Olds Fuel Tank and Racing 101

(ANNOUNCER)>> TODAY ON MUSCLE CAR THE OLDS CUTLASS RESTO MOD CONTINUES ITS PROGRESS AS WE DO A CUSTOM FUEL TANK MOUNT ALONG WITH A FANCY FUEL INLET THAT BRINGS THE CUSTOM KABOOM UP A NOTCH. THEN FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN DIP YOUR TOES INTO THE HARD HITTING WORLD OF DRAG RACING WITHOUT BREAKING

YOUR BANK ACCOUNT. ALSO SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO PROTECT YOUR RIDE FROM THE ELEMENTAL ASSAULT. AND HOW TO MEASURE OUT A CUSTOM CAR COVER THAT'LL FIT LIKE A GLOVE.

(MANK)>> ALRIGHT FOLKS, WE'RE GETTING READY TO SPEND

SOME MORE QUALITY TIME ON OUR '69 OLDS RESTO MOD, AND TODAY WE'VE GOT SOME REALLY NEAT STUFF TO WORK ON.

(TOMMY)>> FIRST OF WHICH IS GOING TO HAPPEN RIGHT OVER HERE ON THIS CPILLAR. WHAT WE'RE WANTING TO DO IS RELOCATE OUR GAS FILLER NECK

HERE SOMEWHERE IN THE POST BECAUSE WE RELOCATED OUR GAS TANK BACK BEHIND THE PASSENGER SEAT.

NOW ORIGINALLY OUR OLD CUTLASS HAD THE GAS FILLER NECK BACK IN THE BACK BUMPER BEHIND THE LICENSE PLATE. BUT WE'VE BEEN CHANGING A BUNCH OF THE LITTLE ODD AND ENDS OF THIS CAR TO BRING IT TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL. FOR A FILLER CAP WE'RE GONNA USE THIS PIECE WE HAD MADE BY GREENING AUTO COMPANY IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE. IT'S KIND OF A CUSTOM PIECE BUT THEY KNOW EXACTLY WHAT TO DO BECAUSE THEY MADE THOSE CUSTOM WHEELS FOR OUR CUTLASS. NOW THE IDEA BEHIND THIS IS WE'RE GONNA MOUNT THIS SAY IN THE IMAGINARY CPILLAR. WE HAVE TO BUILD A NECK TO GET THE FUEL ACTUALLY INTO THE TANK. IT SHOULDN'T BE ALL THAT HARD, WE JUST HAVE TO DO IT. FIRST I'LL GET THE DIMENSIONS OF OUR TANK SO THAT WE CAN GET THE FRAME STARTED. NOW WHENEVER YOU'RE MOUNTING A FUEL TANK YOU WANT TO BE

SURE TO USE MATERIAL HEAVY ENOUGH SO THAT IT STAYS PUT. BECAUSE IF JUST BY CHANCE THIS THING WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, YOU DON'T WANT TO SET YOURSELF UP FOR FAILURE. A LITTLE SPEED SQUARE IS A GREAT TOOL TO HELP KEEP YOUR ANGLES AT 90 DEGREES. I'LL TACK THE FRAME UP WITHOUT HARD WELDING IT JUST YET JUST IN CASE I NEED TO MOVE IT A LITTLE BIT. NOW THE IDEA HERE IS TO ACTUALLY SET THE TANK ON TOP OF HERE. YOU CAN SEE THAT I SPACED THIS UP TO MAKE ROOM SO THAT THIS THING CAN SLIDE IN AND OUT. SO I'VE GOT TO MAKE SOME FEET HERE ON THE SIDE SO THAT WE CAN MOUNT THE RACK TO THE FLOOR. THEN WE'VE GOT TO WELD ON SOME TABS SO THAT WE CAN BUILD SOME STRAPS TO SECURE THE TANK TO OUR RACK. I'LL USE ANOTHER TAB UNDERNEATH THE ONE THAT I'M WELDING TO SPACE IT UP AN EIGHTH OF AN

INCH FROM THE BOTTOM. THAT MAKES KEEPING THESE FEET CONSISTENT A SNAP. ALRIGHT, NOW WE NEED TO SET OUR TANK INTO POSITION, THAT WAY WE CAN DETERMINE EXACTLY WHERE WE NEED OUR TABS TO GO, CAUSE YOU DON'T WANT TO TRY TO PUT THEM OVER THE TOP

OF SOME OF THIS STUFF HERE ON THE TOP. SO THEY NEED TO BE RIGHT THERE ON THE EDGE.

