# Another test for your vehicle knowledge...



## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Do any of you know of modern cars - hatchbacks to hypercars - with the fuel cap in an unusual place?

A bit like the '57 Chevvy Bel Air - which had the fuel cap behind one of the rear lights:










The most modern one I can think of is a TVR Chimaera ... any others?


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Really? No one?

And I thought you were all experts. :roll:


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

I had a lightweight Land Rover with the fuel cap under the passenger seat. Does that count?


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

I looked for a while and couldn't find anything 'modern'. The best I came up with was the late 70's Ferrari 308 GTS, which had the filler hidden behind the louvered panel covering the rear quarter glass. Not really that modern though.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

I can't find anything else either. What about ones that just aren't where you'd expect them to be rather than actually hidden?

On the front wings etc?


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

Well, all the mid and rear engined Porsches have the filler on the front wing.


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

That would do. Cheers.


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

Kell said:


> That would do. Cheers.


VW Beetles do too.


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## Spandex (Feb 20, 2009)

rustyintegrale said:


> Kell said:
> 
> 
> > That would do. Cheers.
> ...


Only the original shape... I guess at a stretch you could call it 'modern', if you're talking about the Brazilian models, as I think they stopped making those in 2003.


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## YoungOldUn (Apr 12, 2011)

Spandex said:


> rustyintegrale said:
> 
> 
> > Kell said:
> ...


I remember my mates first car which was a VW beetle built sometime prior to 1965 and the filler was direct into the fuel tank under the bonnet.


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

Wasn't there an Alfa or Lancia that had it under the rear plate.

Also look at the Gartrac V6 2.8i Escort. I had one of them for a while too... :wink:


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## brittan (May 18, 2007)

Simca from the 60s and 70s had the filler behind a hinged rear number plate as did the Ford Corsair.


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## Wallsendmag (Feb 12, 2004)

brittan said:


> Simca from the 60s and 70s had the filler behind a hinged rear number plate as did the Ford Corsair.


Ooh Ford Corsair we had one of them with a bench front seat


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

rustyintegrale said:


> Wasn't there an Alfa or Lancia that had it under the rear plate.
> 
> Also look at the Gartrac V6 2.8i Escort. I had one of them for a while too... :wink:


Just found this...










This is the very car I had and the brochure was designed, art directed and produced by me on a freelance basis.

Kell it was shot on wasteland on the North Farm Industrial Estate in Tunbridge Wells opposite where John Lewis is now. I even drove the car for the 'action' shots inside the brochure.

Bloody brilliant times... 8)


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

Was the 2.8 a Capri engine? Plus those wheels look suspiciously like Tickford Capri wheels.

Not heard of Gartrac before. But a quick Google brings up some various shots - all on Q plates though. Did they count as Kit Cars?


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## rustyintegrale (Oct 1, 2006)

Kell said:


> Was the 2.8 a Capri engine? Plus those wheels look suspiciously like Tickford Capri wheels.
> 
> Not heard of Gartrac before. But a quick Google brings up some various shots - all on Q plates though. Did they count as Kit Cars?


Yep it was a V6 2.8 injection straight out of a Capri, so the car was converted to rear wheel drive and had a transmission tunnel built in to take the propshaft. As you will remember standard Escorts of that era were all front wheel drive so this conversion was bespoke to say the least. I'm not sure why it was on a Q plate. Doesn't that happen when the chassis cannot be dated?


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## Kell (May 28, 2002)

rustyintegrale said:


> Kell said:
> 
> 
> > I'm not sure why it was on a Q plate. Doesn't that happen when the chassis cannot be dated?


From what I remember at the time, Q plates were reserved for kit cars and insurance write offs that were repaired and put back on the road.

I'm guessing there was so much work done to it that it no longer counted as an Escort, had to go through approval again, and subsquently given kit car status.


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## ecko2702 (Jan 26, 2009)

My 1969 pontiac firebird has the fuel filler behind the rear reg plate. it's on a hinge and folds down to get to it.


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## merlin c (Jan 25, 2012)

Kell said:


> Do any of you know of modern cars - hatchbacks to hypercars - with the fuel cap in an unusual place?
> 
> A bit like the '57 Chevvy Bel Air - which had the fuel cap behind one of the rear lights:
> 
> ...


Brilliant, lets put a potentially explosive mixture right next to a source of ignition, health and safety would have a stroke at seeing that, love it...


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## Stealth69 (Jun 25, 2012)

TVR Cerbera.... I had to open the boot every time to fill mine, not that it needed filling that often because it was always broken!


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