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That was the only thing I can think of, but of course the paint will have to be very well cured to do this. I was hoping there was a jig to hold the hinge at the right angle to allow the damn thing to go in and on the studs w/out gouging.

The problem is the wierd angle to the spring loaded hinge and the way it mounts inside the big rubber boot that surounds the filler pipe. Very strange design, indeed!