WITH OUR TABS WELDED IN PLACE, WE'RE READY TO START

FABBING UP OUR STRAPS TO SECURE OUR TANK. NOW OFTEN TIMES WHENEVER YOU ORDER AN ALUMINUM TANK THEY'VE GOT A LITTLE FLAP OR SOMETHING ON THE SIDE THAT LOOKS LIKE YOU COULD MOUNT IT WITH.

AND REALLY AND TRUTHFULLY, OFTEN TIMES THAT LITTLE FLAP IS DESIGNED TO LOCATE THE TANK. I LIKE TO USE A STEEL STRAP TO WRAP AROUND IT TO SECURE IT NICE AND TIGHT. OKAY MY TANK MEASURES ABOUT 12 INCHES, SO I'M GONNA GO ABOUT 11 AND A HALF TO GIVE ME ROOM SO I CAN CLAMP IT TIGHT. BUT THEN I'M GONNA ADD ANOTHER INCH ON IT SO I CAN BEND THE FLAP OVER TO REINFORCE THAT END OF THE TAB.

NOW IF YOU'RE EVER DOING ANY TYPE OF SHEET METAL FORMING WITH A BREAK, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BEND THAT YOU HAVE IS KINDA STRAIGHT, 90 DEGREES, USUALLY ONE OF THESE HERE. SQUARES, LAY IT AGAINST THE JAWS, YOU CAN SEE WE'RE A LITTLE BIT OFF ON OURS. JUST KIND OF BUMP IT INTO PLACE, WE'RE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.

NOW USING OUR BREAK I'M GONNA PRESS THIS BACK DOWN.

ONCE THE BREAK HAS SHAPED THE STRAP, WE NEED A HOLE IN EACH END TO ATTACH IT TO THE FRAME, NO PROBLEM. I'LL JUST USE A MECHANICAL PUNCH TO MARK MY HOLE AND DRILL IT OUT WITH AN EIGHTH INCH BIT. THEN I'LL STEP IT UP TO A THREEEIGHTHS BIT. SOME THREEEIGHTHS BOLTS WILL HOLD IT IN PLACE AND WE'RE IN BUSINESS.

(ANNOUNCER)>> STILL AHEAD, WE MAKE ROOM FOR A SEE THROUGH WINDOW TO OUR FUEL CELL AND FABRICATE A FILLER NECK. THEN WE'LL GIVE YOU A DRAG RACING 101 CRASH COURSE THAT SHOWS YOU HOW YOU CAN HAVE SOME FUN WITH WHATEVER YOU RUN.

(MANK)>> OKAY GUYS, NOW THAT TOMMY'S GOT THE RACK MADE FOR THE FUEL TANK, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO NEXT IS SET THE TANK UP INSIDE THE PACKAGE TRAY AND MAKE A CUT IN HERE TO EXPOSE THE TOP OF THE TANK ITSELF. EXPOSING THE TANK THROUGH THE TOP OF THE PACKAGE TRAY ALONG WITH THE CUSTOM FUEL FILLER WE'RE GONNA PUT ON THE REAR POST IS GOING TO COMPLETE THAT CUSTOM LOOK WE'RE GOING FOR. I'LL MAKE SOME MARKS WHERE I WANT TO CUT, THEN IT'S TIME FOR THE SOOTHING SOUNDS OF THE BODY SAW. [ saw buzzing ]

(MANK)>> OKAY, NOW THAT WE'VE GOT OUR TANK MOUNTED WHAT WE NEED TO DO NEXT IS FIGURE OUT WHERE WE'RE GONNA MOUNT OUR CUSTOM MADE FILLER NECK ON THE CPOST, GET THAT MARKED, AND GET IT DRILLED.

