[ledsled]

Can anyone tell me why automotive engineers have started the practice of putting car (and truck) gas filler doors on the passenger side? What's up with this? Aren't the majority of Dodge, Chevy, and Ford cars made for sale in the United States, where we drive on the right side of the road?

I've been driving my fiancee's 96 F%#! Contour for a couple weeks now (she got it free) and it's been buggin the hell outta me! What's the problem with behind-the-liscence plate caps? That seems to be the best idea to me. That way you can fill it from whichever side you desire.

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70 Impala Sport Coupe (350)
66 Chevelle (I wish, still looking)
http://www.geocities.com/ledsled_26m

 

[DZAUTO]

Good question! I'd love to find the design engineer who did this and ask him the same question.

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Tom Parsons

 

[1966_L78]

I'll agree, but I'll also disagree.

I do think the automotive engineers should be consistant with the fuel filler placement, but why should it be the drivers side?
Afterall, when pulling to the pump, it can be much like pulling over to the curb, on coming traffic passes you on your drivers side, everything stationary should be on the passenger side...in cluding the pumps and fillers.

Also when there are multiple pump islands, traffic should continue the way we drive on the streets, therefore necessitating gas filler doors on the passenger-side.

I have also seen quite a few stations recently (never noticed before) that do not have hoses long enough to reach around to the "wrong" side of the car, what's up with that?

As for the rear license filler, I can't get the hose to stay in, unless I hold it. Those darn retractable hoses (the stations that do have them still...

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"Once you go RAT, you never go back..."

Tony
1966 SS L78 coupe
1966 SS convertible
1965 Impala convertible
1 wife that has drawn the line...

 

[JWagner]

The reason is for safety. The right quarter panel is statistically the least-often hit part of the rear of the car.

 

[ToocoolZ28]

I think the real reason is where they can best fit it in the design or style of the car and still clear the exhaust, spare tire well and anything else that may be in the way.
But I agree, the right side is the WRONG side
Ron

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70 Chevelle SS396 (427)M21
66 Nova SS 327 M20
95 Z28 Convertible T56
Aces 3081, TC #54 Gold

 

[ledsled]

Good points, everyone.

My biggest problem with it is that this F$#% that I'm driving is a POS and when I pull up to the gas station, I have to pull the little handle to release the gas door, then run around to pry it open a little, then run back around to pull the handle again, then maybe the door will open with a little more prying. I refuse to get gas anymore if I'm the only person in the car!

 

[Fred Aldrich]

On a number of GM cars, the reason has to do with coordination with Opel (german) designs, particularly designs that were derived from the 1982 J car. In Germany, there is an insurance penalty if the filler is on the driver's side, according to Opel engineers. Further, according to Opel, curb side fueling was still popular in Germany in the 80's.

I was a GM fuel system design engineer.


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Fred Aldrich
The Chevelle Engineer
Web Site: www.CoreComm.net/~faldrich

 

[jpete]

I think if you look at every car on the road, you'll notice the gas filler is on the opposite side as the tailpipe. I've always thought this was the automakers way of trying to idiot proof a vehicle in case the owner doesn't shut the car off while filling the tank. If you overfill the tank and spill it all over the place, it doesn't run onto hot exhaust. The older cars don't do this but starting in the late 70's or so they have all seemed to be like this.
Don't know this as fact but I have noticed this for awhile.

 

[283v8]

I can live with either side, even different sides on different cars, but why can't they put an arrow on the gas guage telling me where it is? This way I can pull to the correct side of the pump. I have seen this on exactly ONE car.

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Make it the way you like it, forget what the other guys say!
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/al's64elky-1
http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/al's64elky-2

 

[mr409]

Forget the gas caps, I think they should first stop making such ungodly ugly vehicles! What a bunch of crap. Can you believe people are actually buying Aztecs?

Thank God for good old Chevrolets!

Sorry for the mini rant.

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Bob (Pa.)

1963 Impala 283
1966 Chevelle SS 409
1969 Malibu 307
1972 Malibu 307
1969 Chevy stepside 350

Check out my website:
Bobs 409 Chevy Page

Looking for Chevelle or Impala parts? Click here:
Chevelle parts for sale

 

[DZAUTO]

I have to agree with Bob. Cars have lost their individual "personality". Any more, most seem to be popped from the same mold.
Even though they were both UGly (that's with a capital UG), a 59 Chev and a 59 Pont were not the same.

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Tom Parsons