Thanks everyone for the suggestions.   I used the blunt force approach (big
screwdriver) and it worked, though it snapped off a couple of plastic tabs
on the underside of the cap.   But the cap still works fine.

Today I discovered a gas cap key in the ashtray.  No problem, the key still
works fine and I now know that a screwdriver works too in a pinch.

Rick

On Wed, Jan 21, 2015 at 3:04 PM, mark drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:

> While the original 87 gas cap used the same key as the rest of the locks
> it is common for the gas cap to have been replaced with a cap that uses a
> small key. The replacement cap may look like the original but still need
> the small key.
>
> Mark
>
>
>
>
> Rick Cooper wrote:
>
>> I purchased an '87 2WD van and went to fill 'er up.  Could not get the
>> locking filler cap to budge.  Looking at the pictures here: h
>> ttp://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=540921, it seems that my
>> key is not seating properly.  It certainly does not go into the locking
>> cylinder as far as the one in the pics.
>>
>> Anyone have any ideas how I can resolve this or must I call a locksmith?
>> If I could just get the darn thing off, then I could dismantle and clean,
>> but at this point I don't know how to proceed.
>>
>> Thanks, Rick
>>
>>