THEN WE'LL TAKE THESE PIECES OF DROPPED TUBING THAT WE HAVE AND CONNECT THE TWO TOGETHER. BASICALLY ALL I'M GOING TO DO IS GET THIS CLOSE TO THE AREA FOR A STARTING POINT. WHAT I'M GONNA DO NOW IS JUST MARK AND "X" THROUGH THE CIRCLE TO GET A CENTER POINT TO START DRILLING. A FIRM GRIP ON YOUR DRILL IS PRETTY IMPORTANT BECAUSE A HOLE SAW WILL SOMETIMES SNAG, AND IF IT DOES YOU WANT TO BE READY.

DON'T PUSH IT TOO HARD AND LET THE SAW DO ITS THING. THERE'S SOME INNER STRUCTURE THAT WILL NEED TO BE REMOVED WHILE WE'RE AT IT HERE. SO I'LL GO AHEAD AND MAKE THAT HAPPEN, AND THEN WE'LL

CONTINUE PUNCHING THROUGH THE PILLAR. THERE WE GO! I'LL FINISH SIZING THE OUTER HOLE WITH A BODY SAW BEFORE WE START MOUNTING THE CAP. IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S A LITTLE BIT LEFT TO GO AND I WANT IT TO LOOK NICE. SO WE'LL USE A CARBIDE BIT TO FINISH THE TRIMMING.

OKAY, I SAVED YOU GUYS THE AGONY OF HAVING TO WATCH ME MAKE THIS LOCK RING. BUT BASICALLY ALL I DID WAS MAKE A COLLAR. I DRILL THREE HOLES BOTH THROUGH THE LOCK RING AND THE FLANGE. I'VE ONLY THREADED THE HOLES ON THE LOCK RING SIDE SO WE CAN DROP THE BOLTS THROUGH THE FLANGE AND THAT'LL SANDWICH THE TWO PIECES TOGETHER AND USE THE SHEET METAL ON THE CAR AS THE CLAMP. ONCE WE GET THESE THREE SCREWS IN THE FLANGE, IT SHOULD BE MORE THAN ENOUGH TO HOLD IT TOGETHER.

WITH A PIECE OF RUBBER FUEL HOSE ATTACHED TO THE BACK SIDE, MY EXHAUST TUBE FILLER NECK IS READY FOR MOCK UP.

WE JUST NEED TO REMOVE THE COLLAR THAT IS ON TOP OF THIS SPOUT SO THAT IT WON'T CREATE A POOL OF FUEL INSIDE THE NECK. A CUTTING WHEEL IS A GOOD WAY TO MAKE THAT SPOUT DISAPPEAR. IT'S MADE OF MILD STEEL, WHICH IS PRETTY HEAVY WALLED.

AFTER THE SPOUT'S GONE, I'LL CLEAN IT UP A BIT WITH A GRINDER. THERE'S STILL A BIT LEFT ON IT, BUT IT'S MINIMAL, AND

THE GOAL WAS TO ELIMINATE THE POOL OF GAS IT WOULD HAVE RETAINED. NOW I CAN BURN IN THE FILLER NECK ITSELF.

THEN I CAN ALSO FINISH UP WELDING THE SEAMS ON THE NECK SO IT'LL BE NICE AND SEALED UP. WHEN THIS IS FINISHED, THE HOSE WILL GET CLAMPED ON,

BUT FOR MOCK UP THERE'S NO NEED FOR THAT. WELL THERE WE GO. WE HAVE ALL THE BASIC COMPONENTS MADE FOR OUR FUEL DELIVERY SYSTEM AND THEY'RE ALL FITTING PRETTY WELL. BUT BECAUSE A LOT OF THEM ARE HAND MADE, WHAT WE'RE GONNA DO IS PRESSURE CHECK SOME OF THEM, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE WELDS, TO MAKE SURE WE DON'T HAVE ANY LEAKS.

AND AT SOME POINT WE'LL BUILD A SHROUD AROUND IT TO ADD TO OUR SAFETY FACTOR.

(ANNOUNCER)>> STICK AROUND, WE'LL RUN YOU THROUGH THE PACES OF GETTING TO THE RACES. THEN FIND OUT HOW THOSE OLD PLASTIC TARPS CAN DO MORE HARM THAN GOOD WHEN IT COMES TO COVERING YOUR CAR.

