1932 Radiator Cap

R

ReggieK

Senior Member
I have a 32 Radiator Cap, it is old and needs plating. My question, is it an original or a repop? It has the raised letters B 8100 A 2. David mentioned in his book about the B 8100 A, but I find nothing about the A 2. Do I have it plated and put a repair kit in it, or toss it and buy a repop?
ReggieK
 
The reproductions from Bob Drake are outstanding reproductions and I use them, but in answer to your question, a number following a letter suffix, as in 'A2' in your example, indicates that there were at least two suppliers who made the caps for Ford. Ford often used multiple suppliers for a number of good reasons and the examples of '32 components made by more than one supplier is lengthy.
 
For the purposes of this post the "Vintique" one is terrible, its "slightly" thinner than the original and the crispness of the edge detail is not "crisp"!!! If it helps, a lot of the originals have the worn or somewhat deteriorated square on the underside for the brass lock down piece.....I just had my machinist "pin" an original.......HE drilled and tapped it 4-40 and I used two brass machine screws to HELP (Double Lock) lock it in place!!!! Works great!!!
 
The addition of the R to the part number suffix indicates it was produced as a service part post-vehicle production or for servicing a previous version of the adjacent part, in this case the radiator. The cap openings in the lip of the radiator filler tube and the cap used with those radiators permitted the cap to be installed backwards (to Ford's design intent). Later radiators and caps were made in such a way so as to eliminate the possibility of the cap from being installed backwards (with the raised peak on top of the cap facing to the rear). In a perfect world where everything was put together as originally intended, a B-8100-AR2 cap would be one produced for service for early radiators after the radiators and caps had been revised.
 
Thank You for the information, David. I have seen original caps with "SM" (Stant Manufacturing) in a small circle nearby to the part number. My cap with part number B-8100-AR2 does not have "SM" but a "W" in a small circle. I also have an original cap with just part number B-8100-A. The part number on this cap is not at the outer edge but more under the gasket without either the "SM" or "W".
 
As with the extensive list of components that Ford did not manufacture itself, in almost every instance they used at least two and sometimes more than two outside suppliers to make the components to their own specifications often allowing slight deviations in the ultimate appearance in the finished component reflecting the differing manufacturing capabilities of their suppliers. Usually Ford paid for and therefore owned the tooling (dies, molds, fixtures, etc.) to make the components.
 
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