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Posted by: Cal Jul 24 2017, 07:51 AM

Question....what's the correct factory finish for a 914 fuel cap? Should it be yellow cad plated or natural finish?




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Posted by: rgolia Jul 24 2017, 08:18 AM

When I got my 914 from the dealer the cap was natural, bottom pic but with a little more shine.

Posted by: Elliot Cannon Jul 24 2017, 09:07 AM

On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is this to you?

Posted by: GregAmy Jul 24 2017, 09:10 AM

Not to be mean, but I kinda thought the same thing...when someone is asking the OE finish on the gas cap of a 914, are we starting to jump the shark...?

BTW, I think mine's original, and its finish is mostly a dull finish of "oily/greasy palms".

Posted by: McMark Jul 24 2017, 09:13 AM

Cad (yellow zinc).
Edit: Just looked at three caps here and I was wrong. It's silver/clear zinc, although it looks kind of 'dull' not shiny. So perhaps they were more likely galvanized and not electroplated? Or maybe there's a less-shiny type of zinc electroplating...

For me, probably about an 8.

Look along the inside to see traces of yellow/gold.

Posted by: bbrock Jul 24 2017, 09:31 AM

Well for me, since I'm going through a complete restoration and will be sending parts off for plating someday anyway, I would want to include my fuel cap to put it to original. That said, look at the first survivor example (URY914's car) in the http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=101921&st=20. That cap looks just slightly shinier than your bottom pic while all of the latches, spare tire bolt, etc. have a nice bright yellow cad finish. That suggests the fuel cap didn't just tarnish with age and has always been natural.

Posted by: PanelBilly Jul 24 2017, 09:49 AM

Can you plate just the outside of it? The inside has baffles or something like it and the rubber gasket. I made a new gasket for mine because the original was cracking apart and it was a pain in the ass.

Posted by: 914Next Jul 24 2017, 09:49 AM

Here is my original cap.....

Posted by: McMark Jul 24 2017, 09:59 AM

No, but I've sent entire caps out for plating. 914Rubber sells replacement gaskets now.

Posted by: dlkawashima Jul 24 2017, 12:19 PM

Definitely silver. Steve Gaglione's car ...

Posted by: Mikey914 Jul 24 2017, 12:38 PM

Yes I do sell the rubber gasket. However to be 100% correct the original gasket was paper. The problem is is it's very difficult to get a paper gasket over the Nubs on the bottom of the cap without tearing it. It also makes it better seal.

Posted by: Spoke Jul 24 2017, 12:52 PM

I have one of Bruce's SSS fuel caps. Looks really nice. I don't care about the originality of the finish; just looking for some bling. My 914 left the factory 46 years ago and is very far from stock at this point.

Posted by: 914Sixer Jul 24 2017, 01:47 PM

It seems they came both ways. Yellow cad at first and then clear because it was cheaper.

Posted by: Cal Jul 24 2017, 07:09 PM

Thanks for clarifying....I'll keep the original silver cap that I have and sell the cad plated cap that I purchased from Bruce recently.




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Posted by: bdstone914 Jul 24 2017, 08:33 PM

There is a prosess called alkoloid zinc that is a duller finish. You see it on may bolts at hardware stores. I do bright yellow zinc because all the other parts that are plated are yellow and i think it looks better. Seems like most others seem to agree as i sold 7 caps quickly.

Posted by: McMark Jul 25 2017, 07:02 AM

I think the first two responses in this thread show support for the irrelevance of 'color'. I don't think it reflect negatively on you Bruce. Yellow zinc is a nice match and replated anything is better than rusty old finish.

Good to know about the alkoloid zinc option, for those of us CW-crazies who get more unreasonably particular.

Posted by: FlacaProductions Aug 29 2019, 09:03 PM

@http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?showuser=1319 - digging this up from the archives - do you have any more of these or any plans for doing the caps again?

Posted by: rjames Aug 29 2019, 11:05 PM

If only my car was at the stage where I was worrying about what the gas cap looked like.

Posted by: Garland Aug 29 2019, 11:11 PM

If you’re reviewing this post, you must want to see this.
Couldn’t resist

Posted by: dr914@autoatlanta.com Aug 30 2019, 08:21 AM

dead on

Posted by: FlacaProductions Aug 30 2019, 08:29 AM

Yup. I already have a very nice one but I’d like a shiny one for Sundays and holidays.

Posted by: Mark Henry Aug 30 2019, 01:44 PM

Silver on my '74, original, bit worn, but it has stood up well.

Posted by: 914_7T3 Aug 30 2019, 01:44 PM

For me about 11! Luckily, I've got one of each so I can change it up depending on my mood, where I'm going or what I'm wearing that day!

Posted by: FlacaProductions Aug 30 2019, 01:46 PM

See? THAT’S what I’m talkin’ bout.

Posted by: 914_7T3 Aug 30 2019, 01:49 PM

Yes sir!!! When are you bringing that baby back to LA?

Posted by: maf914 Aug 30 2019, 02:04 PM

Proper fuel cap finish on my 76 is gloss black plastic. I think that change occurred mid-74.

Posted by: FlacaProductions Aug 30 2019, 02:44 PM

Probably never - just got permanent storage for it in Indiana and that’s where we will end up so it’s just pre-positioned!! Great roads there, too!

Posted by: bbrock Aug 30 2019, 04:39 PM

Mine had definite traces of yellow chromate underneath.


so it looks like this now.

Posted by: 914Sixer Aug 31 2019, 05:57 AM

Made both ways.

Posted by: 73-914 Aug 31 2019, 06:57 AM

If I remember correctly my 73 VW Thing had the same gas cap
as a 914

Posted by: 914Sixer Aug 31 2019, 07:34 AM

Yep, same as VW Thing.

Posted by: windforfun Aug 31 2019, 03:07 PM

Mine looks like a handle on a toilet in a pub.

We must be getting pretty desperate here, or really bored. As Vanessa Kirby would say, "Perfectionists, what can you do?"

Posted by: FlacaProductions Aug 31 2019, 04:25 PM

Guys....I just want a shiny fuel cap. I'm a simple man.