Gas Filler Protective Flap...how the heck?
 

Just received my (red) "gas filler protective flap" from our host to replace the tattered one under my filler door. Unfortunately, I can't figure out how this thing gets installed. The old one won't come out without cutting and the holes in the new one are way too small to stretch over the filler neck.

:confused: x 10

I had to enlarge the hole in mine also.

Don't know if some cars had slightly smaller necks, but my '69 ...I had to enlarge the hole, then its just a tight 'slip-over' with cap removed.

My filler neck isn't a straight tube. It flares (mushrooms) at the top where the gas cap attaches. Is it the same on you '69?

Yes, the filler cap end is larger than the tube (to accommodate the gas cap.)

Thus, the need to gradually cut the diameter of the flap hole until it just fits over with some force. Granted ...it WILL be slightly loose on the tube.

It's main job is paint protection, so loose is OK.

FWIW I replaced mine with OEM and it slipped on OK, Maybe you could take out the filler tube and slide the flap on from the small end. Probably a PITA.

If the hole dia is the same as the neck, don't enlarge the hole to go over the mushroom. Just make a small slit outward from the centerpoint of the hole down from the bottom of the hole as it would sit on the car. This will allow the flap to slip on over the enlarged end, but still have the correct circumference for the neck.

Yeah, I was thinking it had to be cut, but I wanted to check before I did that.

How is the filler neck attached to the car/tank?

maybe you can leave it out in the sun to make it more pliable? If you can get a little stretch action going, there may be a more snug fit when it cools.

How about putting th flap in hot water to heat it up, should be easier to stretch it over the filler neck?

These seem to be more canvas/cloth than rubber. I don't think they're that stretchable.

i don't get this thread -
i got mine from our host last week and it fitted perfectly. old one came off easy, once unscrewing the cap, and the new one eased itself on and it was fine. no hard work took 20 seconds and fits snug.
mines (a black one) for a 67 though???

We do understand that the gas filler "protective flaps" are useless in any case, right? Period-correct I can understand. Wanting to protect my paint job from spilled gas by using a little rubber handkerchief I can't. I never even bother to unroll mine when I gas up, and it's new and fits perfectly.

The flare ring in which the gas cap sits is about 3" across (+/-). Beyond that, the filler neck itself is about 1" smaller. The hole in the new flap is the size of the filler neck. So...question is...how do you stretch something (that's not flexible) over the 3" part so it fits snugly around the 2" part?

Mine is ratty and black. Most likely original. I purchased a red one as a replacement. So, if I can ever figure how to install it, when I go to the gas station I can pop my filler door and attract even more attention when everyone notices my bright red filler flap.

The filler flap also protects the paint from chipping around the door recess in the fender for those who aren't too agile with the pump handle.

I've never done this job but I do need to replace my filler sleeve (the rubber bellows that goes between the fender fill hole and the unibody).

Can you just disconnect the filler tube inside the trunk and pull it out to put the flap on from that end? It might be asking for more trouble but that may be the way it was installed at the factory.

Certainly, one could disconnect the fuel tube at the rubber coupler in the trunk.
You would then have to pull the entire metal fill tube out the gas flap opening, slip the new 'flap' on and then re-assemble.

I.M.O., that seems like a LOT of work to put on a 'slip-fit' piece of rubber/cloth that is only there to protect the paint from an untimely slip of a metal gas filler nozzle. Dis-assemble ...or slit the flap, this is not brain surgery here gentlemen.

mine fit just fine on my turbo but then again I'm used to putting something big in a small hole lol

Heres a dumb question, but I have a 75 911s. I know the large flap faces out, but which way does the small flap face towards the hinge or the other way?

I got the OEM flap thingy.

Small flap toward the fuel door hinge. Large flap out over the fender.

Jerry M
'78 SC