I see, it's a collar.
Problem with Drake fuel neck
- Thread starter flatheadfan
- Start date
I see, it's a collar.
19Fordy
Well-known member
WOW! John Malpais. Your condemnation of Bob Drake and his employees seems a bit too personal. I agree that some of Drake's parts are not exactly OEM, but without him many 40 Fords would not have been restored since Drake first made his gas cap back in the 70's and then the grilles, etc. He has done a lot of good for this old car hobby and is to be commended for that. He puts his money where his mouth is. Example: His reproduction of the complete 40 Ford, even though he had to let it go. As for the 36 gas filler, the imperfect bend could easily be repaired if a person knows how to cut and weld. Just saying.......
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Update-
Oh yes, I called Bob Drake. Talked to "Cole." He said, "No one else has complained about the '36 neck." However, I can send it back but I must pay the return shipping and will be charged a 10% restocking fee.
Tom
The key word is "restocking" How many times do you think Drake has made 10% on this very same part at the gut wrenching expense of his customers?
flathead34
Senior Member
I had the same prrpblem with my '35 filler neck from Drake. Found a good original one and it worked fine. Mike
34pickup
Well-known member
While I also appreciate those entrepreneurs that devote their lives and fortunes into supplying us with reproduction parts, its sort of pointless if the parts do not work as delivered. One might as well completely re-do a worn out rusty or beat up part since they will end up cutting and welding the non serviceable parts anyway.
Perhaps they get into this game because they love the old cars but later discover that they can make more money hawking good stuff but selling inferior goods..
I would not rest or even want my name associated with stuff that only "looks" like the original but was useless as presented.
You have to have some disposable income in order to have this hobby. I am sure most people would pay more for a part that actually works as well as the original instead of having to remake everything they buy which ends up costing more in the long run.
Perhaps they get into this game because they love the old cars but later discover that they can make more money hawking good stuff but selling inferior goods..
I would not rest or even want my name associated with stuff that only "looks" like the original but was useless as presented.
You have to have some disposable income in order to have this hobby. I am sure most people would pay more for a part that actually works as well as the original instead of having to remake everything they buy which ends up costing more in the long run.
V8COOPMAN
Well-known member
Pretty damn simple concept, word for word! But then, you have some of these folks that just want to kiss the ground these suppliers walk on, 'cuz SOME of their stuff that fits is better than nothin', right? Don't forget the one above that let's ya send the "almost fits" part back when ya ain't happy... IF ya pay the shipping, and don't forget the 10% re-stock fee. Other than that, new, great "stuff" is only an 800 call, or a click of the mouse away. DD
John Malpais
Junior Member
I was being more than a little facetious with my post. Of course Bob Drake has added to the hobby, all the while adding to his fortune. What I was getting at is that a reputation earned on respect remains, while one that is kept alive because you're the only one catching rats on the life raft and selling their meat is another. Someone should tell Bob Drake that --- it only takes a short time to lose customers by word of mouth. This can happen quicker than he may realize. Schlitz beer went bust because green beer was canned and sold. People found out it was shite beer and never drank another can. End of Schlitz market in zero flat. A business based on trust should be aware of the quality of its product line because that is the only thing that makes or breaks it. That is all people know about it, when they use the parts. When you lose the public's trust, your lose your business; because, the fact of the matter is, people will seek out better goods when they know they're out there. No one company, or individual can monopolize the market with crap.
When I encountered your exact problem with a bd neck after spending an hour on hold listening to messages about their commitment to quality and how their parts are licensed by Ford, I put the collar end in a large vice in the pipe holder then, put a three foot piece of pipe in the filler end that just fit the I.D. and put it in as far as it would go and bent the pipe to the profile of the old one. It was surprisingly easy and after also filing away about 1/8" of the threads at the collar end so it would match the original I have had no leaks and no problems. At bd, they told me no one had ever had a problem before me. This was two years ago.
Scott H in Wheaton
Well-known member
It was based on threads like this I decided to get an NOS filler off Ebay. I was happy to only pay $50 plus shipping, cheaper than a reproduction and fits perfect.
flathead34
Senior Member
I had the same problem with the Drake gas filler tube for my '35. Solution: I found a good original made it look pretty and it fit fine. Sold the Drake one at a swap meet. That guy did not care if it lined up - it was for a rod. Mike
SofaKing
Well-known member
My experience was completely different. I bought a an exact reproduction gas tank and sending unit from BD for my 39 PU. I was very disappointed that Ford put the frame rails 1/2" too close together so there wasn't enough room between them to install the exact reproduction tank. I did some cutting and non-standard percussion re-alignment on the tank only to discover another Ford problem. Turns out the mounting holes in my frame were too close to the rear crossmember. Luckily while I was looking at that I also discovered Ford mis-located the filler neck cutout in the bed wall. This observation provided an opportunity to pause for a homebrew as a defensive measure against the indiscriminate f-bombs that were spontaneously flying about my garage in a most uncivilized manner. So it was a win-win moment. Once I brought the frame holes up to proper diameter to align with the exact reproduction captured nuts and made the cutout in the right spot, the tank fit perfectly. I remain perplexed that the exact reproduction tank will not accept the OEM sending unit, how could Ford have screwed-up something so easy as making the sender 1/8" too big for the hole? When I discovered that the BD sending unit won't drive my Ford fuel gauge correctly I was very upset. Why would Ford be so inconsiderate 70 years ago to design a fuel quantity gauging system that doesn't read the correct quantity when used with the new reproduction sender? Really, it only has one purpose and it can't do that, you'd think the DOD designed it. Luckily 2 minutes with a rotary file and the OEM sender was fitted. Because of the shipping and fondling charges to return the BD sending unit , I have a nice souvenir to keep the experience ever fresh in my mind.
flatheadfan
Well-known member
A classic! 
Karl Wolf
Well-known member
Try going to classical music- My wife's suggestion-
No more head banging rock, my disposition under stress has improved...
Or my sense of (black) humor has.
Thank goodness I'm in this for fun and not working on someone elses car.
Karl
jimvette59
Well-known member
I can see the original is bent at a 90 deg.angle and the BD neck is not. I am amazed that the BD neck is not a total refund including shipping. JMHO.