Tank Caps

[MikeW]

Can someone remind me of the years that tank caps stamped "GAS" and "OIL" were used before plain caps became standard? I seem to recall that they were fitted up until 1925 and would therefore be correct for my 21F.
P1050104.JPG

[exeric]

This illustration is from a 1920 H-D brochure. My '16 has plain caps so I guess this was a new feature in 1920.

Brochure%2003c.jpg

[MikeW]

Thank you Eric. Always something of interest and instructive from you. I had assumed (with no solid evidence or research of my own), that with the change in 1916 to the larger caps for gas and oil compartments, the practice of stamping "Gas" and Oil" (as on the smaller 1915 caps) simply continued until 1925 when "Gas" and "Oil" were then stamped on the gear shifter gate, and the caps themselves were unmarked. Your post sent me hunting in my files for any photos of (supposedly) original condition 1916 motorcycles. I found a few, but the only one which showed the tank caps was this one, auctioned by Bonhams some time ago. It has stamped gas and oil caps,(or at least a gas cap, is supposedly unmolested, but who can tell if someone changed the tank caps in the early 1920s?!

Mike

HD 1916 Bonhams 5.jpg

HD 1916 Bonhams 2.jpg

[exeric]

That is great information, Mike. The 1913-'21 parts book has no detailed description of caps for 16-'21 which is no surprise. The book simply states "EK29A: Gas cap (2): 1916-1921" and nothing about a marked gas, and oil cap. However the second picture you posted sure looks like the real deal. So now I'll be in the hunt for marked gas, and oil caps. I guess that's what keeps this hobby interesting, and never ending Thanks for posting those pictures.

[MikeW]

You're welcome Eric. You've helped me a lot over the last few years. In case you are interested, there are a dozen or more high definition photos of the same 1916 motorcycle, two of which I posted (the one of the tank caps enlarged) , at

https://cars.bonhams.com/auction/25192/lot/84/1916-harley-davidson-model-16f-engine-no-15169m/

All the best

Mike.

[duffeycycles]

I question how original that bike is. Engine has '15 - early '16 open pushrod springs. Later '16 dropped intake. Late '16-'19 cylinders without wrap around fins.. '17 or later gear cover . All speculation, I wasn't there when originally built but it looks like top end is later than bottom & gear cover is later.

[exeric]

I was looking at my H-D 1916 new model brochure and saw this picture. I don't know how many times I've looked at that brochure and never noticed the GAS & OIL caps. Again, thanks for bringing up this topic, Mike.

gas caps 16.jpg

[exeric]

5 months later and every day I walk past the plain gas/oil caps on my 1916F and it bugs me. Did anyone ever reproduce the embossed caps?

[MikeW]

Hello Eric. My apologies for being the source of your daily angst My originals are pretty much dinged and dented as in the first picture I posted and I too have looked for reproductions. The only ones I have found are these from Geloman in Germany. However, they appear to be turned from solid rather than skinned as the originals, and the "Gas" and "Oil" look to me to be engraved rather than embossed. I recall that a friend who restored a 18F some years ago had plain gas caps engraved by a local engraver. They were OK but wouldn't pass an AMCA judge. Like you, I'd welcome any info on reproductions. Mike
tank.caps.jpg

[exeric]

Thanks, Mike. You would have thought that embossed caps would have stayed with a gas tank, but history and fate seem to make them separate like a bad marriage. The hunt goes on. Thanks for the picture.

[exeric]

I revisited this thread started by MikeW and it got the wishbone working on the "gotta' have it bone". A person with tons of spare time on their hands could spend a lot of time making faithful reproductions of those caps. As Mike said, engraving the characters doesn't look like the die formed characters on the covered caps as OEM. so, I think you would have to have CNC tool & dies made to form the impressed characters, and it looks like there is a very subtle crown on the cap. Of course, additional tooling would be needed to crimp the cover on the bung, and finished with a knurled edge. . . Geeze ! Well, that tells you why original parts are so desirable, and why original parts are so scarce.

Shameless request: It you have a one, or both caps I would be interested.

[Tommo]

Exeric.
Have a look at these and see if they spin your wheels and yes they are available.
The ribbed on the right is not for sale but put there to make people aware of that style of cap that was used in 1923.
It seems that late 1922 and early 1924 models may have also used that style of cap
Tommo DSCF4781.JPG

[exeric]

I sent you a P.M., Peter.

[Tommo]

Eric I sent you an e-mail
Did you recieve it ?

[exeric]

I haven't seen anything on the email address I sent you, or this P.M. service here. I wonder if I have something that is blocking it. I'm going to send you another P.M. with a different email address, Peter. So sorry for this and I appreciate your patience.