(TOMMY)>> MAN THAT LOOKS LIKE A LOT OF FUN. THAT IS BECAUSE IT IS! NOW FOR A FEW OF YOU GUYS SITTING AT HOME THAT WANT TO GET INTO THE SPORT, WE'RE GONNA LET YOU IN ON THE INS AND OUTS OF HOW TO DO IT. DRAG RACING, PROBABLY CONSIDERED TO BE THE FIRST

AND MOST PURE FORM OF AUTOMOBILE RACING. THIS SPORT IS WHERE YOU FIND THE HIGHEST POWERED MONSTERS OUT OF THE ENTIRE WORLD OF CARS. YOU DON'T HAVE TO COME OFF THE TRAILER WITH A 2,000 HORSEPOWER ALCOHOL BURNING DEMON TO BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME FUN IN THIS SPORT. IN FACT SOME TIMES THE SLOWER CARS CAN BE MORE FUN.

(ANDY)>> YOU'VE GOT TO GET YOUR TOES WET BEFORE YOU JUMP IN, AND THE BEST THING TO DO IS START OUT SLOW BECAUSE THE WORST MISTAKE SOME PEOPLE MAKE IS THEY'LL GO SPEND $15,000 ON AN ENGINE AND THEY COME OUT AND THEY'RE DISAPPOINTED. AND ONCE YOU HAVE THE HEARTBREAK OF BEING DISAPPOINTED SOMETIMES IT'S A TOUGH PILL TO SWALLOW AND IT'S ROUGH TO GET OVER.

(TOMMY)>> WE'VE TAKEN A TRIP TO SEE OUR BUDDIES AT US 43 DRAG WAY IN LAWRENCEBURG, TENNESSEE, FOR THEIR ANNUAL OPENER WEEKEND.

(ANDY)>> TODAY'S EVENT IS CENTERED ON THE BEGINNER. WE HELP PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO DRAG RACE. THERE'S NO PRESSURE, NO COMPETITION, SO ANYONE IS FREE TO BRING ANYTHING IN AND RUN IT UP AND DOWN THE TRACK.

(TOMMY)>> THAT ANYTHING INCLUDES THIS BONE STOCK '65 CORVETTE STINGRAY OWNED BY DON GELUNAS.

(DON)>> I'VE OWNED THIS CORVETTE SINCE 1978.

I DO A LITTLE NOSTALGIA DRAG RACING WITH IT NOW AND THEN, STRICTLY STREET TIRES, STOCK ENGINE.

(TOMMY)>> WHEN HE BOUGHT THIS CAR IN 1978, HE INTENDED FROM THE GET GO TO KEEP IT STOCK AND TAKE IT TO A FEW SHOWS. BUT AFTER A WHILE HE DECIDED THAT HE WANTED TO DO MORE, BUT WITHOUT MODIFYING THE CAR TO MAKE IT FASTER ON THE TRACK.

(DON)>> GOING TO CAR SHOWS ALL THE TIME IS A LITTLE BORING SOME TIMES. SO WE JUST TAKE IT TO THE TRACK NOW AND THEN AND DO SOME TIME TRIALS AND HAVE SOME FUN WITH IT.

(TOMMY)>> WHILE DON IS A CORVETTE MAN, HIS OLD BUDDY

BOB ON THE OTHER HAND IS A PART OF THE CAMARO CONTINGENT ROLLING IN HIS BRIGHT RED '73, WHICH IS POWERED BY AN INTERMEDIATELY MODIFIED 454 WITH TWIN AFE CARBS SPORTING WIDER TIRES AND LADDER BARS AS WELL. IT'S NOT OVER THE TOP BUT IT'S STILL GOT STREETABLE POWER.

(BOB)>> I'D LIKE TO SAY MORE THAN 500 BUT BETWEEN 460 AND 500. YOU GET SOME EXPERIENCE ON A SLOWER CAR OF COURSE. YOUR REACTION TIME, YOUR SPEED, YOUR TOP SPEED, YOUR ET'S AREN'T GONNA BE THE SAME. THEY'LL BE A LITTLE LOWER, BUT IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO LEARN. YOU HAVE TO WALK BEFORE YOU CAN RUN.

