You can remove it without taking the tank out, just undo the jubilee clip joining the tank to the lower rubber bit, then remove the metal ring that holds the elbow in place at the top, push the elbow through the hole, then pull the filler pipe out with the elbow and rubber pipe attached. You can then remove them rubber bits at your leisure. That said, if you've got the engine out and the firewall off, you may as well take the tank out to check its condition and also the panel it sits on.
Doh - sorry, misremembered. Although I did mine via the paint tin lid hole and with firewall pulled back slightly, I was also replacing the main rubber pipe to the tank at the same time. So I undid that at the tank end and also took the screws out at the filler end, and then pulled the whole lot out. I assembled the new bits out of the van and then only had to do the tank end fitting by feel. The fuel filler end I just poked the edge flap back out via the paint tin lid hole. Sorry for confusing things. Nick...
Pull it out through where? Same question to contestant number 2 I tried this the other week with a 79 bay and it couldn't be done. Perhaps earlier are different?
I seem to remember it coming out through the paint tin lid hole with a bit of jiggling. Must have been as it wouldn't have fitted through the small firewall gap I had. Have just been back and checked all the photos I've taken and sadly no photos of it coming out/going, and no mention of it in the restoration blog I was writing other than it taking a while and wrecking my arms!
Well I did it on my '79 half a year ago, and was sure I did it before I took the tank out, but now you've got me wondering, maybe I didn't? I assumed I must have slid it out of the hole.
The metal part is too long to get an end out of the paint tin lid hole, or out of the filler hole. And too wide to squeeze out above the tank. If it's possible I'm all ears.
Did mine chaps 3 years ago, I am sure the metal pipe came out of the paint tin lid hole, certainly I did it, a bugger of a job, cut arms etc... Wished I had done some pics
