Since I've been a member of this forum I've read the elephant cap was from winning an African Rally but now I see that that's wrong, thanks to @kats. 

After reading more maybe the oil was named after the Rally?

 

Edited February 9, 20178 yr by siteunseen

I wonder if they used elephant oil n the struts and that's why it smells like it does.  It does smell kind of like circus.

I am a little confused my self. I read on here that the "OIL" cap was the early cap and that the "Elephant" cap was later. My 70 HLS30 00029 car had an "Elephant" cap and a later 70 that I parted out had an "OIL" cap. So which was actually the early cap. I would have to think that he "Elephant" cap is earlier by my experience. 

Another homework !

Z432 and SP/SR Roadster 's metal cap has an elephant simbol on a decal already , now I am trying to find good picture of a plastic cap for S30 in Japan from late 1969 to 1970. 1971 and later have "OIL " with an elephant simbol , that is common I think .

Kats

The "OIL" (710) cap is early original and the Elephant cap is later.  It is my understanding that the symbol is that of Standard Vacuum Oil Company, a 1930s joint venture between Standard Oil of New Jersey and Mobil Oil.

Reading about this I found that one of the caps would seal on a certain valve cover without an o-ring, it had an extra grove I believe?  The newer valve cover was flat around the fill hole and needed the the o-ring.  That sounds backwards now that I'm typing it.   Does that mean the 2400 OHC valve cover needs the OIL cap or would the elephant cap work as well?

Thanks for any input and Kats I'm sorry for the extra homework assignment.  

I'm not restoring or anything like that, just curious.

 

  On 2/9/2017 at 3:02 PM, siteunseen said:

Reading about this I found that one of the caps would seal on a certain valve cover without an o-ring, it had an extra grove I believe?  The newer valve cover was flat around the fill hole and needed the the o-ring.  That sounds backwards now that I'm typing it.   Does that mean the 2400 OHC valve cover needs the OIL cap or would the elephant cap work as well?

Thanks for any input and Kats I'm sorry for the extra homework assignment.  

I'm not restoring or anything like that, just curious.

 

I have the valve covers from two parts cars - one a 12/71, the other a 7/72.  Both have the elephant cap but only one has an o-ring - it came off the earlier car.

Is the area around the hole the same on both valve covers?

Thanks for replying!

  On 2/9/2017 at 4:18 PM, siteunseen said:

Is the area around the hole the same on both valve covers?

Thanks for replying!

I'll check them later this morning and post the findings.

I was wrong about the o-ring on the 12/71 car.  I recalled the groove and thought of o-ring.  Here's a sequence starting with my car:

1st pic - 12/70 car, o-ring set into the groove, OIL cap with no seal ring

2nd pic - 12/71 car, open groove, elephant cap with seal gasket ring

3rd pic - 07/72 car, no groove, elephant cap with seal gasket ring

Hope this helps explain some of the changes.

 

Edited February 9, 20178 yr by jfa.series1

I know we are supposed to be talking about oil caps here, my L24/L26 12/72//12//73 build dates both have elephant oil caps on them as well.....

Does anyone know if the little screws that hold down the clutch cable bracket and spark plug wires, haves changed over the years? I can't find a screw that fits into the one for the clutch bracket......

Where do you mean for the clutch cable? Maybe the speedo cable at the rear on top of the bellhouse?

The spark plug clips on the valve cover?

Edited February 9, 20178 yr by siteunseen