(TOMMY)>> EVENTUALLY YOU CAN MODIFY A CAR SO MUCH THAT IT'S JUST NOT STREETABLE ANYMORE AND YOU'VE GOT

YOURSELF A FULL BLOWN RACE CAR WITH LEXAN WINDOWS AND FIBERGLASS PANELS.

(ROY)>> WELL IT'S JUST GOT A 383 SMALL BLOCK, POWERGLIDE, DANA 60 REAR END, ABOUT 640 HORSEPOWER. IT'S AN OLD SCHOOL RACE CAR.

(TOMMY)>> THIS VEGA BELONGING TO ROY JONES WAS ALREADY A RACE CAR WHEN HE BOUGHT IT. HE WAS RACING LONG BEFORE HE OWNED THIS.

(ROY)>> I ALWAYS LOVED DRAG RACING. AFTER MY KIDS GOT GROWN AND OUT OF COLLEGE, I DECIDED YOU KNOW I WANTED TO GO BACK AND DO IT AGAIN.

(TOMMY)>> THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT YOU HAVE TO WEAR AND BUILD INTO YOUR CAR INCREASE THE FASTER A CAR GOES. A CAGE AND HARNESS SYSTEM ARE SOME OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT HAVE TO GO INTO A CAR ONCE IT PASSES A CERTAIN THRESHOLD OF SPEED.

AND EXACTLY WHAT THOSE ARE DEPEND ON THE TRACK THAT

YOU'RE AT AND THE SANCTIONING BODY

RUNNING A GIVEN RACE. BUT ONCE YOU PUT A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF POWER TO THE GROUND WITH A WIDE ENOUGH TIRE ON A LIGHT ENOUGH CAR, EXPECT TO START SEEING SOME FAIRLY VIOLENT LAUNCHES.

WELL THERE YOU GO GUYS. I HOPE WE SHOWED YOU THAT YOU DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE DEEP POCKETS TO GO RACING. SO IF YOU WANT TO HAVE YOURSELF SOME FUN, JUST FIND YOU A CAR AND COME OUT TO THE TRACK.

(ANNOUNCER)>> AFTER THE BREAK SEE WHAT STEPS IT TAKES TO GET A CUSTOM COVER THAT CAN EVEN COME

PRINTED WITH GRAPHICS.

(MANK)>> HEY FOLKS, WE ALL KNOW IT TAKES A LOT OF TIME, EFFORT, AND MONEY TO GET OUR CAR'S FINISHES LOOKING THE WAY WE WANT THEM TO. THE FUNNY THING IS AT THE SAME TIME THE WORLD'S DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN TO MESS THEM UP.

(TOMMY)>> DUST, POLLEN, CHEMICALS, HECK EVEN ACID RAIN CAN ALL BE A SLOW OR SUDDEN DEMISE OF A NICE LOOKING RIDE. AND YOUR PAINT, WELL IT'LL FADE OUT. YOUR CHROME, WELL IT'LL HAZE OVER. AND THE ALUMINUM, IT'LL OXIDIZE.

(MANK)>> PLUS WHAT DO YOU DO IF YOU'RE AT A CAR SHOW OR AT THE RACES AND MOTHER NATURE TAKES A TURN FOR THE WORST? IF YOU'VE GOT A DECENT CAR COVER IN THE TRUNK, YOU PULL IT OUT AND YOU'LL BE ALRIGHT. BUT ONE OF THE WORST THINGS YOU CAN DO IS TAKE SOME OLD PLASTIC TARP AND COVER YOUR CAR WITH IT. THAT WILL JUST TRAP MOISTURE UNDER THE TARP, WHICH DOESN'T PROTECT THE CAR, IT MAKES THINGS MUCH, MUCH WORSE.

(TOMMY)>> LUCKILY ALL CAR COVERS ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL. COVERS FOR CARS DOT COM IS WHERE WE GO TO PROTECT OUR PROJECTS WHEN WE'RE DONE WITH THEM.

