Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana My First Fry 77 *******Thanks to Craigslist

Responded to a Craigslist ad yesterday for a 700 series Bennett pump and agreed to buy it. I ask the old question, have any more pump around? The lady said yes follow me, went around a clump of trees and there sat a Fry 77. The only problem it had three tree growing through the access panels on the bottom. She made me a good deal on both and three hours later I had them both on the trailer. Heres a few pictures of the process....Enjoy....











Old truck on the property

awesome, congrats. great story.

i pulled a 36b out of the sand with a tractor, had no doors or top...looked around a bit and seen a corner of a door stickin out dug them out of a ft of sand and unbelieveably they were in goond condition. never did find the top. chris

Yes congrats on the buys. Did you yell timber when the Fry went over LOL

NICE FIND AARON!IS THAT YOU DOING THE WORK OR JUST TAKING THE PICTURES!COOL STORY.

cggas
Might have had a glass top, a lot of 36B's did.
[I've never been to In.] ! LOL

I yelled "FINALLY".....I was at it for 3 hours and getting very tired....Anyway it was lots of fun

Hi Mark,

Thats me doing the work, the owner of the property helped also while my daughter was taking the pictures.

What did you end up paying for the fry?

Looks like you got one of the hard to find pump nozzle holders for it too - on the back of it. And it has a pumping handle - PS - that handle is held on with a screw that you can see, then a set screw on the bottom or top also holds that screw in too - sand blast that area then use lacquer thinner to find the set screw hole – it will evaporate everywhere but in the cracks of the set screw first showing the area you will need to work on – then heat up the set screw cherry red – let cool and un-screw – be careful – it is screwed into brass.


FYI
You can get the right parts for that pump from Ron Scobie at gaspump.com


Travis
Topeka, Kansas

thats awesome!

Great story, greater pictures. Have fun!

Is the truck for sale?

cool pics!!mother nature dont mess around!!congrats on your find.

Travis,

Thanks for the advise, this is my first Fry and will have lot of questions. I would like to start with finding the parts to complete it and enjoy it as is for a while. Anyone have a 13 5/8" x 22" glass cylinder for sale?

I did not ask if the old truck was for sale, the owner made a comment when I took the picture that it was his dads back in the day. Just assumed he wanted to keep it.

I just talked to Ron Scobie today and I think he said he has some of that 13/58 glass for them on hand.

Before you mess with that Fry too much – study it.

Be very careful with those aluminum “center pipe” regulator handle nuts – no one makes them and they will melt right off if you heat them up.

Bend the original rivet head cylinder rods back straight or contact me for the blacksmith that makes them – no one else has them or makes them.

If you need to free up your pump works – it is easy – just remove the handle – take off the lead packing nut, pull out the packing spring, pull out the packing and the pump should turn, then repack with graphite and tighten till the handle will stand up straight.

Let me know if you have any questions about that fry - I have done about 60-75 of those - no joke – that is my all time favorite pump - I know them inside and out. When I find them like that I pay about 200 bucks.


Travis
Topeka, Kansas

neat! a great story!