Gas tank question on TCS

[Certified Lotus]

I am also getting ready to remove my TC fuels tanks from the body (chassis is already removed). I'm fortunate to have a lift and spent time looking at all the possible ways to remove the fuel tanks, coming to the same conclusion that they would only come out the bottom.

Joji, I shuddered at your car on dolly platforms on the rear. VERY unsafe! Here is a suggestion: before I had a lift I had two sizes of jack stands, small for easy work (like brake jobs and tire changing) and large for getting under the car with a creeper. For the large jack stands I made wooden platforms that had sides glued and screwed in and rubber on the top. These were captured on the top of the jack stand by the size of the horizontal metal piece so the platform couldn't move. The whole idea of the platform was to spread the load on Lotus fiberglass bodies as well as provide a much more stable platform for being under the car. They worked so well, I made a set for my lift outrigger arms and use them all the time.

[brucelotus26r]

I removed my by jacking the car up  and placing jack stands under all 4 shocks 12"-14".
 I pulled the tanks down and to the front came right out.

[Grumblebuns]

I appreciate all of the concern about my setup and am well aware of the dangers. I'm experimenting with using the ATV lifts in raising and lowering the car without using an engine hoist during engine removal. The lifts are rated for 1500# apiece and both have mechanical locks to support the load. The wooden cribbing currently supporting the rear tires are a bit too short for my comfort level. My future plan is to weld a metal cradle to the lift to safely support the tires. In the mean time, I will be using jackstands to support the rear of the frame when I get ready to disconnect the engine mount bracket and lower links. I will also replace the front ramps with wider wood cribbing at the same time for greater stability. I'll be under the car doing a lot of pulling and pushing so you can bet your ass that the car will be safely supported.

I've had the car in this position for close to a year with no problems. It's pretty stable side to side, the danger is the car rolling backwards.  The picture shows the 6 ton jackstands that I will using along with the wood base to support he rear frame. If I survive this adventure, I'll post pictures of the final setup.

 

[jbcollier]

Just add nailed/screwed 4x4s (front and back of all wheels) to prevent the wheels from rolling.

[Grumblebuns]

2x4s also work almost as well as wheel stops screwed to 2x12s as used in the picture.

If anyone needs to move their Europa around in the garage, a relatively cheap and effective alternative to the expensive dedicated wheel dollies is to make your own using the Harbor Freight moving dolly as a base. They can be purchased for between $7-$8 on sale along with scrap 2x4s and 2x12s or 2x10s cut to length for the wheel stop. Granted the casters used by Harbor Fright are not of the highest quality but with some effort, moving a Europa around the garage can be done by one person. After the Europa is in position, stack additional cribbing to raise the car to required height for a pretty stable platform. I used this method to raise the Europa to install the gas tanks.