Its generally accepted as OK to remove the "guts". Some guys like to save them but its really the design of the exterior and the graphics that makes them collectable.
Mine's just yard art. Stuff that I've drug home from junk yards over the years. The most expensive piece was the Coke cooler, I gave $75. dollars for it. You guys have some very nice pumps. I spotted this old gravity pump beside an abanded house trailer. Looks cool but I couldn't find anyone to ask about it. So I'll be going back. What ya think is the make, and value to be ? Thanks for sharing. Ron.....
I wasn’t looking for it, but I always wanted a real gas pump. In 2007, one was offered to me in exchange for car storage time, so the price was right. The dual side pump was in good condition. Due to the lack of rust, I guess that it was probably kept under a roof and was stored in a dry place after it was no longer in use. The sheet metal panels were a oil-canned and banged up, but that had to be expected. There was no globe on top but the knockout was there if I wanted to add one. This model had no operating spinners (to show the customer that fuel was flowing) but the openings were there in the cast parts. It had been hastily repainted in red all over and a Phillips 66 Flite Fuel decal was present. It was kind of plain, not super old, but interesting none the less. So we hauled it to my barn intact. I did not want to remove and toss the heavy stuff, since the inside was in better condition than the outside. I researched it with some books on old gas pumps. It was a Gilbarco Model 966, vintage 1961. The calibration sticker was dated 1964 from Northampton MA. The price per gallon was (and still is)30 and 9/10 cents. Rumor has it that the pump was once at the local airport up there. It made sense that the hose was extra long for reaching a plane (I shortened it). So the Flite-Fuel decal and red paint-over made sense. The pump was originally painted by the factory for Esso Extra, with dark blue sides and top and white doors. If I restored it to the original Esso Extra color scheme, it would be kind of boring. Looking at catalogs, the Esso logos on the glass and the globe were kinda plain. If I could locate or reproduce the Phillips 66 and Flite Fuel markings, I would go with the red color scheme. I disassembled the sheet metal off of the frame, and brought the panels to a friend who shrunk and pounded out the major dents and creases in the sheet metal. Then off to the local sandblaster and back to me for basic body filler and priming. The bodywork was really time-consuming, as I was an amateur. The pitted pot metal trim went to the platers. And the aluminum parts I polished up myself. In fact, the fluted aluminum trim piece is original, as I took hours of time painstakingly fixing all the dents and dings in the thin material. I located the vintage 60’s decals on Ebay, as well as the rare Flite Fuel advertisement glass. Finally, off to the bodyshop for final bodywork and paint. That cost me more than I was planning to spend, but the panels came out beautiful - almost too nice for a gas pump and way better that the paint on my old car! The best part was when I reassembled it all together with new rubber seals and the replated parts. The vintage decals were very delicate, but I managed to get them on with no trouble (car model experience). Finally, I created a rolling base and bolted the heavy pump to it so it can be moved around when needed. Someday, I will wire a plug to it and light it up.
The prize of my collection thus far. All original and unrestored Tokeheim 34 with oringial west coast drop leg pump plates and 16.5" globe.
I found this locally recently , its a Tokheim 39 short door ..if anyone has a crusty back door for it they are willing to let go of..
Not mine, but from the WP Chrysler museum, next to the elevator that was used to ferry cars from one floor to the other. Green red and white is a combination that is still working for Texaco.
I had a nice one , years ago stolen by my ExWife . I’m going to build my next one from an old water heater tank .
Amazing how many of you guys have them in the house or garage, my old visible pump is so tall it wouldn't fit in the house. HRP
The Jalopy Journal
