Spare wheelwell removal

[RePhil]

I'm thinking of removing the wheelwell to create more space in the engine bay for my leisure battery & eberspacher fuel tank.
I recently saw this bus at Back2basics. It had had this done to it & looked quite neat. I only thought of this once I'd got home & looked at the pics - otherwised I'd have asked there & then
(It was parked next to Dodge 6x6 & was absolutely imaculate - IMO. The air cooling intakes were cleaner & better polished than most body panels)

Anyway here's the bus

and here's what I'm on about

Any tips anyone? Or any good reason why I shouldn't do this?

Thanks, Phil.

 

[gvee]

Well, mine was originally a microbus and therefore didn't have a spare wheel well as the wheel is kept under the middle seat instead. Reasons against doing so? If your bus is super original then you're cutting a hole in it and some people might find issue with that... but it's not their bus it is yours so do your thing! Other than that have you considered where you're going to keep your spare/tyre-in-a-can if at all?

 

[BrotherNumberOne]

Well, mine was originally a microbus and therefore didn't have a spare wheel well as the wheel is kept under the middle seat instead. Reasons against doing so? If your bus is super original then you're cutting a hole in it and some people might find issue with that... but it's not their bus it is yours so do your thing! Other than that have you considered where you're going to keep your spare/tyre-in-a-can if at all?

Microbuses also had spare wheel wells if they were walkthroughs.
As it's spot welded in, if you carefully removed it, there's no reason why you couldn't keep it and put it back in if you wanted. Use a 6mm spotweld drill, then make a flat section to cover the hole.

 

[KevH]

I use the spare wheel well for my spares and basic tool kit. It is surprising what you can get in that space without cutting it out, although I can see the advantage of doing so.

The spare is on top, by the way.

 

[RePhil]

Thanks for the replies gents.
My bus is nowhere near original so I don't think I'll devalue it though I take the point & will drill out the spotwelds therefore making the job reversible.
Tool storage is always useful but I could really do with space in the engine bay right here.

As nobody has screamed NO don't do it, I'll go ahead.

Thanks,
Phil.