Fuel Gauge
In keeping with the "do more with less" or "simple is better" type idealism I installed a mechanical fuel gauge on the Lola. The fuel guage is really cool, and, the picture won't do it justice. The fuel gauge is simple and of the type Jac Mac pointed out on a thread some weeks ago:
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/inpages/mech_fuel_gauge.php
This thing is better than it seems although those pictures with it top mounted and 45 angle mounted in the link are sort of BS - it takes some re-working to make that happen.
There is NO mechanical connection between the needle and the float. How does it work? There is a magnet that is mechanically driven in the area behind the gauge face that drives the needle. As is travels up and down the tube, driven by the float, it causes the needle to move. Thus, when you install it there is only the hole into the tank for the float but that is it. The package comes with a drill jig and seal that is used for aircraft installation and is easily mounted.
The gauge is made to mount into the side of a tank such that if the tank was in front of you, like in some biplanes and older aircraft or home builts, then it'd read correctly and could be installed as is. I installed the unit on the top of the sill plate, or tank, and it required some bending of the float arm, shortening, and some drilling of the pinned gear drive parts to rotate them around 180 degrees. Easy to do though and you'll get it when you have one in front of you.
I took pictures of all that stuff, but, lost them when I formatted the SD card in the camera. So, all I have is the end result installed in the sill on the drivers' side of the car. Sorry about that.
Net result is a damn simple, pretty much fool proof gauge with no wires or fuss. About the only think I don't like is the "No Take Off" area at 1/4 tank, but, I can live with that can it could probably be repainted if I had a mind to. If some folks are looking for some simplicity in their build I'd highly recommend using one, or two. I'm using one as I'll just use a 1/2" ID balance tube between the tanks and eliminate the two gauge issue and feeds on the 40. My old Esprit had two tanks, and a balance tube, and seemed to work really well that way with one gauge and I think this will be the same.