Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana Restoring a Gilbarco 906 Pump (my first project)

While I`ve got a few pumps on the go right now, this is the one that`s cooking along now. It`s the first of many pumps I plan to restore and this one is sorta special as it`s being done to match my 55 Chevy with custom paint, a custom globe, and custom ad glass. The pump is a Gilbarco 906 pump that I found down in Cut Bank Montana last June. After it sat around for a while, I finally got it stripped it down and dropped the frame off for powder coating last week.

Back in July, I dropped the skins and the doors off to my painter and he did the sides and roof section in black, while painting the doors metallic silver. I then took all the stainless out for polishing and had a few other pieces plated so it can all start going back together looking like new. Well today I got the base and the frame back from the powder coating shop and tonight was a good stretch to get most of the frame built back up.

It shouldn't be long before this starts to look like a pump again, and this ones a lot of fun because it`s my first pump restoration being done from scratch. Although it was a pretty clean pump to begin with, I blasted the entire frame and powder coated it before putting it back together with all new fasteners, restored rubber bushings, and freshly painted parts. As soon as I`ve got the hose and the Veedo-Root ready to go, I`ll get it wired up and will start hanging the painted panels back onto the frame. Next up will be to get the custom globe and the ad glass made up, and I`m thinking a custom decal will be done for the door as well. All in a TriFive GM Theme.

I`ll post more pictures when it`s completed, and I`d like to thank Dave Gill for some encouraging tips he gave me a couple weeks ago. He suggested I tear the frame right down, do it right, and put it back together with all new hardware. Sure makes it easy with all new bolts and versus restoring the ones that were on the pump. Thanks Dave!

Owe you beers!


(as found June 2012)


(unmolested original in clean condition)


(the computer was looking like brand new in there)


(sand blasted in August 2012)

(The frame off to get powder coated in silver and the base in black)


(thread chasing the holes after powder coating the base)


(metallic silver powder - looks great)


(bolting it together with new fasteners)

(the mid plate before the Veedo-Root computer goes back on)


(banging it back together)


(the frame was primed in zinc powder before being painted)


(here`s the doors while they get the trim fastened back up)

Stay tuned for more in the next week or two.

Keep it up Graeme! I love theme painted pumps! Nice that your taking the time for detail and perfection of everything!

That's looking, GREAT!

Got the VR cleaned up, lubricated and installed, and added the first side panel so I could see it with some color going on. Going to wire it up tomorrow then start with the rest of the sheet metal. Here's a couple shots with the polished handle and the stainless trim on the nozzle side. It's coming along nicely now.


(Gilbarco handle polished by the King of Bling)


(Starting to look like a pump again)

Got back onto the little black pump tonight and wired some new porcelain light sockets in before running new power to it all. I then mounted the hose, installed the rest of the sheet metal and added the original porcelain face plates to the VR. Next up is the door trim, the rubber seals and all of the door glass. The lenses in the globe are just temporary. More later...

Very nice restoration! Can't wait to see it beside the Chevy :-)
//Claes

Looking good. Im doing a 996 right now.

It won't be long. The pumps complete now with door glass, seals and trim back on it. Now I have to order up some custom made globes and some ad glass for it, and get a decal made for a pump plate. Can you say Double Nickel Gasoline!

Hello. Very nice work....and garage. I have to ask, although unrelated to the pumps, but what kind of floor do you have? Looks very nice and sanitary. Thanks. Steve.

Thanks Steve...

The flooring is Race Deck and the style is free flow which is perforated and allows liquids and dirt to drop through the top surface so that nothing gets trapped below. I just pull out the shop vac once in a while and most everything sucks right back up through the surface to keeps it clean. They come in 12x12 tiles and snaps together in a couple hours. You can add designs as I have done or whatever suits your fancy. Check out their website to see more and build your own pattern to calculate what you need for tiles or patterns. Price is right and it goes with you if you move.

http://www.racedeck.com/freeflow.html

Thanks for the response. Nice stuff! Regards. Steve.