Berlina gas tank followup

["Watry, Andrew (LNG-MBC)" <Andrew.Watry@domain.elided>]

Regarding the two sizes of Berlina tanks, and why 1974 cars went back to the
smaller, shallower tank:  I looked at my two Berlinas' tanks yesterday (one
a 1973 stainless-bumper deep-tank car, one a 1974 rubber-bumper shallow-tank
car).  I think the answer does lie in the added structure for the rubber
bumpers and for impact strength.  The longeron structure on the left side of
the trunk between the rear panel where the bumper attaches and the left
wheelwell sticks up a couple inches into the trunk between the left side of
the gas tank and the side quarter panel.  The 74 shallow tank has a taller,
more vertical filler pipe, which clears that structure, then higher up bends
sideways toward the filler door.  The 73 deep tank's filler pipe comes out
of the tank at angle that continues all the way to the filler door area,
which looks like it would interfere with the longeron structure.  That's my
guess.  So maybe if the structure hadn't been changed for 1974 MY federal
regs, Alfa might have stuck with the deep, larger tank?

Andrew Watry
Berlina Register 

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