just going through boxes at Dads and came across 5 of these rad caps, are these Ford or after market. These boxes have been sitting around for forty plus years. Thanks Colin
sorry im getting old
Yep, stock T cap. There were variations over the years.
Thanks Steve I know the brass stuff but when it comes to the later stuff I'm lost and we have to get down to the stuff for the 12 and peddle the rest. Dads has collected T stuff for 50 years.
Are those made of aluminum, Colin ?
Yes Steve they are that's why I was puzzled
Then I take it back. According to the encyclopedia the only caps containing aluminum were die cast, and these look stamped. Here's Trent's article in the encyclopedia:
This is the radiator cap used on the 1917 and later models. Prior radiator caps were of polished brass in a few variations in style. The earliest design had rather high and sharp fins. The fin design was modified in later 1909 and by about 1913 the fins were down to the “standard” size.
6/27/16 Adopted. It was made of stamped brass, nickel plated and polished.
1/17/18 Redesigned from a brass stamping to a die- casting. “This change to take effect a once. All caps and plugs on hand to be used up.”
6/4/18 Redesigned and changed material from Die-casting alloy to “S” brass. Caps to be nickel plated and polished on the outside. “This change makes the design of the cap the same as T-1103-B (the pre-1917 brass radiator cap), we have therefore specified the same size of stock that is being used for T-1103-B, also that these caps be made because the aluminum in the die cast cap corrodes too easily and is to take effect at once. Die cast caps to be used up.”
8/20/26 A flange was added at the bottom of the cap where it contacts the radiator cap gasket.
On a related note, I found in the Ford Motor Companies legal files correspondence indicating that the Bridgeport Brass Co. had filed suit about this time against Ford Motor because Bridgeport Brass claimed to have a patent on the stamped brass design of radiator cap. The court eventually threw out the suit.
~ Trent Boggess
without looking anything up, I don't believe Ford ever made aluminum nor pot metal (either material--they're not the same thing) radiator caps. These are likely an early aftermarket, or reproduction cap.
Well, I see my dial-up connection failed me again--thanks Bruce for the real "scoop" Wow, very interesting--I wondered if the two metals would be a problem (radiator neck & cap)
Steve, the circle on the underside of the first photo indicates that that cap was diecast. Perhaps you were correct in the first place.
Allan from down under.
My car came to me with a new (in 2008) radiator and a plated, pot metal reproduction radiator cap. I found a nice original stamped cap at a swap meet, but it was such a tight fit in the reproduction radiator neck (even after chasing and lubricating the threads) that I went back to my reproduction cap.