Looking for a new fuel door, this will be my 4th, the UK weather is a killer.

So in some ways a cheap solution might be best, I've tried expensive ones but they end-up corroding regardless, chrome plated aluminium will not survive over here.

Plastic chrome-effect would be ideal i.e. like the H2's front grill.

Half tempted to do away with the "door" and get one of these cheap chrome effect ones https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/313427023...gAAOSw-IlgMf7X

Got a car show coming up in June so any thoughts much appreciated 👍

 

Stick with a door! I'm in the middle of resurfacing my concrete patio & driveway, the trees around me are dumping pollen worms(oak) and helicopters seeds(maple). Think about all the debris falling into your fuel tank when you remove cap to refill.

 

Indeed I will have the same issue here, lots of trees. If I can get a cheap door I will, but I need something quick just for Speedfest 2022.

Plan B is to paint an old one black, TBH I've had some good results doing that, but its a pain.....

 

I still have the original door on my '07. I took it off a few year back, removed the peeling chrome, cleaned/sanded and painted black with Rust-Oleum Professional. If I find a new chrome door at a good price to me, I will coat it with clear(same I use on outdoor decor) before installation.

 

That makes a lot of sense.

It's around the hinges and wear point that go 1st, I bought a really cheap one last time and it lasted the longest and looked the best.

Think it's rub-down and spray this time...

 

Once you go black, you never go back

 

How did you de-chrome it ?

 

My 03 never came with the door from factory. just the standard black bucket, i have no issues with debris

 

I also now need to replace the 3rd locking chrome gas door. They just do not last, and we have identical weather to the UK here in Vancouver, BC.
The start peeling at the hinge, then that spreads out from there or fascia bolts.

I am biting the bullet and spending another $250USD for a new one, because I want locking chrome, and they are getting discontinued everywhere and what is left is expensive. Looked at the Bully brand for a while, went to buy it only to find out it is now discontinued.
That is $1000 in gas lids so far since 2007. Ridiculous. I feel ripped off.

Requirement #1: locking
Requirement #2: chrome, as close as possible to OEM chrome that came on the vehicle.

Good to have a locking one to keep anyone messing with your fuel.

Please share anything @oceanbrave that you come across. Thanks.

 

Thanks finall think we're on the same page, agree with everything you mentioned

What stops me going for a new one is the problems will be repeated, in 2 years time it will back to square one - for sure.

A door in stainless 316 would be good and will never rot, but it would be very expensive, the finish would not be as good and would easily mark, plus SS is hard to paint well.

So I managed to dig-up 2 of my old ones:-



This one above, I 3D printed and painted in black the "HUMMER H2" bar to replace the sorry looking one below. They're actually 2 different doors as you can tell by the corrosion.


As a stop-gap measure, I went ahead and bought the stick-on one posted previously, but eventually, like you, I need a lockable door solution.

Here it's not possible to get anything "de-chromed" chemically due to the ban on the chemicals needed, and bead-blasting doesn't work as chrome is harder than the alloy.

If the chrome could be removed (neatly) there are companies that can apply "chrome-effect" finishes, but then we're back to the wear-points on the hinges and edges etc, plus there's the cost, you might as well buy a new one.

ABS chrome on the other hand does last, it's not as strong and maybe would look cheap and tacky, but we do have ABS front grills on the Hummers which look OK right?

Another option would be to chrome plate 3D printed parts, which is how all the Terminator parts were done. I've seen some excellent examples on line.

I've actually drawn-up an existing fuel door, but it would need some work to take advantage of the 3D process i.e. removal of any sub-parts than can be built into the models etc.

As for cost, absolutely no idea at the moment, the process would be:-

• Print the models.
• Get the exposed surfaces finished - a bit like bead-blasting.
• Coat in conductive paint.
• Chrome plate.

For 1-off it's expensive, 50-off is cheaper, but risky sales and support wise (we've only got about 65 Hummers on the road here in the UK)

So it's a complex solution...