Most likely the housing has rotted away. The top of that cap has 2 lines that are part of the cap that come through it, bend in a 90 and then connect to the fuel lines. If you are a little too rough dropping the tank, those lines might just crumble on you. You might be able to get a pump housing with a good cap area from a junk yard for not too much, mine cost $40. You could also just braze new lines/fittings onto the old cap. Be sure to remove it from the tank, remove the pump from it and clean out all the old gas from it first! Then once it's fixed, seal the seams with fuel-proof sealer and paint it with rust-preventative paint. This should ensure that you never have to see that part again! LOL!!!