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by: JasonLancaster
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It's a classic muscle car look: the fat, brushed aluminum gas cap sitting high on the rear haunches, almost taunting the world with the fact that yes, this car uses a lot of gas, and yes, it's because it makes a ton of horsepower. Muscle car designers originally took the idea from the racing fuel caps that they had seen on cars in the 50's and 60's. Race cars had large fuel doors to make them easier to open and close during pit stops, and they were made of metal to ensure that they could withstand the aerodynamic rigors of racing.

Nowadays, many people want to imitate the muscle car look on their own car or truck with an aluminum-style fuel door. There a few companies which can custom-make fuel doors, using a variety of materials and styles. Some models can even be locked, keeping gas thieves away from your fuel tank.

Putco makes an ABS chrome door cover which mimics the chrome used on the rest of the truck body, so it has a stock-replacement appearance. The door has embossed circular rivets arranged in a ring around the flat center. The cover can be installed very easily, using adhesive tape to stick the cover onto the existing fuel door. No drills or glue is needed. The Putco cover is for visual enhancement only, and doesn't affect performance practically. Another company, AVS, also manufactures a chrome fuel door cover which can attach using double-sided tape.

Chrome fuel door decals like the ones offered by Putco and AVS are just for show. They offer a great look at an affordable price, with most ranging in price from $35-$45, but little practical advantage. If you can spare the cash for the real thing, and have got a little spare time, then read on to learn about the AMI fuel doors.

AMI offers a number of fuel door styles, made out of billet aluminum for a rugged look. Their colour options are: an all-black door; an all-aluminum door either brushed or polished; or an aluminum door surrounded by a black ring. The doors also have the option of being lockable, which can obviously be beneficial. Another company offering a similar product is Rampage, although their designs use less rivets and colour options are limited to brushed or polished aluminum. Rampage fuel doors can be ordered with locks as well.

While it might seem appealing to be able to lock people out of your gas tank in this new era of rising fuel prices, it is important to keep in mind that with most trucks, it is very easy to get underneath the body and access the fuel tank directly. This means that when faced with a locked fuel door, a thief might decide to simply drill a hole in the bottom of your tank and drain your fuel out that way. Since the cost of replacing a fuel tank is a lot more than the cost of replacing its contents, you need to be sure that you won't be facing this kind of risk before installing a gas cap that locks. If your truck is stored in a garage or in a well-lit lot, then you shouldn't have any problems.

Bottom line: Fuel door covers can be inexpensive, harmless fun, like the model from Putco, or a serious accessory, like AMI's locking billet aluminum door. However, from a purely utilitarian point of view, only AMI's locking fuel doors offer any real benefits beyond looks. AMI fuel filler doors can be purchased for about $85, and there's no extra charge for the locking model.

About the Author

Author Jason Lancaster is the editor of TundraHeadquarters.com, a website with information, news, and reviews of Toyota Tundra parts and Tundra accessories.

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