Re-Chroming

289, FIA & Daytona topics
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Roger King
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by Roger King »

morgy wrote:Hi Andrew
Yes thats the one, top surface photo below... It is in ok condition with some Very minor pitting/corrosion.
I have been in contact with Ceandess to see if they had any correct rivets left somewhere, Ed has been very helpful..
I do want to keep as Original if that's the correct word.. ;-) Or as Correct as I can but i will most likely get a new cap and re fit all the old parts if thats possible but looking at images online i do not see much difference in the New inner hardware??
ImageIMG_5786 by mark.morgan07, on Flickr
Mark,
Given the way the market (for once, I believe, quite correctly) is now focusing on originality and 'patina' is acceptable (and can never be regained), if you believe or can ascertain somehow (period photos etc.) that that is the original cap for your car, I would simply replace the seal if needed and use it as it is. Once restored it can never be returned to original and the only way to restore or rechrome that is to polish material away until the surface is smooth. No chromer would let that in his tank full of very expensive chemicals until it was mirror-smooth.
Either leave it as is (my preferred option) or replace but keep the original safe.
morgy
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by morgy »

Hi Roger..

I agree it says the 289 & 427 S/C and street cars used the same cap as Ace's in Mr mills book, But Photos of COB6109 in Trevor's book shows square type, 6109 is claimed to be very Original and a one owner.. There are also photos of 427 streets with square in trevor's book. Have these been changed along the way?? who knows...
As you say the square button caps are fairly common. Lucky for me for once i am not chasing hen's teeth... The main reason I bought this cap was to have a close look as most of the photos i have seen of the new Caps look more rounded in appearance. Ignore the Button for now.. The edges, top ridges of Andy's cap and Images on Ceandess website look rounder than mine.
morgy
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by morgy »

Roger King wrote:
morgy wrote:Hi Andrew
Yes thats the one, top surface photo below... It is in ok condition with some Very minor pitting/corrosion.
I have been in contact with Ceandess to see if they had any correct rivets left somewhere, Ed has been very helpful..
I do want to keep as Original if that's the correct word.. ;-) Or as Correct as I can but i will most likely get a new cap and re fit all the old parts if thats possible but looking at images online i do not see much difference in the New inner hardware??
ImageIMG_5786 by mark.morgan07, on Flickr
Mark,
Given the way the market (for once, I believe, quite correctly) is now focusing on originality and 'patina' is acceptable (and can never be regained), if you believe or can ascertain somehow (period photos etc.) that that is the original cap for your car, I would simply replace the seal if needed and use it as it is. Once restored it can never be returned to original and the only way to restore or rechrome that is to polish material away until the surface is smooth. No chromer would let that in his tank full of very expensive chemicals until it was mirror-smooth.
Either leave it as is (my preferred option) or replace but keep the original safe.
I agree there things can only be original once, My car has a Monza cap as per 427 spec cars when it was converted/butchered in the 70's, so this cap is not Original to my car but i believe to be correct...
Last edited by morgy on Sat May 27, 2017 10:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
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nikbj68
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by nikbj68 »

Just for a bit of background, (and when you have a few hours spare...) have a read of the recommissioning process on the ACOC FORUM...
Andy, are the radii on your cap 2mm?
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Roger King
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by Roger King »

Ah - did you buy this later - so it's not original to the car? In that case I'd buy a new one from Ceandess. Personally I see no point in displaying patina that wasn't produced on the same car!
Does the cap you have have a smooth polished button, or one with ridges? As far as I know these caps were a progression - the keyhole is the original, then the rectangular smooth button (also very rare), then the one with ridges on the button, then the locking ones. I bought a Presto 75 style direct from Ceandess with the ridged button and no locking mechanism some years back, so if you don't have the original cap for the car and you have photos showing a COX car with that style that is what I would buy. A lot cheaper than rechroming and a much better looking cap as I believe polishing would adversely affect the appearance of the one you have.

Just seen Nik's post - the radii of the top section on a new cap in this style should be hard corners, much sharper than 2mm.
The ACOC saga doesn't include the year-long discussion I had with Ceandess regarding this, four or five years earlier - eventually they wouldn't play as there was 'no market' to warrant retooling. That changed when the ACOC actually took enough orders to encourage Ceandess to begin pattern-making.
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by morgy »

I have the ribbed button.. I went with this as CSX 3234 6/10/66 pictured in Cobra the real thing has the same style..(page 242) but this might not be correct as it was rebuild by AC in 73-74.. ;-)

ImageIMG_5784 by mark.morgan07, on Flickr

Roger.. Is there slight differences in the overall shape between the Key hole, flat button, and ribbed button caps. Andy's looks very rounded and so do the New Ceandess caps compared to the older ones...

Imagecap by mark.morgan07, on Flickr
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amulheirn
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by amulheirn »

nikbj68 wrote:Just for a bit of background, (and when you have a few hours spare...) have a read of the recommissioning process on the ACOC FORUM...
Andy, are the radii on your cap 2mm?
Hi Nik - everything seems rounded, with the exception of the front edge of the release catch. Unfortunately on close inspection I have noticed the chrome (at least) has a hair-line crack in it where the roll pin holding the catch in goes through. I can feel a sharp edge with my finger. The metal's very thin at that point, so I'll have to ask Ceandess to have a look at it. What do you reckon?

ImageHairline crack on fuel cap

Cheers,
Andy
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Roger King
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by Roger King »

Mark, I'm not aware of any differences but I haven't put them side by side so wouldn't swear to it. I very much doubt that's the cap that CSX3234 had when new.
That's a bit worrying, Andy, I'd definitely talk to them.
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by morgy »

amulheirn wrote:
nikbj68 wrote:Just for a bit of background, (and when you have a few hours spare...) have a read of the recommissioning process on the ACOC FORUM...
Andy, are the radii on your cap 2mm?
Hi Nik - everything seems rounded, with the exception of the front edge of the release catch. Unfortunately on close inspection I have noticed the chrome (at least) has a hair-line crack in it where the roll pin holding the catch in goes through. I can feel a sharp edge with my finger. The metal's very thin at that point, so I'll have to ask Ceandess to have a look at it. What do you reckon?

ImageHairline crack on fuel cap

Cheers,
Andy
That roll pin looks like it's been smashed in with a pozy drive ?? It may be the photo but the casting looks wrong faulty on the left hand side??
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amulheirn
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Re: Re-Chroming

Post by amulheirn »

Hi -

Sorry for hijacking the topic Morgy, but just reporting back on my Ceandess cap issue. I mailed them on Monday asking if they'd have a look at it, and got a response within the hour saying yes. I returned it yesterday, had a phone call today and then an email to say a replacement is in the post already. First class customer service of the sort you don't normally get in the automotive parts industry.

While I was on their site, I discovered they have their old 1970's catalogues up there. The Presto with the lollipop button is on page 4: https://view.publitas.com/p222-8047/1-c ... 8/page/4-5

It does appear that this newer one has more smooth edges - presumably for modern safety compliance.

Cheers,
Andy
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