Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Tokheim/National 300

Hello OG members...

Have been reading this website for a while to learn about gas pumps and finally joined up. Recently found a few nice condition gas pumps with all their parts and only minor dings. I plan on restoring these as time allows, these awesome pumps are what I call "Industrial Art". Such a great piece of Americana. What I have now is 2 Tokheim 39DP tall (4 ad glass) and a Tokheim 39 short and just picked up a National 300. It seems to be identical to the Tokheim 300 but has the National stainless steel band across the top. One of the 39 tall has a nice patina that I'll leave alone for now. This 300 is now stripped to the frame. This is going to be a complete tear down, it's going to the sandblaster and the frame getting powder coated. I'm going to try for a Gulf racing theme gas pump. It is a little ambitious since I haven't done restoration on a gas pump yet. I work for Los Angeles Fire and firemen are good at tearing stuff apart, not always so good at putting it all back together. Hence my girlfriends kitchen is in the middle of a remodel. Now... here is my question that you can see from the photos.

This 300 model pump has the weighted disc that helps return the hose. Do I need to keep this piece? It's a lot of extra weight that I just as soon remove. Is it really necessary to have the hose return if it is mostly a static display? I understand keeping the guts is mostly a personal preference but not sure what to do with this piece and is it important to keep it original?

Thank you for any advice and replies, David
ps. having a hell of time trying to get the sight glass round slot head screws out... any advice?

The National weight is different than a Tokheim weight. I prefer to keep the weight and ad a new hose retractor cable (available at all the reproduction part suppliers). It doesn’t matter a whole bunch, but if you don’t use it you’ll have a slot on the side of your pump with nothing coming out of it (serving no purpose). I think it looks better complete with the hose retractor and ball.

Your pump is gutted, therefore it’s already lightened significantly. The weight doesn’t add that much weight to the pump. You said you’re a fireman, right?? JK.... lol

As for the round-head sight glass screws.... those are by far the hardest screws to get off of every National or Tokheim 39 or 300. I usually use Free-all penetrating fluid applied every day for a couple days, and then I use heat as well. Be careful when using a torch. The old gas that can be in the manifold and the penetrating fluid are flammable and it’s also easy to crack the sight glass if it gets too hot. You can always buy a repop sight glass if that happens.

Hope this helps,
Steve

If you are looking for information about your pump just go to this section of my website: http://petrolianacollectibles.com/tokheim%20pumps.htm

Just click on the model number of the pump you have, same with the National.

I am also the author of the new Gas Pump Identification book: www.gaspumpbible.com

Jack Sim

When I restored my National I kept the weight to return the hose.

Try picking up a little tool called impact driver, comes with a few bits which you hammer the head to turn stubborn screws. Harbor Freight, I'm not sure what's in your area.