nospam spilled my beer when they jumped on the table and proclaimed in
<c4n071$ng8$1@news.monmouth.com>

I have never done this...

However,even though I don't recommend this route..if you decide to cut a
hole above the tank, be careful. Also, there are "doors" available from
Jegs, for instance, that can be put in to make it look cleaner.

Of course, I wouldn't go that route for many reasons...

                                       NOI

It was a quite a bit of work. It took me 10 hours the first time and
around 6 hours the second time. I found that the hardest part was
draining the gas out of the tank. I did it on jack stands. Remember to
take the exhaust all the way out and drop the axle as low as possible.
All in all it is a simple project.
I wouldn't cut holes due to the fact that I feel it will impact the
integrity of the car, allow fumes in the car, and look like a.s if done
wrong.

After reading what all had to be removed to get the tank out, I did exactly
that.  It now will take well under an hour to replace the pump.  Nice.  You
still have to unbolt the tank straps to lower the tank a bit.  This gets it
away from the cutting wheel and allows enough clearance to remove the fuel
lines.

Disclaimer:  Sparks and raw fuel don't mix.  Be careful.  This will lower the
value of a numbers-matching car, which mine is, but it's a daily driver, an '85
Z-28 TPI.  This can weaken the structural integrity, although I've had no
problems.  

I first cut a square hole large enough for the round fuel pump to come up
through, but the hard lines going into it required an L-shaped hole, so I cut
some more.  I only cut the top and sides, leaving the bottom attached, and bent
the whole thing toward the front of the car.  Then I bent it back, put some
inner tube in the crack and secured it with overlapping metal straps and
screws.

Here's a pic of the opened hole:

http://members.aol.com/khanawalt//fuelpump.jpg

Good luck!
KennyH  

Horsepower is cheaper than therapy.

I got to do it twice.  Takes two men six hours in the garage on jack stands.
Buy the good Delco pump, not the auto parts store cheapy,  so you won't have
to do it twice too.
DON'T CUT THE TANK YOU WILL ONLY END UP REPLACING IT TOO!!!!!

The job is a lot of work but it went pretty well. No major problems. Except
for the first pump quitting not long after it was put in.... The Cheapy pump
stopped working in the middle of the state fair parade. Had to push the car
off... Sucked big time.

Gary