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06-20-2020, 06:34 PM | #1 |
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Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Has anyone had a problem of Drakes locking gas cap leaking? Trying to figure out where the gas is leaking down my taillight stand onto the outside of the rear fender. Thanks, Mike
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06-20-2020, 07:11 PM | #2 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
No, mine seems secure on my 1940 Fordor.
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06-20-2020, 07:35 PM | #3 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Mine leaked continually, I threw it away.
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06-20-2020, 08:01 PM | #4 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
On my 34 the Drake locking cap leaked out of the key hole most of the time when the tank was high in level. Trouble is the early cars 32-34 have short filler necks and the fuel sloshes right up the neck. I went back to a standard non locking cap. Regards, Kevin.
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06-20-2020, 10:28 PM | #5 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
If the Drake cap is vented, it is the wrong cap to use on a '35 or earlier tank. Only a non-vented cap should be used, otherwise you will have the problem of gas leaking out the cap.
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06-21-2020, 01:26 AM | #6 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
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06-21-2020, 04:32 AM | #7 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Koates is spot on.When Drake came out with those I put one on my '34 roadster that I had at the time.Leaked out the key hole continuously.Sold it and I put the original back on.Found out they were designed for '36 and later.
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06-21-2020, 06:53 AM | #8 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Sheldon,
Through the '35s, the tanks were vented via the fuel gauge unit in the top of the tank and the cap was un-vented. With an un-vented cap whose sealing gasket is in good condition, gas cannot leak out through the filler pipe. Originally, there was a un-vented locking cap for the '35s and a different vented locking cap for '36s+. Sounds like Bob copied the latter design. Ford did not offer a locking gas cap prior to the '35 model year. |
06-21-2020, 08:32 AM | #9 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
David,
Bob I believe, did copy that later design .I have known Bob since the mid 1960's and I mentioned that to him about gas leaking out the key hole. It's been so long that I can't remember what the outcome was and it was not addressed. He has since made a '34 tank with a baffle near the gas fill so that is an improvement I suppose.I have yet to see a non vented locking cap for '35. |
06-21-2020, 09:11 AM | #10 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Sheldon,
Perhaps Bob chose the vented version given its greater sales volume potential ('36-'39) thinking in terms of original applications. (I've got an original non-vented '35 locking cap.) If Bob advertised his reproduction cap for '32-'35 as well as for the years it was designed for, shame on him, although there is always that old saw, caveat emptor. |
06-21-2020, 09:53 AM | #11 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Why would you want a locking cap on your valuable old car anyway? Are you parking it on the street at night?
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06-21-2020, 10:03 AM | #12 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
How about in a Hotel/Motel parking lot ? I know of gas being siphoned from a classic car while parked over night. It was an authorized Ford accessory and some guys want it because of that.
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06-21-2020, 10:20 AM | #13 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
All good, well, and understandable, but if one uses a vented cap where it doesn't belong, griping about it being somehow flawed isn't fair to Bob Drake.
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06-21-2020, 10:45 AM | #14 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
I discussed the issue with Bob many years ago. His stand, at the time, was that his original pattern was not vented, and the costs to tool a non-vented version were not warranted by potential sales (and some costs and technical challenges as its not easy to seal the lock).
The other issue here is in the days of explosion of restoration/rodding popularity (late 1960's through mid 1980's), that the "common" parts store knowledge of fuel cap interchange was the "green bible", which shows the same fuel cap 1932-48. By the time it was published Ford had apparently forgotten or did not care about fuel spillage on the earlier cars. And neophyte parts vendors were "led down the garden path". Bob also has a history, of once he has published an interchange, that HE is "correct" and has rarely, if ever, retracted or modified his interchange. Note that Bob is also VERY careful in his research so the vast majority of his interchanges are correct, though some are not. |
06-21-2020, 10:54 AM | #15 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Thanks guys. You learn something about the flathead most every time you visit the Barn.. Off with the locking cap and on with a non vented one.
Happy V-8ing and happy fathers day to all. |
06-21-2020, 11:03 AM | #16 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Before you do that try adding a thicker gasket to seal better. You can make one.
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06-21-2020, 11:49 AM | #17 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
That's not where the vent in the cap is located.
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06-21-2020, 12:33 PM | #18 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Bob also has a history, of once he has published an interchange, that HE is "correct" and has rarely, if ever, retracted or modified his interchange. Note that Bob is also VERY careful in his research so the vast majority of his interchanges are correct, though some are not.[/QUOTE]
Good ol' Bob advertises this cap to this very day as "correct" for '32 - '50, something many of us know to simply be untrue.
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06-21-2020, 01:05 PM | #19 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
Another thought, is to use an expansion plug in the filler neck, similar to these McMaster-Carr offerings: https://www.mcmaster.com/plugs/expan...pansion-plugs/. They would need to be modified with a smaller outer ring and a safety chain to keep from falling into the tank would be prudent.
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06-21-2020, 01:20 PM | #20 |
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Re: Drakes Locking Gas Cap
The company that supplied Ford with the locking caps offered a very similar product in the aftermarket both vented and non-vented. The lock cylinders and all of the parts attached to the cast base are the same. What are different are the cap covering the lock cylinder opening and the outside of the cap which is skinned in stainless steel unlike the chrome-plated version used by Ford. They show up at swap meets and on ebay with some frequency. They are possible alternative for those looking for a non-vented locking cap.
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