Topic

I was changing the plugs and filters on mine the other day, swapping as usual between accessing through the engine inspection cover and the boot. It got me idly wondering if anyone had ever modded the metalwork in-between the two openings to make it removable to significantly improve engine access ?

Well I’d say that area is fairly structural, so I’d be inclined to leave well alone.
Unless of course you intend to reinforce it.

I'll leave well alone

It’ll be a bit wobbly. The tf is stiffer than the f primarily due to the VHS bracing, fit those to the f & I doubt there’ll be much difference then between the two.
The reenforcing behind the heater / radio offers the greatest stiffening & it’s the part that’s the most problematic to retrofit & it’s the bit that I balked at when fitting the kit to my f. Cutting a chunk out of the boot space / engine bay bulkhead would be a kin to removing all the VHS upgrades all together & having the anti toll bars replaced with string.
I think the inconvenience is the more attractive option.
Keep us posted if you decide to get the hacksaw out.
M

Im not planning to do it but Im definitely intrigued whether the mod could be achieved without any loss of structural integrity by introducing more reinforcement.

Speculatively:

The area between the rear of the current engine access panel and the front lip of the boot lid would be cut out carefully at the sides. A lip would be made up and attached for either side of the bodywork following the contours so the cut section could be dropped back into position. (Say made out of 5mm thick bar, 4cm wide). This would be fitted with captive nuts and the removeable panel drilled to allow it to be bolted through. The only externally visible parts of the cuts would be covered by the existing brightwork trim so the dummy Allen headed bolts would be replaced by functional retainers.

An L section length of metalwork would be fabricated as a reinforcement between the vertical bulkhead and the front edge of the engine access panel aperture .

The existing cross brace bars ( on a TF) that run between the rear edge of the engine access panel aperture and the under boot area would no longer be relevant and this would instead be replaced by a more substantial pair of bracing arms that would attach to the front edge of the engine access panel aperture and at the back would reuse the rear anchorage points of the old brace bars. These should be significantly thicker that the old bars as they are now spanning a larger distance. Lastly the rear edge of the existing engine access panel would be permanently bolted to the front of the removable section using the original bolt holes and seam welded so these would now form a continuous structure.

The part of the removable section which used to be the engine access panel would then bolt to the front of the aperture (as it did prior to the modifications) but with more substantial bolts as the lip has been reinforced.

Downsides:
It probably wouldn't be recommended for cars with roll hoops
Its quite a bit of cutting and welding and would need some sections of metal making up
It would still need several bolts to be removed to access the engine

Upside
significantly better access to the top of the engine when required

The series Land Rovers & later Defenders relied on the tub for lateral strength, however if you need to clamber from front to back I would like to guarantee you’ll end up with bruised shins. Recently there have been several attempts to devise a bar network which will allow access front to back with reduced injury potential & to a degree it’s worked. But the question is it easier to scrabble about to worm your way into the back or simply get out of the door, walk around the back, collect your bits (rope, sandwiches, clutch plate, tools, oil & more rope) & return to the drivers seat (then do it again to put clutch plate back & grab flask).
Getting out of the Landy to get your bits is ultimately better than collecting a hernia by scratting through, I feel the same would be true of your proposed modifications.
Buy a rat scraper & a big reciprocating saw & have a go & I’ll come & watch.
M

Are you proposing to build a bloody box girder bridge? The problem with using sections like 40mm x 5mm will be that they’re so much stiffer than what you’re securing them to, any flexing that would’ve been done over the original would now be concentrated on the edges where the reinforcing meets the original structure, this will likely cause localised fatigue and failure.

Now I’m a big fan of over engineering, as the following pic of the best ever toilet roll holder that I’ve ever seen will show.

But what you propose is excessive.

I would suggest fabricating a replacement section of @ 1.2 - 1.6 mm would be more than enough.

That would be much easier to work with. I thought I had over egged it a bit.

That is a superb toilet roll holder

Indeed a toilet roll holder for the big jobs!

The toilet roll is really an afterthought, the main structure is designed as a straining post for those times when your stools feels like they have three legs, possibly cabriole with claw & ball feet.
M

What a delightful mental picture you’ve painted there!

In the cottage I had when I was younger, the shitter was equipped with a 4 point racing harness and a crash helmet…….to prevent launching during those more volcanic moments!