where the gas builds up pressure. Were only 5 1/2 off the road.

John Hervey
DAP