Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Gulf Stations - FERO Air Compressors 1900-1940

I have a FERO Air Pump manufactured between the early 1900s and late 1930s. According to Arnie Fero his grandfather started the company and GULF had a contract to supply 100s of these compressors to dealers. I am restoring one cosmetically (it still runs perfectly) and would like to learn if any readers know anybody that has one of these units.

I am a new guy to this board so I'm sorry if I am bringing up a subject that has already been discussed previously. I will post a picture of this compressor in a day or two and the information to Arnie Fero's web site Arnies Atomic Engines Fero Air Pumps with pictures of these compressors.

My compressor came from a Gulf station in Palatka Florida; I've had it 25 years. It is an uprite compressor with the motor and compressor above the receiver. It is 2 cylinder with intercooler, 1.5 HP (?), and has a riveted and welded receiver. It might weigh 500 #. The motor is 220 volt single phase. The compressor RPM is about 900.

I'm looking for any FERO information and especially any literature and original color. I will get a 12 inch Gulf decal available online and Arnie Fero has the Fero decals.

Thanks in advance, DaytonaJohn, Ormond by the Sea, Fl
My email is porsche1953@yahoo.com

Welcome to oldgas.

Welcome aboard. I don't know anything about FERO but I like the old compressors. My buddy has my old Saylor Beall (The Duke) that was made for Shell.
http://www.oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=143962&page=1
The riveted receivers are very cool looking. Looking forward to seeing a picture.
Mike

I have over 300 ads for air compressors. Please list a picture, a date and the city of manufacturer and just about any information you have. Just don't want to have to sit down and go one by one looking for information on your unit.

One more thing, isn't the spelling FERRO?

Jack Sim

Hello Jack Sim

Thanks for posting. You might be able to help me and Arnie Fero.

Will you send me an email to Racefan9@cfl.rr.com ? I am not real good at the computer but I can send you a link to Arnie Fero's web site that has pictures and the history of FERO Air Pumps. Also I can send you some pictures of mine. This will be faster.

In due course I can figure out how to post some pictures on this site or get somebody over here to help me. I need to borrow somebody's 12 year old computer expert.

cold beer,
John Timmins

http://www.oldengine.org/members/arnie/fero.htm

...here's the link...it is spelled Fero...

Hi Gulfiend;

Have you ever seen a Fero in your collecting travels?

I got it around 1985 -86 and when I started to paint it I could see a GULF decal under the paint.

DaytonaJohn

Went through about 300 air compressor ads that date back to 1913, not one Fero.
Possibly a very small company but they didn't do much advertising, nothing in National Petroleum News, Motor, Motor Age, Motor Life, Super Service Station, etc.
Mr. Timmins mentions that Brummer was one of their largest competiors. I have probably 75+ ads from Brummer, and actually Brummer's largest competitor was Curtis from right hear in St. Louis (also have about 75 ads from Curtis).

One more thing I want to mention, and it has nothing to do with the above, finding an old air comprressor today does not mean you have found an old air compressor.
Some you might remember my post where I had dragged home an old 1947 Curtis a/c. Well, after looking up the compressor in my literature I discovered that the only thing Curtis that was left was the tank. The motor was now a Dayton, not a Curtis, the a/c itself was also not a Curtis, it have been repalced with a Dresser (the company that owns the Wayne Pump Co. today). Things wear out and who knows what they are replaced with.

Jack Sim

My FERO is pretty complete except for the motor, discharge hose and pressure switch. I have to figure out how to make my pictures smaller, or I could email them to anybody that wants them. Send me your email.

Send your pictures to me and I'll post them. Click on bruzer75 and view profile for my email.
Thanks,
Mike

Here are a few the pictures. Cool old compressor.
Mike

You're a nice guy, Mike. Would you have been that nice if the photos hadn't been of air compressors or parking meters? LOL

Old compressors are just one of my many weaknesses. Gotta go, Michelle is cracking that whip!!
Mike

My FERO compressor is getting some wiring improvements, belts,a GULF decal, and a paint job. Does anybody have a paint code for the light blue GULF uses?

Thanks in advance, John

Fo my FERO Air Pump's 75th birthday it got new wires, belts, a new GULF decal, and a paint job. Mechanically it still runs perfectly, loading and unloading, start at 80 and cut out at 125.
I've had this 30 years and when I got it back then I painted it and I could see that earlier paint jobs covered up a GULF sticker.
Arnie Fero's web site aboce says FEROs were made from 1900 to the late 1930s and had a contract to supply compressors for GULF. Guards over belts were not an issue back in those days.

IS THIS THE SAME BRAND OF AIR COMPRESSOR....I FOUND THIS PIC OF IT AND NOW I`M LOOKING FOR 1...

I know this is an old thread but I figured I’d give it a try. I recently purchased a garage that was formerly a body shop. There was an old Fero air compressor with a Brown and Brockmeyer 2 hp motor. I was able to get it working today but am looking for parts for the motor. Thought maybe someone here may know something about either item. A couple pictures included. She is a bit crusty but will be cleaned up at some point

Motor parts maybe easier than you think, got to go to an industrial motor repair shop. Old motor are repairable. Looks like it could have been Gulf orange?

This is crazy! I searched for Fero through Ai a couple of weeks ago and this old thread came up, but before your post. I'm still working on my compressor and did another search today and bang you just posted this, amazing.

I have the same outfit that belonged to my best friends dad. He had it in his personal shop for 50+ years. It was in pretty much original condition although he did replace the motor in about 1970. He has done various repairs (some were questionable but functional) and I did run it about 5 years ago and it would reach 125psi. There were lots of air leaks, so not very efficient. I had planned to use it as my primary air source, but with all the leakage I just rolled it in the corner.

I'm now working on getting back in service trying to fix all the issues. It's a cool old machine. There are no unit specific parts, but stuff from back then is fairly fixable. Hopefully.

I'd like to think I can get a test run, maybe later this week.

You are correct. The shops will do anything from make it run to a total make new condition with fresh paint, bearings, and windings. I had my Bridgeport mill motor repaired to new.