Fuel cell update

Olli · Post by **Olli** » Thu Sep 28, 2006 1:28 pm

It's done! I was sent a few pictures and it looks great. It should ship today. Olli

subimanx · Post by **subimanx** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 3:18 am

What capacity(liters if possible) do you think it would hold??? Looks great !!!

Olli · Post by **Olli** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 9:21 am

The calculated volume in gallons is 13.3. Approx. 50 l. Olli

Olli · Post by **Olli** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 9:02 pm

66 views and only one comment.(?) You guys don't like it???? Olli

fubar · Post by **fubar** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 9:11 pm

Looks sweet!! Did they give you the DFX file? If so could you send it to me?

Complex One · Post by **Complex One** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:15 pm

Olli, Tank looks increadible but are you absolutely certain this it is going to fit under the hood of a Manxter? I'm sure you measured a 100 times just like everything else on your project which by the way also looks great. Love the glassed in mirrors also. Your ride is going to be one fantastic buggy when completed and your work is second to none in my book. Sure wish I would have had that level of talent on mine but it is still so much fun to drive and enjoy just how I did it for now. Improvements always to follow as time and finances permit just like everyone else.

Waiting for a return call from Winnie like Kathleen was waiting last week so we all know which way to proceed on availibility time frame thereof on the side-pods and transport back East. Thanks again for everything. Looking forward to meeting next summer sometime.

Olli · Post by **Olli** » Fri Sep 29, 2006 10:33 pm

Jim ,if you look in the background in this picture you can see the fullscale mock-up that I had made. The dimensions were taken from it. On top of the mock-up you can just make out a triangular piece. That is/was a hood clearence gauge. Very cool that you guys are going for the pods. Olli

fubar · Post by **fubar** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:59 am

Having built many "crazy fuel cells" to fit max capacity in a tight spot, that is an exellent result. I love the mock up. Many paper dolls were built in America.

markmark · Post by **markmark** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 12:26 pm

Are you going to sell these? If so how much?

Olli · Post by **Olli** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 2:21 pm

MarkMark, This cell is for a Manxter. If someone is interested in having a cell made they can contact me. I only had a breif discussion with the fabricating company about making more. But since the design is in CAD and on file, more are just a phone call away. That is about as best as I can respond to your question right now. Olli

markmark · Post by **markmark** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:01 pm

Thats cool. Thanks for that Olli Mark

allen pierce · Post by **allen pierce** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:26 pm

Very, Very, Very NICE! I know that cost is no problem, however, the price tag is....

Tom-Kathleen · Post by **Tom-Kathleen** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 4:36 pm

Very nice. Great work as usual. The finish looks so "even". Is it powder coated or anodized? Tom

Olli · Post by **Olli** » Sat Sep 30, 2006 7:31 pm

Tom, It is neither. That finish is raw. But I am fairly sure that it was given a rub with an ultra-fine ScotchBrite and some WD. This place is very picky about how the finished product looks. Price. The price includes; transferring dimensions from my mock-up into CAD, a couple of revisions, fuel sender, flush aviation style filler, vent with rollover check, safety foam fill, and testing. $620. For some reference, another shop wanted $900-$1200. with NO accessories, and FuelSafe and ATL would have been $2500.-$3000.. Ofcourse, FuelSafe and ATL would have been with full bladders. The shop that I chose builds NHRA/IHRA certified cells and cells for the Marine industry. They were also very pleasant to deal with from the get-go. That means a lot to me. They also have a lot pf pride in what they build as I found out when I called there on Thursday. The receptionist recognized my name when I gave it to her. She then told me how "the guys" were all standing around my cell admiring what they had just built. Olli

fubar · Post by **fubar** » Sun Oct 01, 2006 8:06 pm

It seems like the way to sell them economicly would be to have the shell punched or laser cut, formed, and then sell as a "water tank" kit. That way the end user is responsible for welding and pressure testing. This way the cost of liability goes away. Welding unfixtured aluminum is about $1 per inch at a shop. And if somebody decides to put fuel in it, that is their choice. The sheet metal work should not be more than $150 depending on the quantity that you order. If the design allowed for Cleeco holes it could be fully assembled , welded, and then the cleeco holes plugged. A prescision shop can punch or laser with + or - .003" and easily form metal to + or - .015". If they have a chromate line they could etch the formed parts and make the welding way easier.

Manx Club

Fuel cell update

Fuel cell update. Now with pictures.