Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

[Florian W.]

I've contacted my usual sources for an NCRS correct non-vented oil fill cap for my '60 Fuelie. The reproductions that I have found are the same as what I already have - seemingly correct except for the configuration of the rivet that holds the spring clip to the underside of the cap. The judging manual calls out for a solid head rivet, not the hollow center pop rivet that everyone seems to have. Does anyone even make a solid rivet style cap?

Thanks,
Lee

[Patrick H.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

Not a solid axle owner, but I have a friend who restores these caps.
From what he has told me and shown me there are no correct reproductions.

Patrick

[Bruce B.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

I have a new nonvented cap made by Gene Smith in CA.
It has the bumps next to the spring, a flat solid rivit and is made pretty nicely. I understand that the rolled flange at the bottom might be considered to thick for judging, but I'm not sure.
Notice the "cute" box label.
Pictures attached.

[Steven B.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

I have a new nonvented cap made by Gene Smith in CA.
It has the bumps next to the spring, a flat solid rivit and is made pretty nicely. I understand that the rolled flange at the bottom might be considered to thick for judging, but I'm not sure.
Notice the "cute" box label.
Pictures attached.

Bruce:

Real nice cap, where can you get one. I printed off a post by Roy Braatz a few months ago that showed that an original C1 cap had the long spring tang like you show, but the only difference is that the upper left corner of the "O" in oil should be touching the verticle indent next to it. If your friend could make a change like that, it would make a close cap nearly exact. For what it's worth, why aren't more repro parts that are "close" to original in looks, tweeked a little bit more and made exact. Personally, I think GM may have other, more pressing issues right now besides licensing parts! Just a thought.

Steve

[Bruce B.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

Steve,
Contact www.genesmithparts.com for more info.
I've looked for more info concerning the "OIL" text touching the indent on the top of the cap and I find no documentation so I'm not sure it is correct or incorrect.
Bruce B

[Roy B.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

Steven is correct about the "O" why do other known characters of a part need to have Documentation for every little design We all now know that the C1 early gas cap bottom had round rivets not flat like the repro's. Right? So show me the Documentation for it. Our experience by owning many Corvettes people realize what an original part looks like , do we have to have a library of Documentation to prove each nut and bolt? If that's going to be required to restore a Corvette ( it ant going to happen)

That's why I try to show in the many pic's I post the design (LOOK) of the original part , I would love to see some one post the PRINTS of each and every part GM made, then we would not need anyones knowledge or experience


You don't need to remove the oil cap to know or see the rivet or the edge if the "O" is not correct as mentioned.

[John D.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

Bruce, Compare Roy's oil cap to the repro. Notice the radius on the repro is quite a bit different on the original. Now maybe it's the pics though. JD

[Bruce B.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

John,
Thanks for the insight.

By the way, my 4360 is running very nicely. Bob Williams put it on his test engine and tuned it and I watched him cold start it one morning and it was perfect.
When put the unit on my engine it started but came off the rich stop to soon. So after hooking up vacuum gauges and observing what was happening I did the following.
I simply put a switch in line to cut the power to the heat coil on the Bakelite enrichment mechanism. Now I start it with the power to the heating coil off, let the engine warm up on the rich stop, turn the switch on and after the element heats up vacuum goes to the enrichment diaphragm, the lever goes to the lean side and runs great.
It was enough to make me crazy, but not any more.
Hope all is well with you,
Bruce B

[Richard T.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

The rivet head shown in Roy's picture is correct. I've never seen an original with a flat head rivet as the repo shows. Attached is a solid lifter cap I purchased from Chevrolet many years ago and it's construction is the same as other originals I have. Rich

[Edward M.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

I just bought a nice original on Ebay.

[Roy B.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

I just bought a nice original on Ebay.

Ed that's great even I'm looking for an original one for a 55 car engine , there vary hard to find because most people dont value them as a item to sell (original) because of the repro's on the market thinking there correct

[Edward M.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

Not a solid axle owner, but I have a friend who restores these caps.
From what he has told me and shown me there are no correct reproductions.

Patrick

Patrick;

You know somebody that restores these things? Can he remove dents from the top?

[John D.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

John,
Thanks for the insight.

By the way, my 4360 is running very nicely. Bob Williams put it on his test engine and tuned it and I watched him cold start it one morning and it was perfect.
When put the unit on my engine it started but came off the rich stop to soon. So after hooking up vacuum gauges and observing what was happening I did the following.
I simply put a switch in line to cut the power to the heat coil on the Bakelite enrichment mechanism. Now I start it with the power to the heating coil off, let the engine warm up on the rich stop, turn the switch on and after the element heats up vacuum goes to the enrichment diaphragm, the lever goes to the lean side and runs great.
It was enough to make me crazy, but not any more.
Hope all is well with you,
Bruce B

Dat's cheating Bruce. Great idea though. JD

[Brady C.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

Try Jeff Barbour (Judge from PA).... He did an excellent job with restoring one for my 58....

[Florian W.]

Re: Source for correct C1 oil fill cap?

This is quickly becoming a case of "the more I learn, the less I know". First, I don't believe that the Gene Smith cap will help me as I think that I need the later design for a '59 & '60 that has the half moon indentations instead of the two lines on the top. Seceondly, I'm confused by a couple of other things: Richard's photos of an original non-vented cap show "AC" and "OIL stamped on the top. Every reproduction that I've seen (and the NCRS guide) has just "OIL" stamped on the top in two places. What's correct? Also, the rivet from the photo of the original and from Roy's photo is hard to make out, but neither appear to be solid heads. Is it just my inability to recognize what I'm looking at?

Lee