TKB4 wrote:
good luck let us know what you find. I may need the access too.
Thanks
I spent:
-about 10 minutes chiseling the coating off.
-10 minutes cutting the hatch out 1/4" bigger than the recessed hatch area.
-5 minutes filing and sanding sharp edges
-2 minutes hammering the hatch flat so my little hinges would mount nicely and so the hatch slightly overlaps.
-10 minutes drilling and attaching the hinges.
Then I worked on swapping the float arm. Very easy access.
Still need to spray some rustoleum paint to stop corrosion, and the largest gap I have is 1/16", so I'm going to lightly seal it with caulk. Easy enough to open with a knife or screwdriver in a pinch.
The flat hatch isn't strong like the old curved pre-cut body was. If you go this route you need to either build a reinforced hatch base/lid, or you could put a piece of 3/8" OSB or about an 18" square piece of 3/16" steel would work lightly glued in place.
I'm going to have a bench like box built in there that levels the sleeping space as I sleep at the jeep prior to many backcountry pack-ins and outs (beats unpacking my pack and setting up a tent for one night, just to then be delayed in the morning with a wet tent, mildew not good. It'll also double as a hidden compartment to hide my sacred Kimber .308.
This 6" bench will keep the weight of dogs or heavy objects off of the hatch.
I may have to go in to the tank a third time for the dash light, so I'm not sealing this thing up anytime too soon.
As another person mentioned, you have to be extremely careful cutting and drilling as the tank is almost touching the body below. I put some tiny cuts and drill holes in the tank, but not nearly deep enough to matter, phew!
I'll try to add a pic soon.