A certain relative, who shall remain nameless had a career for a brief time back in the '70s stealing cars. Breaking into cars and starting them using that method.

I'd perservere with that approach, and trying it in different postions to see if the filler neck cutouts give you the way to get the cap off.
Cheers

Yep, fit a right hand tank.

You'll probably find he can't do that either because he's now lost the keys to the boot.

_________________
ex-NSW Police 1970 MK II Cooper S
VMCI #43

Parked up over the road from John Barnes & Coy with a very low tank and had Mick pick the lock for me in about five minutes. Once off, I shot down to the gas station about 400m away while he was getting a key cut when it started spluttering. It stalled just out front of the servo and lucky I had enough momentum and no traffic coming my way to coast into the bay

Can't recommend these guys enough!! $30 to pick a lock and cut two keys (cut by eye too). Took bout half hour and offered a can of coke and food while I was waiting!! Didn't think that type of service existed anymore!

Highly recommended!!

http://www.johnbarnes.com.au/contact%20us.html

Was considering that

That's great. Good to here it all worked out.

When I bought my Morris 1100 it had nearly an empty tank and no key for the locking cap. On the way home I run out of fuel as I was going past a servo, it was on a long up hill, so I whipped it around and coasted back to the servo without stopping.
Luckily the Morris 1100 tank is under the boot floor with a long filler pipe which can be removed with a bit of a fiddle.
I was on my way again in minutes!

When I got home I tried all my keys till I found one that fitted, it was a cheap toolbox key.

I had a brand new locking cap on my near new second-hand Mini and then it went in for its "first service".

Later when I went to refuel, I found that my new key would not fit the crappy old replacement someone had replaced my Drambuie with...not happy! Looked under the bonnet to find a bunch of other new things (like ignition leads) had also been substituted. Went back to complain and possibly get some apprentice in the poo...

Got the cap of by butchering the cover up each side with multigrips to expose the spring loaded lugs...then levered both together and withdrew the cap...voila!

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"

I'll wait patiently for you to find the keys now!

It's a statistical certainty after all that effort!

_________________
SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Removing the old fuel tank. Step one - remove filler cap.

Having done the exact same thing, this is the method I used at the servo. Stubby flat blade screw driver, same width as key, insert into keyhole as far as possible by hand, a few good whacks with a hammer, twist screwdriver and off it came. You could even put the cap back on and "lock" it again with the screwdriver. I used this custom locking system for years until I finally got a new fuel cap, and that was only because the screwdriver rolling around in the dashboard shelf and banging and rattling on eventually drove me crazy. If I had a rubber handled one, it'd probably still be like that now.

Cheers,
Keels.

_________________
-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered

Apparently, a square shank screwdriver and a shifter is the go....according to my nameless relative.

But no doubt a round shank screwdriver and pipe wrench pliers might do in a pinch...

_________________
"Show me the Mini!"

I'll be honest, I just turned the handle like normal. It took no more pressure or effort than turning the key inside the barrel... Maybe mine was an El Cheapo, sounds like my style...

Cheers,
Keels

_________________
-Wasabi
1972 Clubman - Daily Driver
1962 850 - EW1 Powered