Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Bayliss Thomas]

Made the classic mistake leaving my filler cap perched on top of the petrol pump. Needless to say never to be seen again, at least by me. Have to track down a replacement so any leads/suggestions welcomed. The filler tube on my vintage car is 50mm and I need a cap to insert into this. Thanks

[MVPeters]

Try this:

Go to any petrol station. Tell them "I think I left my petrol cap here yesterday when I filled up".
They'll pull out a huge box of petrol caps left behind over the years.

I'll bet 'yours' is in there - & if it isn't, try the next petrol station down the road........
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Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[Bayliss Thomas]

Well its worth a try I guess, although we did phone the garage in question and they said no cap left. But I will try your idea, it sounds like fun

[Jim.Walker]

[Phil - Nottingham]

May be that a Series Land Rover type will fit - there are sorts one with lugs and one with

Cheap but they are painted mild steel
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Rover P2
Rover P4
Rover P5 & P5B
Land Rover S2 & S3
Morris Mini Traveller Mk2

[Bayliss Thomas]

Yes the petrol feed tube into the tank is 50mm. My car is the Vauxhall 20/60 saloon of 1928 vintage.

[michael1703]

is it screw on or bayonet type?

[MVPeters]

Bayliss

You've probably discovered that there are many different fittings for petrol caps (vented/non-vented, screw, bayonet, clip-on etc). Halfords don't stock some of the pre-war ones!

Let me offer this:
1 - when you dig through the box at the petrol station, if you find anything heavy, brass & with a fine thread - grab it - it's my J2 radiator cap.
2 - somewhere in my basement I think I have an original 1928 Vauxhall Petrol Cap Emergency Repair Kit - at first glance it appears to be a plastic bag & a rubber band. Supposedly it fits both 50mm & 2" fillers.

Is this like your car?
http://www.supercars.net/Pics?v=y&s=c&id=5394&p=1927_Vauxhall_20601.jpg

I hope this helps! & I hope you find it!
_________________
Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[Mog]

Plastic bags were not around in 1928.......

[Bayliss Thomas]

Thanks for replies, the cap is a deep bayonet type. That is a metal tube section with a couple of bump lugs slides into the filler tube and then twist the exposed cap to secure. The lugs are about 25 or 30mm down in the tube. I am still using the tow ball cover as emergency petrol cap

The image of the 20/60 Vauxhall (interesting machine) is the Hurlingham sports, a two seater + dickey seat. Rare and desirable, my own Vauxhall is the 20/60 'Bedford' saloon.

[Kairt]

[Mog]

When we lived in the Midlands, in the good old 60's, my brother met a guy that had a plastic moulding machine in his garage. He was feeding it scrap plastic and producing replacement petrol caps. I think you had to cut out some lugs and you could make it fit any car. Yes, he did make a few quid....

[Bayliss Thomas]

[MVPeters]

Bayliss

Seriously, for once:
That's a unique & going to be a hard cap to replace, isn't it? From your description, it must look something like a mushroom.

I have great faith in human nature, so unless your left-behind cap looked particularly attractive or antique, I can't imagine anyone taking it home. I also can't imagine anyone throwing it away.
Wouldn't most people just leave it where it is, thinking "He'll be back in a minute?" Or maybe hand it in to the office?

If you haven't already, I'd actually go back to the station & ask whoever's there to hunt around in the office/kiosk. You might need to be quite insistent! Leave your phone number & maybe a picture of the cap if you have one.

It may seem a trivial loss , but it's important to the car & to you - I do hope you find it.
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Mike - MVPeters at comcast.net
2002 MINI Cooper 'S'

[Kelsham]

Hi is there an owners club for these Vauxhalls? if so they might be able to help.
I belong to the BSA front wheel drive club, if I need parts they are my first port of call.

Regards Kels.