[SCOTI]

Next on my agenda for the floor build is accessibility. I've been debating on building the floor frame to allow top-side access for maintenance/repairs. I have been plotting out a center frame that lifts like a trunk or hood would to allow access to the fuel system, differential, exhaust, shocks, & electronics. Of course, this is not new territory as many have built center floor sections that are hinged & raise up.

I'm not building a high-end truck; but I am building a functional one. I've come up w/a basic (primitive?) hinge idea for the floor to pivot on & will likely just use prop rods over a gas strut (or current trend of air cylinders) prop to keep it propped open.

Now I'm on to the fuel system. My current tank is a modified, new, re-pop Blazer unit which would work fine for most. But, I'm 99% sure I'll be running a TBI or manifold EFI set-up (Holley Terminator or Edelbrock Pro-Flo) so I'm concerned about fuel pump survival. My NEEDs:

*I'd like to be able to drop the tank easily w/o having to remove the bed
*I want a similar size tank (not interested in a 15/16gal alum replacement)
*I want some sort of baffling & an in-tank fuel pump set-up
*I don't want to go broke on a gas tank or the fuel delivery set-up

So, I mocked up the current tank to see what direction to go.

One of the previous mods was raising the tank so that it fits within the rails & was 2" higher. That was when the build it was getting used on was going to have a steel floor. With the wood floor set-up, I'm not liking the idea of sectioning the cross-sill the amount required to raise the tank into the rails vs. under. But, this truck also has the rails raised 3" where the other build did not. So, technically, the tank is even higher now than it would have been before on the other build. This week, I'm pulling some tape & getting some dimensions to reference against pics of trucks w/factory bumpers to make sure that it doesn't hang below the bottom edge of the bumpers line of sight. Currently the bottom of the Blazer tank sits ~6.5 - 7" off the road @ ride height if bolted like factory under the rails....