"Parting out" a gas cap??

[Mich]

Here is my problem. I have a period correct for roundies locking gas cap. It has some scratches, but i can be easily polished, the problem is the little cap, that hides the lock. It's from the same material (i know the name only in Bulgarian) like the turn signals and door handles and with the years some dents appear and it needs to be taken off and to rechrome it. But the problem is that i can't take it off the gas cap.

Do you have some ideas? How can it be parted out? Here are some pictures, but from the backside, you can see that it's capsulated...

http://img837.imageshack.us/i/dsc2543.jpg/

http://img337.imageshack.us/i/dsc2544n.jpg/

http://img217.imageshack.us/i/dsc2545.jpg/

http://img837.imageshack.us/i/dsc2548.jpg/

[PSloan]

You're trying to remove the flap that covers the keyhole so that you can rechrome the whole thing?

The gas caps are aluminum and would probably respond well to polishing. If it's dented and the finish is worn off it may be cost effective just to buy a new one. IIRC they sell for $50.

[Mich]

No, i want to rechrome that flap that covers the keyhole. But for this i have to take it off. The gas cap will be polished. But the little flap can't be polished, it could only be rechromed...

I know there are new models gas caps, that are cheap, but this one is exactly the period correct for the roundies and it's NLA.

I guess you're talking about this type, which is avaiable now from BMW:

http://image.motortrend.com/f/9235022+w750/c12_0612_05z+1972_bmw_2002_tii+gas_cap.jpg

but i want to keep this one

Cheers.

[PSloan]

I have one that's in good shape and I hate it. It's the NLA type. What do they go for these days? I prefer the non locking ones.

[Richard]

The name of the metal is the dreaded "potmetal". Getting it out is fairly simple. Its a certain length just a tad longer "the rivet" is pressed in and expands. Grinding the head off and drilling it out...Before you start find a plater that is willing to work on the piece. Most platers are unwilling to work with potmetal.....

[Jbird]

I have one that's in good shape and I hate it. It's the NLA type. What do they go for these days? I prefer the non locking ones.

I have literally dozens of each, I tried selling them a while back and got no response at $35 in A to A- condition with keys.

[PSloan]

Wanna trade me a keyed for non keyed?

[Jbird]

email me your address. You can use the email link above.

[Mich]

The name of the metal is the dreaded "potmetal". Getting it out is fairly simple. Its a certain length just a tad longer "the rivet" is pressed in and expands. Grinding the head off and drilling it out...Before you start find a plater that is willing to work on the piece. Most platers are unwilling to work with potmetal.....

Thanks, i'll try this.

[PSloan]

email me your address. You can use the email link above.

Email sent

[SteveJ]

Pot metal or a sinterized metal is usually fragile.

It can crack easily and is usually impossible to repair.

If you can get the part off, would it be possible to have a new one made out of stainless steel. It could be polished to a high sheen.

[02Les]

As your car was built in the middle of '73, I would have thought the gas cap shown in the middle of my pic would have been period correct for your car.

I thought the one on the left was for real early, like pre-'71?

[ray_]

The one on the left was on my '73 tii when I bought it in... 1982.

Cheers,

Ray

As your car was built in the middle of '73, I would have thought the gas cap shown in the middle of my pic would have been period correct for your car.

I thought the one on the left was for real early, like pre-'71?

[roadhog0]

Center one came on my '76 PO who was original owner bought it with the car.

[02Les]

The one on the left was on my '73 tii when I bought it in... 1982.

Cheers,

Ray

As your car was built in the middle of '73, I would have thought the gas cap shown in the middle of my pic would have been period correct for your car.

I thought the one on the left was for real early, like pre-'71?

Hi Ray, how's it going? I may be back in China middle of this year. Jiyuan, wherever that is.

My Touring (built Nov '73) came with the middle one. It still works too.

Not sure when the one on the right came out. Never saw one like that until I came to the US.