The Co-op: Getting ready, the freight train is coming!

……….Everything is building to next weekend and the Tallahassee rally.  We have many more projects not included in this push which will all get their chance but the next 5 days its all about getting ready.

NOT involved in the show is a project that really is a biggie that we just couldn’t put down.  Up on the lift, the operation begun, “the squeekiest wheels get the grease and as far as fuel delivery for our classic coaches the original steel fuel tanks are under attack.  Fuel tanks today are not made of steel, fuel compounds today are not good for steel tanks, Ethanol trusts steel tanks….. if you haven’t heard…….we are seeing so much fuel contamination from rust…….rust thru on tanks…….all of us have been robbing Peter to keep Paul on the road Its just gotten to a tipping point.

Add to that the cost is have 2 tanks cleaned and lined……and even at that you have used, damaged and repaired tanks holding what makes you go!  Not a good picture.

The new fuel formulations are made to be pressurized and mechanically atomized using injectors, fuel injection has become what our fuels today are designed for.  Fuel injection need constant fuel supply and does not mare well with 2, continuously connected fuel tanks.  Below 1/2 tanks, one tank may empty out while fuel is hiding in the other tank you can’t get to.  If that doesn’t make sense it’s just hard to connect 2 tanks to an FI system …trust me.

With all of that plus just the age of everything we must rely upon on fuel delivery today ………we are prototyping a new single fuel tank delivery system.  Long time coming and its time.Here is our first test subject in surgeryBefore the day starts, the old steel tanks are out and the prototyping is ready to beginour lab rat is a pretty unique coach itself.  First restored having a diamond plate floor, that aluminum is more than skin deep….we find the floor structure from the rear wheels for war is all cross reinforced aluminum!can u say “brick ________ house!”  This coach will NEVER have the body sag issues all of our coaches after 45 years are afflicted with!!!! Look at this floor structure againhere u can also see one of the old fuel system inlet ports which we hope to connect the new system to so fill will be from the same fuel cap as original.

Behind the rear wheels the floor reverts back to the original wood where we will rubberized undercoat before we continue our surgerythe vent, return and inlet lines should stay the same other than having 1 inletthe FiTech fuel injection pump and 10 micron filter will stay our same install spot on the outside of the rail for easy access which Fernanda found to be really important when the 2 old tanks clogged the filternow remember we’re getting progress here even with the upcoming rally…….man the guys are awesome!

The sewer tank and dump system is the original gravity dump…..you know, launching aircraft carriers down a 3″ slinky!Certainly not wanting to add work to a project we already have no time to do……Fernanda, do some research……..we’re here right now.  Its @ $650 materials and labor….lemme know by Monday.

So its Saturday and I have a small pleasure of tooling around for a bit in the Mercedes…..still no name, “Mutcades” is the leader so farall washed up and ready for a runI’ll see u guys tomorrow….Giddiup there Mutsades……..

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