New Toy - Question & initial Report

[TJCallahan@domain.elided]

Well, the '77 Alfetta GT/Sprint Veloce (haven't figured out what I have, yet) 
and I made it home to Seattle from the San Francisco/Oakland area this 
weekend. In a couple of days, once I recover and catch up, I'll post details 
of the trip. First, I have one quick question and a very quick 
recap/testamonial (Can I get an "Amen" brother?).

The question -- Every time I stopped to fill the tank (after using about half 
the load of fuel), I had a difficult time getting the fuel cap off. It seems 
the tank had a very high vacuum in it. Once I could get the cap off, there 
was the sound of air rushing INTO the tank (I verified this several times), 
and the sound of the tank or related part "oil canning" as the pressure was 
equalized.

I looked at the cap and saw that it was NOT vented. The car has the filler 
hole recessed into the body panel and a functional-but-not-aesthetic cap over 
it. There's a round body colour door that flips over the cap and keeps the 
body line flush.

Is this the fuel cap that belongs on the car?

If yes, why is the vacuum building up in the tank instead of being relieved? 
(I know why the vacuum is there in the first place, you step on the loud 
pedal and the vacuum in the tank increases, right?)

The quick recap -- After making sure the car appeared sound (thanks, Hank!), 
I jumped in and headed for Hwy 1 on the CA coast. Do this, if you get half a 
chance! 950 miles and 20 hours of driving later, I pulled the car into my 
driveway without incident.

Since the car hadn't been run regularly since May '99, I think that's a 
testimony to the care given by the previous owners and to the quality of the 
car itself. Temperamental, indeed! How many 22 year old cars can do that? 
(For that matter, how many 22-yr old anythings can do something like that?) 
Let me hear that "Amen"!

Also looking for some insight into the fuel vacuum condition.

ciao & buoa notte

Tom
'63 Spider (happy for the company)
'77 Alfetta GT/Sprint Veloce (still confused, but doing better every day!)
Seattle

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