(MANK)>> FIRST OF ALL THEIR CAR COVERS WILL PROTECT YOU FROM THE EVERYDAY NASTIES SUCH AS U/V RAYS, DUST, DIRT, AND EVEN SMALL DINGS. ANOTHER THING THAT SETS THEM APART FROM THE REST IS THAT THEIR MATERIALS WILL ALLOW MOISTURE THAT'S TRAPPED UNDERNEATH TO ESCAPE UPWARDS.

(TOMMY)>> YOU CAN CHOOSE ONE OF SEVERAL MATERIALS FROM THE BLOCK IT LINE BY KIMBERLY CLARK, WHICH OFFERS VARIOUS GRADES OF PROTECTION IN MULTIPLE COLORS. TODAY WE'LL BE USING THE BLOCK IT NOAH FABRIC, WHICH BEGINS WITH A SOFT PAINT PROTECTING INNER LAYER WHICH WON'T SCRATCH YOUR FINISH. NEXT IS AN EXCLUSIVE COARSE LAYER OF BREATHABLE FILM, WHICH LETS MOISTURE OUT BUT NOT IN.

THERE ARE TWO LAYERS OF PROTECTIVE MATERIAL THAT DELIVER STRENGTH AND SOFTNESS IN ADDITION TO BEING U/V AND HEAT REPELLENT.

(MANK)>> THE COVERS ARE AVAILABLE FOR MANY VEHICLE MODELS, SUCH AS OUR CAMARO. BUT IF YOU HAVE SOMETHING WITH MODIFIED DIMENSIONS

LIKE OUR DIRT, WHICH HAS DIFFERENT BUMPERS NOT TO MENTION THIS BLOWER STICKING UP THROUGH THE HOOD, YOU COULD ALSO GET A 100 PERCENT CUSTOM COVER FROM THEM AS WELL.

(TOMMY)>> WHICH IS WHY WE BROUGHT IN JOE AMATUZZO FROM COVERCRAFT, THE MANUFACTURERS OF THESE COVERS.

HE'S GONNA SHOW US THE PROPER WAY TO MEASURE FOR A CUSTOM COVER. JOE WHAT DO YOU GOT THERE BUDDY?

(JOE)>> TOM I'VE GOT TWO DIMENSION SHEETS OF MANY THAT YOU CAN DOWNLOAD RIGHT OFF THE WEBSITE. WHAT I HAVE HERE IS A DIMENSION SHEET FOR A MODERN COOPER SEDAN, AND THEY'RE VERY SELF EXPLANATORY. AND SINCE THIS CAR HAS A BLOWER, WE HAVE THIS DIMENSION FOR THE BLOWER TO BE FILLED OUT SO WE CAN BUILD A POCKET INTO THE COVER.

(MANK)>> WHAT JOE'S GOING TO DO IS USE THE DIMENSION SHEET AS A GUIDE TO PLACE A SERIES OF MARKS ON THE CAR, WHICH WILL CORRESPOND WITH THE MEASURING POINTS ON THE SHEET. THE YOU CAREFULLY RECORD THE DIMENSIONS OF THE CAR, BEING SURE TO FOLLOW THE SHEET AS HE DOES SO. IT'S A PRETTY SIMPLE PROCESS, IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TAKING YOUR TIME AND DOING IT CORRECTLY. AND LIKE WE SAID, SINCE THE CAR HAS THE BIG OLE LUNG STICKING UP IN THE AIR, JOE WILL MAKE THE MEASUREMENTS FOR THAT AND THEN APPLY THEM TO THE SEPARATE SHEET YOU SAW EARLIER.

(TOMMY)>> AFTER YOU RECEIVE YOUR COVER, IT SHOULD FIT LIKE A GLOVE, EVEN IF YOU HAVE AN ODD BALL LIKE OUR OLD MOPAR.

(MANK)>> AND CHECK THIS OUT, THEY CAN EVEN CUSTOM SCREEN PRINT ANY CAR COVER FOR YOU. AND IF YOU BELONG TO SAY A CAR CLUB, THAT WOULD BE PRETTY COOL. AND EVERY CAR COVER THAT COMES FROM COVERS FOR CARS DOT COM COMES WITH A WARRANTY. IF YOU'VE GOT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING YOU SAW ON THE SHOW TODAY.

(TOMMY)>> GO OVER TO POWERBLOCK TV DOT COM.