Drag racing and petrol tanks.

[zephyr]

What are the regulations regarding the location of your fuel tank?

I have two scenarios I want to check and I suspect the regulations may be different:

One is in a saloon car I want to run at the Hot Rod Drags. I've removed the rear bench seat which leaves a large opening into the boot where the petrol tank now resides. Will this be allowed? If not, what's the minimum requirement to seal the tank off from the passenger compartment?

The second is in an estate car. It's got a petrol tank in the back of the estate bit. I might take it at proper race events (i.e. not RWYB or Test 'n' Tune days). What do I need to do to meet the regulations, which I assume will potentiall be a little tougher?

Is there a website that details all the regulations?

Any advice gladly welcomed.

[WB54]

best thing to do is join SPRC or APIRA and you'll get a rule book

with regard to fuel cells, for a door car you need to have a sealed metal bulkhead in between you and the fuel tank. A fabricated ally panel, bolted or riverted in place should suffice. The logic being there is a firewall between you and the cell. The cell should be vented through the floor and secured properly. If thats all in order I don't see you having any probs with scrutineers

[Brizey]

Phil, are there regulations as to the type of fuel tank used, Gary may need this info too?. Also fuel line type, fittings etc. and where it has to be run through the car...

[WB54]

best to read the rules to be honest, I'm up to speed with the GSR rules for all racers but then they split out by car tyoe and then intended ET/speed etc.

Generally you'll be OK with ally, steel or stainless tanks. Plastic cells may need to conform to an SFI spec so check the spec for the class you want to enter before you buy anything.

Fittings don't have to be AN fittings but they must be secure, ie if push on, they need to be triple bard fittings, away from heat sources out the way of moving parts etc.

Hoses again don't have to be braided but may need to be secured every x in's or so. Hoses routed within ****pit typically need their own tunnel over them, more hassle than it's worth, go under the car.

Best to join SPRC or APIRA really then you'll get an MSA rule book and you can go through your car to ensure it conforms. Most of it's common sense and you'll be pleased you already thought of it, other stuff is not so apparent till you read them.

[muthaswurry]

hot rod drags require the car to be road legal and compliant to 'sensible' regs. There must be a firewall between the fuel tank and drivers compartment. this may entail gaffa taping a sheet of metal between the two. but for sure it is a requirement other than model 'A's etc.
I may stand to be corrected on this, but i am sure that 'cunningplan' Tony Smith, scrutineer at shakey, or 'shakespeare' Jerry Cookson, will confirm this or not

[gettinonabitmore]

Just an aside to this, I was told by Tony's oppo at Shakey in May, that I would have to have a metal firewall between my boot and interior (in the Zodi) because I have the nitrous bottle in the boot....

I also need to have a vent pipe from the bottle...

This wasn't the case at the HRD's last year, but I know things change...

Nothing really to do with fuel tanks, but thought it may help others who run bottles...

;)

[Shakespeare]

Hi Zephyr. As Tony Smith is way working the Bulldog Bash and I'm not, I will post the link and forward the orginal question over to SCR's Chief Scrutineer Glenn Stockton for his comments as it will most probably be him looking over the car when at the track. This will save you getting cross stories from different angles, you turning up at the track and the car failing tech, and you can't run. So stay tuned and thanks to those who have chipped in so far.

[Shakespeare]

Just got this in from Glenn:

In answer to the first question the fuel tank must be secure and really sealed off from the driver in someway.

The second question, the fuel tank must be fully sealed and firewalled for an MSA event.

Short and to the point but there's your answer.

[zephyr]

Thanks for the info, guys.

I'll put my seat back in then!

[Shakespeare]

SCR Scrutineer Glenn Stockton has just sent me from the official APIRA/SPRC Drag Racing Rulebook, commonly know as the white book as opposed to the MSA blue book.

The rules about fuel tanks and lines are in the White book gsr 1.5 and gsr 7.5

Location:
All fuel tanks, lines, pumps, valves etc., must be outside of the driver's compartment and within the confines of the frame and/or steel body. Fuel tanks located in front of the grille must be protected against collision damage by the frame or by a protection bar with minimum dimension 32.0 x 3.0 mm mild steel or (1.25 x 0,065 inch) chrome moly tubing. (i.e.: steel nerf bars, frame rail extensions, etc.) Cool cans in full bodied cars, must be mounted a minimum of 152 mm (6 inches) forward of firewall. Fuel blocks must be located at least 152 mm (6 inches) forward of the flywheel/bellhousing area.

Tanks:
All tanks must be mounted inside the body-line and isolated from driver compartment by a firewall completely sealed to prevent any fuel from entering the driver's compartment. When permitted by class regulations, fuel tanks located outside body and/or frame must be enclosed in a steel tube frame constructed of minimum 32.0 mm mild steel (1.25 x 0,065 inch), (1.65 mm) chrome moly tubing. All fuel tanks must have a pressure cap and be vented outside of body. A positive-locking screw on fuel tank cap is mandatory on all open bodied cars. Insulated fuel tanks prohibited. When used, fuel cells must have a metal box protecting the part of the cell which is outside of the body lines of trunk floor excluding hose connection area in rear.

Also see gsr 7.5

I can't tell you what gsr 7.5 says as I don't have a copy of the white book to hand.