Boss any links to or pics of the hinged gill panel? I am intrigued
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I think Tajon meant the modified panel that had an early gill fully hinged!
A VERY interesting design. Perhaps my new projects?
People need to stop posting this stuff. I will never get done here if you don't! PLEASE stop!
Besides the design, interesting thought with the two tanks in place. This helps a lot to balance the weight of 85kg from the left to the right side of the chassis. I like that.
I don't run dual fuel tanks (maybe some day...) but some decades ago I redid the whole cooling system near the engine. I ran a 2" pipe up from a big welded aluminum surge tank sitting on the right rocker panel up to the right gill, with a rad cap on the end. The stock overflow tank is now a small plastic windshield washer tank, with a 'super-trick racing catch-can' (a 16oz Budweiser can).
Because I didn't want to cut up my original right side die-cast gill if the idea was a failure, I made a silicone mold of it, reproduced a left gill in epoxy/fiberglas and cut that one up. I did have to fabricate a hinge by copying my left side stocker as a mirror image. All this was successful after some tweeking.
So my radiator cap is now under a stock-looking matching access door in the right gill, along with a custom length dipstick up from the oil pan. Good for my aged back- the decklid does not need to be opened to quickly check oil or coolant levels, or add coolant. Without the 2 stock tanks and the A/C lines, (now front- mounted), there's much more space around #4 spark plug and the decklid shocks, and the car Iost another 14 lbs of rear end wt.
Once again-- all of the mods I've done to Judy's long-suffering Pantera L have been written up in various illustrated POCA Newsletters over the last 30 years, and all are in the searchable POCA Archives for viewing or download. Don't ask exactly which ones- my memory is pretty good but not THAT good!
In GT class of racing, two separate fuel tanks is not that important . You can balance the car other ways with ballast.
It is more about access to fueling in long endurance races in the pit stops.
On the Group 4 race cars I honestly thought that the passenger side "filler cap in the gills" was to access the cooling system.
The Panteras are not GT40's and you really can't make one into one. Don't try to.
I can appreciate the thought of not wanting to cut up the original gills. I hated the gas filler neck under the deck lid and moved it to the left side like the later cars.
I do remember that article you wrote Jack. Now that you remind me. At one point I was thinking what I could mold the gills out of?
When I got all the factory parts to do the swap, they were still available new and I got the trap door hinged gills with the package. As it turns out, I hated the rinky dinkness of it and installed a pop-open filler from a 427 Cobra Comp car instead and polished it.
In order to accomplish this I used a 4 or 5" hole saw and just bored through the original gill. All these years later, that filler still sits there and the trap door gill got sold off years ago. As a matter of fact, I think the gill itsell got sold for $500 and there was a lot of grumbling about the price. It was still cheaper then buying from the vendors though.
The gills are very soft cast aluminum and very easy to bore out with a hole saw.
Another car with a hinged left gill belonged to ex=racer Guy Trigaux of N.Carolina but I haven't heard from him in a decade.
Thank you
@bosswrench posted:Another car with a hinged left gill belonged to ex=racer Guy Trigaux of N.Carolina but I haven't heard from him in a decade.
Guy passed away a few months ago.
Ron
@rmccall posted:Guy passed away a few months ago.
Ron
I found this in a Google search.
Damn, Ron- another gentleman bites the dust! Sorry to hear it- Guy was the principal speaker at a POCA Fun Rally a long time ago. He had some stories of the old days.
Any details on his passing?
Just wanted to confirm that via the forum here I have received a used gill for my purpose. The remaining inner parts have been available via the shops so everything settled for this purpose. Thanks for your active support and advice.
Best
Frank