The additional flap
11/11/2023
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For a long time, it was not at all unusual to place the tank in the trunk. And the tank filler neck was often fitted as close to the tank as possible without changing the bodywork around it. This was the case with the VW Beetle (picture above), but also with the Porsche 356 or a Lancia Aurelia 2000 B52 Vignale Coupé. Just 25 years ago, this solution could be found on a TVR Griffith, for example.
What was technically an elegant solution that required little material and left the bodywork smooth, however, had disadvantages for the vehicle owner. If, for example, some of the fuel was spilled when refueling, it was quite possible that valuable luggage would be soaked in gasoline. Depending on the situation, it was also difficult to reach the fuel filler neck because the trunk was packed too full. And anyway, you didn't really want to show the contents of the trunk to everyone watching during the refueling maneuver.
The people at Park Ward found an elegant solution to this problem. In the Park Ward Saloon based on the pre-war Bentley 3.5 liter , they simply cut out a hole in the left rear fender and fitted an additional flap that allowed the fuel filler neck in the trunk to be reached from the outside.
Of course, this did not eliminate all the disadvantages of the fuel filler cap in the trunk, but at least the tank could now be filled without having to lift the trunk lid.
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Aston Martin then found a better solution for the Lagonda saloon in the mid-seventies. A barely visible fuel filler flap was placed just above the trunk ...
