1935 Gas Fill Pipe
 

My drivers side taillight appeared to be on an angle, so I removed the mount and it seems that the gas fill pipe is out too far towards the outside of the car. I can wiggle it front to back but it will not slide in any farther. I have never had one of these apart before. Is there a way to slide this in more without removing the fender, pulling the pipe out and cutting some off the end?
The previous owner ovalized the holes in the license mount to allow the plate to still be straight with the crooked taillight. It's not too terribly far out but its enough that it almost cut through the rubber grommet and the holes in the fender are not round.

Thanks for any help
Zach

Re: 1935 Gas Fill Pipe
 

Zach, if you can wiggle the filler neck front to back, the threaded collar must be loose or maybe the lead washer seal has deteriorated. Normally the neck cannot come in or out because the threaded collar tightens against a flange at the tank end of the neck. This flange gets tightened against the lead washer as the collar is threaded in place to provide the seal. It's possible that someone could have modified the neck in the past, or maybe installed the wrong neck.

Re: 1935 Gas Fill Pipe
 

So I guess unfortunately that means.... tighten it and live with a crooked taillight for now... or take the fender off.

Thanks!

Re: 1935 Gas Fill Pipe
 

The reproduction necks have this problem, and do not fit properly. They do have a flange on the tank side so there is a bit of work necessary to get one cut down to fit. The neck should not move as explained above.
Ford did not offer skirts as an accessory for 35. There may be an aftermarket skirt??

Re: 1935 Gas Fill Pipe
 

Thanks Terry.

The neck looks to be pretty old... the car was restored in the 60's so maybe reproduction then?

I may just leave it alone for now and sort it out over the winter.

I do know about the skirts... Hershey is coming, maybe something good will turn up there or I will make some.

Re: 1935 Gas Fill Pipe
 

Hopefully there are no modifications that have been made in the past to the gas tank mounting or in the body and fender mounting or changes to the sheet metal itself.
You have probably noticed that the gas neck collar requires a spanner wrench or some other means to turn it using the holes provided. Don't use a pipe wrench or other types of wrenches that will distort the collar. Shooting some penetrating oil on those collar threads a couple days in advance is also a good idea when trying to loosen or tighten the collar. Patience and perseverance are your friends, but I already know you have those virtues :)

Re: 1935 Gas Fill Pipe
 

Zach, you could borrow mine to see how they would look and use them as patterns to possibly make some. I'm not interested in selling them yet until I get one of my coupes on the road to see if I would want to use them.

Re: 1935 Gas Fill Pipe
 

It looks like someone in the past tried to use a pipe wrench on the collar. I saw the correct wrench in the Service bulletins, seems it would be easy enough to make.

Thank you for the offer on the skirts, John. I think I'll end up just making some most likely as I would like some that fit flush into the wheel wells so as to not scrape up the paint on the outside of the fender as much. I have some that are apparently from a Chrysler Airflow that look like a good design, just the wrong shape. I know they won't be factory correct really... but that's ok.