Rare Option? Anyone have pictures?

rambos_ride

I recently got ahold of a 1949 British Autocar magazine that had a evaluation of a 49 Stepdown Commodore.

I noticed under the dash they had a button with the caption "Petrol Lock" (oh...those Brits!) - but basically it is a electric operated button to pop the gas door.

I don't recall seeing this as an option in my owners manual - maybe I missed it?

Does anyone have one of these on their stepdown? If so I'd love to see a picture if possible.

Although the article is cool - I think someone with a 48-49 Stepdown with Right-Hand drive would appreciate the article and want to have it with their other Hudson swag.

So - I'd sell it for 5.00 + Shipping for the magazine - which is in nice shape for its age.

The article on the Hudson is about 2-3 pages.

dwardo99

My uncle had one on a 51 C. We parted out that car a few years ago so it may be in my stack of stuff.

Huddy42

Rambo,



I have a little white button under the dash on my 1942 Hudson which electrically opens the petrol cap.The unit was on my car when I imported it from the USA in 1989, not sure if it was a Hudson product or not, the car had 14,093 miles original on it when I purchased it, so maybe it was an option in those days.



Les P. Down Under.

Unknown

Dan, I am pretty sure there was one of these that went on eBay about a month or two back, in the original box/wrapper and I thought about it, but it went for a decent buck (if memory is correct, well over $100)

[Deleted User]

i thought they popped the gas cap not the door, i had one on a 49 hudson

rambos_ride

frankmn wrote:

i thought they popped the gas cap not the door, i had one on a 49 hudson

That's interesting - I just assumed it would be a electric release for the gas door - if it is for the cap that's even more eccentric!

It's not that I really looking for this option to install - just more informationm so that I might be able to come up with something to emulate the feature from a newer car.

I thought having and electric release for the gas door would help make it more secure.

Unknown

The gas cap you refer to was Hudson part #HA-166738.The Snap-Up electric gas cap was an option on Hudsons and Mopar products, as well. It was most likely available for other vehicles also. I have also seen these caps with just the Manufacturers name (Snap-Up) on the box. I have no way of knowing if this would have been the one used in England. I have great images of the cap, push-button and Hudson box, but they are in a word file (metafile) and I can't seem to copy and paste them to this site. Perhaps my having once inserted them in a word file may have permanently corrupted them. Any thoughts? Many other obscure options were available such as the Woodland folding grille, the Thermaster protable refrigerator, an electric shaver, Hill-Hold, and on and on.

Jay_G

Bill A has one or two for sale. I picked one up a month or two ago and I can't remember what I paid. Well it was with other parts so such a deal. It is all chromed and everything which is kind of strange give it is behind the door.



Jay

[Deleted User]

I would think it would be a hassle to use. Get out of the car, open the gas door, get back in the car, press the button, get out of the car, pump your gas. It wouldn't have been that bad when there were full service gas stations, though.

[Deleted User]

i pressed the button on mine before i opened gas door it opened with door shut plenty of room

rambos_ride

Hello all - especially those w/right hand drive

I just ran across this copy of The Autocar, May 20 1949 in a box - it's not doing me any good I'll sell it for $1.00 + whatever shipping and handling is.

This is a british auto magazine with reviews of the 49 cars included It's got a couple page artcile on the 49 Hudson Commodore w/right hand drive.

The mag is in decent shape and has been in a box for a couple of years now and I don't plan to display it - who wants it?

Unknown

These Were Designed For The Pre Stepdowns And Would Amaze The Attendant When He Reached For The Cap And You Would Press The Button And The Cap Would Magically Pop Up. They Will Fit But Are A Little Clumsy Under A Stepdown Door, Have Had Many Over The Years, Bill Albright

Unknown

bill a wrote:

These Were Designed For The Pre Stepdowns And Would Amaze The Attendant When He Reached For The Cap And You Would Press The Button And The Cap Would Magically Pop Up. They Will Fit But Are A Little Clumsy Under A Stepdown Door, Have Had Many Over The Years, Bill Albright

Life was so much simpler than. Gas station attendants (I remember them) being amazed by pop open gas caps.

Unknown

Dave53-7C wrote:

Life was so much simpler than. Gas station attendants (I remember them) being amazed by pop open gas caps.

....and now we would be amazed if a gas station attendant popped up!

