Why is my '30s GM locking gas cap so high on eBay?

Okay, here's a question for any restorers or original accessory experts out there:
I have listed on eBay a locking Gas Cap that says "GM" on the key hole cover, in decent but nowhere near mint condition, and the thing has already been bid up to over $400. Why is this thing worth so much money? I'm not complaining, I'm just freaked out and very curious about what it is and what it fits. My Dad is going to p*** out when he finds out how much I got out of this thing for him. Can anyone can fill me in??
(I don't know how to put a photo on the HAMB, but if you want to see it just go to eBay and type in "GM locking gas cap" and I'm sure it will pop up, although the auction ends 11/13 at around 7:00 pm Central time.)

 

I think originals are extremely rare....

at least it is with the flip open cover on it

 

Be glad somebody knows it's a rare piece...today, I saw a 40 chevy factory dealer installed accessory comp*** bid [on e-bay] over [gulp] 2 THOUSAND dollars! WTF?

 

did it look like this?

 

i'm a little of an accessory freak ,i mean collector. These gas caps were available from 38 - 48 GM cars and 38-53 trucks but the people that bid these things up are usually Chevy owners and from Southern Cal. They're pretty rare as with any other GM accessories.

Manuel

 

Does yours have a little br*** or chrome rivet above the GM stamp ?

 

I'm Impressed! That is one of the best item discriptions I've read on eBay, No BS just a good honest discription, that may be why people are bidding the way they are. They all look like experienced bidders no 0-5 feedback totals in the bunch. I really like the fact that you turned down an offer to end the acution. Sounds like you are a cl*** act, honest guy. It was at $455.00 when I looked at it. Be sure to pack it well!

 

yea it does, i thought it was a piece of tar or something. mine not really that good of shape. it sat in my junk box for a long time.

 

the lowrider Bomb guys will pay big dollar for the rare accessories.

 

Thanks for the info, everyone. Turns out the thing sold for $455! My Dad is going to have a stroke when I tell him, because I know he was really hoping for $100, and because he gave it to me a month or two ago to sell and has fogotten about it since then. I'll get to walk into his house and say "remember that gas cap? Here's [cha-ching] $455!!" He can really use the money, too.

 

That's it right there. The lowrider bomb guys (like me) love to have all the rare accessories for their cars, and the best ones are the ones that were factory optional and say GM or Chevrolet on them. The gas caps are rare, so they bring the most money. Supply and demand. Most of them don't want reproduction stuff either, they want the "OG" parts.

Keep in mind too, that the guys who are really into lowriders, aren't cheap. Some of us here on the HAMB pride ourselves on doing things on the cheap or building stuff ourselves, but lowriders spend big $ to have all the extra chrome, paint, and flash that they can get on their cars. If you've got 50K into your chrome, gold, and paint, what's another $450 for the most saught-after gas cap?

Restored banjo steering wheels for the 46-48 Chevys are selling in the $1500 range, I have two of them, both rough, but you KNOW I'm gonna fix one before I sell it, and keep the best for my '46. It's all for fun.

 

Just tell your dad you sold it for 100 bucks. He doesn't have a heart attack and you get the extra cash. Everybody's happy!