Real deal or repop ?

[OLDTINDEALER]

Anyone have a definitive answer ?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ORIGINAL-19...290700?hash=item1a2c97b9cc:g:2FoAAOSwfpVZJLBk

 

[Lawson Cox]

I will venture it is a repop, based on condition and starting bid.

 

[Andy]

It looks right to me.

REVISION,
I have been compairing it to an old cap I have and now have doubts. The ridge does not blend into the rim as well as it should??

 

[cas3]

i am no 32 expert, but it really does look to good to be true. all these years and nobody ever mucked up the screw driver slot? zero pitting, and good gasket too? hard to imagine.

 

[DavidG]

As it lacks the telltale marks on the underside of an original such as the encircled Stant logo that characterize an original, it most probably isn't an original. Perhaps it's one of the old Rosemead reproductions.

 

[Randy in ca]

I know nothing about these caps, but noticed that he sold this one a couple of months ago for just over $700:
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[DavidG]

Note the difference on the underside with the manufacturer's logo and part number on the one in Randy's photos. To his credit, the seller does know the difference between early caps and the later ones with the dissimilar tabs to prevent the caps from being installed backwards.

 

[FRANK PKNY]

The repro's being made now are far different like the photo shows. I suspect it's it's an older repro. as the originals have different size tabs. So you don't get them on backwards.

 

[35fordtn]

I have always wondered... this discussion pops up frequently on radiator caps. When the repro caps look and fit well, why are the originals so darn expensive?? I have had a NOS cap and a reproduction both on my 32 and both fit and function the same. Once on the car it is very hard to tell the difference

 

[Floyd]

From looking at my small collection of caps, one Stant and several repos, this is what I found. looking at the underside , the wall section of the ribbed outside rim is noticeably thinner on a real one. Mine measures 0.050. the repos are thicker 0.08 to 0.095 inches and do look much thicker. The thinner wall of the real one would be consistent with keeping material usage down for high volume production and the use of high quality tooling. The repos are thicker wall as you typically see in low grade tooling and die casting. If you look at the examples noted above, the real one is nice and thin and the repo just looks clunky and thick. The next item is easy to spot and that is how the "fin" rolls out over the edge to meet the rim. On a real one the fin rolls over in a smooth transition to the ribbed rim surface. On a repo , there is a witness line on each side of the fin where an insert is fitted into the mold. This is all part of low quality tooling. As to the equal versus unequal tabs on the stamped piece, I don't think this matters as it is part of the assembly and easily removed and changed when replacing the red gasket. Of course the Stant circle logo is a dead giveaway.
All of them look good installed on the car, although more than half of them are on backwards!
Just my opinion,
(David's answer will be the correct one)

 

[Fibber Mcgee]

No part number?

 

[mercman from oz]

Here are photos of the 32 Radiator Cap advertised on eBay. Notice that the Tabs that attach the Cap to the radiator are both the same size, which means you could mount this Radiator Cap the correct way or back to front?

 

[OLDTINDEALER]

If you look closely, you will see that the screw is not centered on the washer. Yet it appears to be never been touched by a screwdriver. I believe at the least the tabs and seal have been replaced recently.
The other thing is: notice the nearly identical scratches at 4 o'clock and 10 o'clock with matching minor dents on the inner ridge of cap. Better seen on ebay site with zoom. Booth scratches are V shaped and point directly at a dent. There is damaged all around the inner circle, pretty much evenly spaced around the whole circumference. My rosemead repop also has similar "dings" around the inner ring. This was positively ID'd as a repop by DavidG in this post:

https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=202202

I believe this cap on ebay is a rosemead repop
PS NONE of my original caps show any dings like the rosemead

 

[OLDTINDEALER]

Photos of my repop rosemead

 

[Andy]

I have a couple of caps. I think the shiny one is an early Rosemead. I am not sure if the dull one is original or not. The dull one is nicer made where the center ridge transisions into the rim. The teeth on the rim are also shorter and slightly angled out. The underside of the rim is also thinner. I have had both for at least 45 years. I am curious if I have an original???

 

[Floyd]

The fin on the dull one looks correct as to my Stant cap. It is a nice transition as you would expect from a quality product. The other one has the ugly mold parting line/insert which is indicative of a low cost tooling option. It looks like most of the repos that I Have seen. I will take a few pics of my "collection" and post them including a "SMC" (Stant Machine Company) one.
My opinion

 

[Andy]

Thanks,

 

[Floyd]

Attached (hopefully) are photos of 3 rad caps. #1 is a Stant Machine Company cap, #2 is maybe a Rosemead repro and #3 is maybe a Drake repro. The other repros I had were thrown away as they were just terrible. In the photos you will see the Stant (logo SMC)has a widertop fin with a very nice transition into the rim. Also the rim is thinner at the under edge and the square for the gasket is well formed. Note the bottom view shows the rim of continuous thickness all the way around even at the joint of the top fin. Interestingly enough ,this cap does not carry the part number. This could be a cap made and sold by Stant as aftermarket replacement. However it is a real Stant. The overall style ,fit and finish is superior to the other two. #2 has the part number and a poorer underside finish including the square for the gasket. the rim and fin transition are just clunky. The top fin is narrower than the Stant. #3 is a more modern repro showing a number of ejector pin marks (poorly fitted) on the underside. Fin is also narrow and sharp edge from the parting line on the fin to rim transition.
The screw ,gasket and two ear retainer are of no use in comparison as they are removable and easily changed. I took the gasket off of #1 and #2 to show the bottom. #3 was not worth the effort as it looks similar to #2.
just my opinion and observation.
The Stant looks way better than the other two.

 

[Floyd]

Here are a couple of additional pics.