[Deleted User]

I travel a lot to Brazil and I was driving around with this guy in Rio. We pull in for gas and the gas station has two attendants at each pump. He pulls up to these open pumps and while they are filling the car four people wash the car. Costs about $2 extra for that with fillup. Guy checks the oil and tire pressure. I said to myself so this is what it was like in the old days.

Unknown

52 kahuna wrote:

....and now we would be amazed if a gas station attendant popped up!

Very funny and so true. But for almost $3.00 a gallon, an army of attendants should pop up.

Unknown

51hornetA wrote:

I travel a lot to Brazil and I was driving around with this guy in Rio. We pull in for gas and the gas station has two attendants at each pump. He pulls up to these open pumps and while they are filling the car four people wash the car. Costs about $2 extra for that with fillup. Guy checks the oil and tire pressure. I said to myself so this is what it was like in the old days.

I hate to tell you this, but in the good old days, they only washed the windshield. Then, they'd "short stick" you and say you needed four quarts of oil. Say, does anyone remember the compressed air lines and water hoses some stations had at the pumps?



BTW world traveler, when am I going to get those Brazil nuts you promised?

rambos_ride

Jon B

So, no one yet seems to have come up with a photo. Would either of these items fit the bill?





(Early 1930's Chevy accessory)





Circa 1950 MoPar accessory

rambos_ride

I just noticed the description of this feature in the article...

An interesting item of special equipment in this car was an electronically
controlled lock for the petrol tank filler. Only when a switch inside the car
was depressed, with the ignition switch " on ", could the cap be opened,
it flying open under spring pressure.

I see some of the examples like Jon found - but would this really be the style where the cap to the filler neck opens? Or - is it the door to the filler neck?

I would think someone has a Hudson one of these installed on a stepdown somewhere?

53jetman

The Hudson version was exactly like the MOPAR unit above. A great item for the pre-1948 Hudson, kind of a pain in the neck for step-downs



Jerry

53jetman

Aaron D. IL

I have one of those electric gas caps I just aquired original never used with the switch and instructions. It's chromed looks like the mopar one above. Chrome is in excellent shape except it has 2 bubbles on it. I'd sell it if someone wanted it. Might be a little better on a '46-'47 but I don't think the neck size is the same as a step-down gas tank. I also have a locking gas cap in good condition with 2 keys. Might be a more desireable item to have if cost of gas keeps going up.

Unknown

There's one of these caps on my '51 Commodore 6 Coupe. The electrics don't work, so we have to pop it open manually. I'll get some pictures of it tomorrow after I get home from work and post.

Bill

Unknown

Bill Cox - TN wrote:

There's one of these caps on my '51 Commodore 6 Coupe. The electrics don't work, so we have to pop it open manually. I'll get some pictures of it tomorrow after I get home from work and post.

Bill

Taken just a few minutes ago, in my carport:


Button Under The Dash



Button In Relation To Steering Wheel



Cap Closed



Cap Open

Bill

SuperDave

There was one installed on the 54 Hollywood I refreshed a year ago.The cotton wire was frayed so I took it off and it's now in the spare parts pile. It fits OK in the filler panel. It is actually a lot easier to use than those damn locking caps!

Unknown

I'd be a little wary of sparks happening in the vicinity of my fuel filler neck. Think I'll stick to a manual cap. Safety first!!

Unknown

Jimalberta wrote:

I'd be a little wary of sparks happening in the vicinity of my fuel filler neck. Think I'll stick to a manual cap. Safety first!!

The first time I saw one of these, I thought the same thing. Maybe that's why these never became popular and are still readily available on ebay.

[Deleted User]

How do you feel about the modern electric fuel pumps that sit inside the fuel tank?

[Deleted User]

Probably a lot better than a six volt setup which iffy wiring. My Buick had a electric fuel pump in the tank the wiring was coated and imbedded into the pump. Don't know if you could say the same for what at the time was a cheap accessory. Of course that being said if you wire it yourself correctly should not be any problems.

Unknown

You're correct, it's all about the wiring. Great efforts have gone into developing pumps for use in gas tanks. Besides, gas vapors (like by fuel cap) are more likely to explode.

[Deleted User]

I'm installing a 308 into a 47 com 8 and it has that gas tank electric locking cap. I'm going 12 volts and will leave the lock 6 volts. Very easy to do. I put a house alarm battery, 6 volts, in the trunk with a horn button, 6 volt to lock and ground through the horn button. Works like a charm.