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#154413 Fri Oct 02 2009 02:57 PM
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How do you display your unrestored pumps? More specifically:

Do you just mix them in with your restored pumps and high grade signs?

Have any of you designed a display layout featuring unrestored pumps along with unrestored snak machines,lower grade signs and old battery racks and so on where the theme is "rust is a color"?

That's what I'm doing in responce to interest from the general public who like the unrestored and/or rough stuff because "that's what it really looked like".

What do you think? Any thoughts or ideas would appreciated.I'm not sure its worth the time and effort to put that whole thing togather. Thank you for your time.

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I've seen old pumps shown this way and it would be O K with me to do so provided that you want to convey to the viewer ' A feel for what was " . Ed Shaver


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Unrestored pumps are fine to be displayed outdoors, in my opinion, but if you are going to go to the troble of displaying one indoors, it should be restored.


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I think unrestored look good outstide. But it depends on how rough they are unrestored to display them inside. Sometimes they really stink like gas, even with the pump, meter, and motor removed.

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I have a restored pump in the house, but I really like unrestored pumps in the shop/outdoors. I think unrestored pumps/racks/lubesters look great displayed with nice signs, globes, cans etc. JMO

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Thanks guys. It's clear that I'd explain my situation.My display facility is open to the public because I enjoy meeting new and interesting people,exposing them to the possibilities in our great hobby and helping those who wish to get started. Several visitors are now very active in the hobby building very good collections with a variety of interests.

My facility has two seperate buildings. The main showroom displays restored pumps,high grade signs, globes and so on in a clean, organized setting. The shop is a rustic old shop building complete with tin roofing walls,used lumber,partial dirt floor, barrel stove and all. Total contrast with showroom. Some visitors prefer the shop setting because they see it as the way that it was.

My thought is to change the shop displays by showing more unrestored pieces that would have been around a service station. Hence, more rust is a color in the shop.

My aim is to promote the hobby by showing two seperate and very different displays to appeal to the different interest expressed by visitors.

Hope that helps to explain the reason for my questions.

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I would agree with what has been said. But I can also add that if a pump still looks good with the original paint on it I see no problem displaying it in the house. You would just have to make sure that all the old guts are taken out & that the pump has been cleaned good inside & out. You dont want to bring spiders,bees or other bugs & gas odors in the house! The boss would NEVER EVER let you live that down!!!!!! eek


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A rusty and an unrestored pump are two seperate pumps, in my opinion. A service station owner would never allow his pumps to be displayed rusty. Or atleast none that I ever saw and I traveled quite a bit from the 60s on. The places I worked at, made sure that their pumps displayed well, just like the rest of the station and the attendants. I worked in these stations from the mid to late 60s. Gas was plentiful and cheap. There seemed to be a station on most every street, in some places on every corner and sometimes in between. Stations were so plentiful that Oil Companies and stations, waged war against each other. Promotions were the norm and were geared towards all members of the family, especially mom and the kids. So a great looking station was the norm, not the exception. Our coveralls were expected to be clean each day when we started work. If one didn't work in the service bay they were expected to be clean all day long. If they became "soiled" we had an extra pair to put on. We painted the pumps twice each year with "touch ups" in between. We wiped down the pumps continously. With so many stations, service and "curb appeal" did make a difference. Now pumps did get abused and "beat to hell", but they better never be rusty on the outside. Or like I said, at least the owners of the stations I worked at never would have allowed such a thing.


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I think they look good mixed. Just add globes and decals and they fit in better with the restored ones.






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There ya go perfect example with Matts display of pumps smile


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I have this one right in the front room!


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Hey Old Iron, any pictures or your facility? I'd love to see it.


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Thanks Rick and Matt for pictures of your unrestored pumps. Both are great displays and show what I have in mind much better than I could explain it.

Perhaps "rust is a color" conveyed the wrong message. I'm not working with rust buckets. More like Rick's Shell and Matt's Standard on the left. All the pumps have enough remnant paint and old weathered decals on them to tell the last brand they were used with;APCO, Bay and Fina. All I plan to do is replace any broken glass, add globes if they are fitted for them and make them light up. Looks like that's what both Rick Matt did. That answers one of my questions. It's definitly worth the time and effort to do it. How about "a little bit of rust is OK" if it's still in displayable condition?

The same description would apply to other items aimed at the display including AC and Champion spark plug cleaners, Atlas battery rack, wringer barrel and some snak vending machines.No junk, just unrestored; something like what they looked like when they stopped using them.

It's my intent to demonstrate to visitors that it is OK to build a display around unrestored items and how to do it.

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Like dodo always said........ "they're only ORIGINAL once".

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My wife bought me an Erie 743 from 54' and now, a year and a half later, we have 6 restored throught the house. They all look great. Every neighbor and friend loves them both women and men and my wife regrets ever buying the first one. I say, pack them in there and deal with the consequences later.


Kris Strong
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