Gas Caps

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Alan Winer
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Gas Caps

#1 Post by Alan Winer »

I have gas caps for the A & B under the hood gas tanks, some are black, some are silver (zinc?) plated, some have fine serrations and some have larger scalloped serrations. Which is correct for late A and early B?
Alan

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Dan Haden
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Re: Gas Caps

#2 Post by Dan Haden »

Alan -

My A coupe #107983 built in June 1959 has the fine serrations and silver plating.

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Al Zim
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Re: Gas Caps

#3 Post by Al Zim »

My 1961 car which has been around for over 4o years is plated and has serrations. 1955 VW's used a cap marked VW and a lot of German firms probably sold after manket caps which is probably where Porsche purchased them usually from the lowest bidder. al Zim 2008/09/14
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Jan Kolm
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Re: Gas Caps

#4 Post by Jan Kolm »

I believe Blau was the OEM for both VW and 356 Porsches w/100mm caps. Pre-Oct '52 VW caps were generally painted body color, 1954-55 VW caps were bright-dipped aluminum, and 356 caps were zinc or cadmium plated. All had a finely-serrated grip.

Sometime in the late 1960s or 1970s, Blau went to a stamped grip, often with a starburst design across the top for their 80 and 100mm caps. These new old replacement stock (NORS) caps are sought after by the West Coast resto-mod crowd as a "must-have" item.
Jan Kolm
356 Registry #1066
1960 1600N Coupe

Brad Ripley
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Re: Gas Caps

#5 Post by Brad Ripley »

See below for photos.

To my knowledge only the Blau caps with the fine serrations on the edge were original to PreA thru T-5.

Later, Blau modified their design which continues to this day.
Trivia Question: on the bottom of this design you'll see an upraised part. Optional use on this design. What's the upraised thing for?
Attachments
gas cap aftermarket.jpg
Gas cap early.jpg

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Alan Winer
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Re: Gas Caps

#6 Post by Alan Winer »

It is for venting? Used on non-vented gas tanks.
Alan

Jan Kolm
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Re: Gas Caps

#7 Post by Jan Kolm »

I believe it is for attaching a chain to keep the cap from getting lost.
Jan Kolm
356 Registry #1066
1960 1600N Coupe

Brad Ripley
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Re: Gas Caps

#8 Post by Brad Ripley »

Jan is correct. A chain attaches there.

Although the bottom side looks like the cap is vented, the German words "ohne Entluftung" mean without vent. The sealing is actually out under the blue gasket (which comes unsealed and you get a musty gasoline smell inside the car! Oh, BTW the company name Blau means blue, hence the blue rubber gasket.

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Peter Silten
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Re: Gas Caps

#9 Post by Peter Silten »

What does the other end of the chain -- the end that is not attached to the cap -- look like? Does it look like the end piece attached to the two gas caps shown in the photos? The first photo is a photo of a repo of a vintage-type gas cap. The second photo is of a vintage gas cap. I have no idea what make car it goes on.
Attachments
Cap.JPG
Cap.JPG (6.56 KiB) Viewed 521 times
Cap 2.jpg
Cap 2.jpg (30.72 KiB) Viewed 521 times

Jan Kolm
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Re: Gas Caps

#10 Post by Jan Kolm »

Actually, the blue rubber gasket was introduced as a service part in 1956; the standard gasket was cork.
Jan Kolm
356 Registry #1066
1960 1600N Coupe

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