Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

Today I went to check the water in the radiator , opened the cap , all OK , started to close it and the Quail came off in my hand . My first thought was , WOW glad this didn't decide to let go on the road . Then as I started trying to figure out what was going on with it , I noticed where and why it came apart . So I thought before I start trying to come up with a fix , I would try to find out if anyone else here had had this happen , and if you were able to do a fixable repair on it . Here are a couple of pics of what it is .

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

Same thing happened to me. I couldn't determine just how to "fix" it adequately, so I am now using a stock looking cap. I have a couple of Quails (one with and one without the temp gauge) on the shelf that I might decide to use one of these days when I get bored.

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

Here's what I think of the quail radiator caps
My wife and I were out for a Sunday drive. Stop at a traffic light just looking out the front windshield. And the quail just fell over as it bounce down in the front fender onto the running board my wife opened the door reached out and handed over to me. That was the second one that broke with in 2 years.
Now I use a plain rad. cap

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

Evidently a different or cheaper manufacturer. Close to 18 years and 33,000 miles, and it hasn't come apart yet!

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

John
What happened to the fender?

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

I had it happen to my quail also. I drilled and bolted it back together with a stainless 1/4-20 carriage bolt, washer and ny-lock nut. Doesn't look any worse than a thermo- quail. I did put a moto-meter on till I got around to fixing it, I do like seeing the temp.
but quail is mucher nicer.

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

I was lucky I couldn't find any damage. But its in our model A history book. Just another story we can laugh about. :D

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

Did the same fix when mine broke. Head of the stainless carriage bolt on the outside under the Quail and a nylock nut inside. I buffed and polished the head of the bolt to make it nice and shiny. Worked fine for me.

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

They know when hunting season is getting close to opening .

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

We have had our quail roosting on top of our '29 Tudor's radiator for 48 years now. Still looks great and no problems. Older is usually better............

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

Nothing wrong with old

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

I've got a 40 year old one. The hinge crumbled to bits and the quail fell off breaking the thermometer.

Is that old?

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

taffrail , That is exactly what I was thinking of doing , it was a swapmeet find ,[ and surely an aftermarket lower quality] , though it is in nice shape , it matches the rest of the car . Thanks for the comments .

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

Doesn't even need drilled, epoxy the nyloc nut in the underside recess with the washer and bolt Up from underneath.

Re: Help : My Quail Tried To Fly Away
 

When my Quail turned around and started looking at me on the road one day. I stopped, removed and too off. I found that there was an upward pressure being caused by the Stainless Steel radiator shell. So I took the radiator off, took it to a radiator shop where the kid slightly extended the neck of the fill nozzle. Never a problem since. That happened several years ago.