307 radiator Cap

[Doug L.]

Hi Guys,
I am negotiating to buy a 307 radiator cap. It is presented to me as an original cap that was restored by the late John Pirkle. I have searched the archives and seen many photos of what are purported to be original 307 caps. None that I have seen have a line across the base of the arrow heads.

I will appreciate any comments on any aspect of this cap.
Thanks-Doug

[Edward J.]

Re: 307 radiator Cap

Doug, I think the 64 cap is just a little different. there is a circle around the 307 & the #13 ,I am not a authority on caps but I have been reading up on the cap for my 63. I wonder if there is a early and late. in 64?

[Doug L.]

Re: 307 radiator Cap

There is another thread about these caps, from earlier this year as I recall. The subject of the circle came up in that thread and there were several responses saying no circle on their original caps. One person had a faint, partial circle but he seemed to be the only one. My big question remains about the line across the base of the arrow head.
Doug

[John D.]

Re: 307 radiator Cap

HI Doug, Go back to Nov 17th, 2011 when you and Alan Drake etal were discussing 64 radiator caps.
Personally I never saw a 307 with the arrow issue. I noticed that the font on several of the letters was different. Answer is probably that AC had a ton of dies to stamp out those caps.
That cap has a new brass rivet holding it together. John Pirkle really did a nice job on those caps.

One of the issues in using some repro 307 caps is this. They are supposed to be 13 # caps but in reality some of them aren't even close. They seem to stick or have a spring issue as rumor has it some of them will put out more than 20#'s of pressure. Not uncommon then for a radiator hose to blow off and trash the engine compartment time.
I was involved with one of those "accidents". A freshly restored FI that I did got totally wiped out when the antifreeze blew all over it and the engine. The owner didn't grab a hose to wash everything down. The antifreeze just totally out the plating, etc.

The cap with the arrow line is unlike any 307's I have. But it is a very pretty cap. Definitely not a repro. Will wait until the guru's jump on with the answer.
I have been searching my house since 2009 for my original cap that is hidden for all eternity. JD

[Dan H.]

Re: 307 radiator Cap

Doug, several things wrong with that cap: the 'AC' letters are not 'slanted' in an arc and not aligned like those. The arrows are too far away fron the center depression. etc. Not buyin it.
Dan

[Alan D.]

Re: 307 radiator Cap

Doug, here is an original cap from a Mar64 car.
I believe that the circle around the 307/13# was due to tool ware and not a design feature since it's the later caps which display a noticeable circle.

[Harry S.]

Re: 307 radiator Cap

Doug, here is an original cap from a Mar64 car.
I believe that the circle around the 307/13# was due to tool ware and not a design feature since it's the later caps which display a noticeable circle.

Alan, I agree with you!

[John D.]

Re: 307 radiator Cap

Hi Doug, The Cap in question could possibly be a combination of two caps held together with a new rivet. The "lid" or top of the cap is early repro. The bottom of the cap is what one would expect to see on an original AC radiator cap.

We don't have to be guru's on AC caps to easily spot what Bill Clupper pointed out. When you are on the judging floor working you don't have time to study a radiator cap like this post. Spot the repros at a glance just by checking out the location of the arc of the arrow. The one in your pic Doug is dead nuts for a repro. Have proof as have one in front of me. Some repros had the line going thru the arrow.
Those caps were originally made by a deceased pal of mine by the name of Ken Reuben.
Now I could be wrong about the above but since I waste soooo much time looking for my original cap in my large shack and since I have bought so many of them both wrong and correct I know more about these AC caps that I really want to. LOL