Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion portable gas station restoration

My mother and brother and I have a portable steel gas station that was once located in a nearby town, and we would like to restore it. At this point, I've just begun conducting research regarding how it originally looked and what it will take to restore it. Does anyone know of other similar projects from which I can learn?

We have professional experience with the sandblasting, wiring, woodworking that will be involved. We lack the details of how these sorts of buildings were designed inside, regarding lighting, furnishings, typical colors, and signage. However we put this to use, it needs to have the look and feel that it originally had.

I'd appreciate any comments, tips, questions, etc. I think I'm including photos of the current condition and one from a local history book, but I'm not sure if I attached the files correctly.

This was taken from a local history book; I'm sure I can get the original for a high-resolution scan if necessary.


As the station currently sits in Mom's yard. We do have the doors, but none of the glass. The rust is superficial and will sandblast easily.

Most kit stations did not have insulation. Just a small stove to knock the chill till ya went back to work staying warm.

Check newspaper archives for Grand Opening/Re-Opening by new owner, Re-Branding, contest winner[s].

Right on. I'll keep a look out for a small woodburner. Now that you mention it, I remember a small circular patch on the roof that must have been for the hold chimney hole.

I've already gotten my money's worth out of this forum! Thanks, Dick!

Most likely instead of a full attic, it had more of a loft for storage.
Your local glass company will be able to cut glass to size & either them or you install.

Run an adv in local paper & hang notices at grocery/feed/hardware/farm stores that your looking for anything about the station. Talk to all Old Tymers in the area, they love to tell "How It Was Back Then". Get the word out what your wanting to do.

Your not far away from Des Moines, August 1 & 2 @ Airport Holiday Inn for Iowa Gas Convention & Swap Meet. BEWARE OF NO PARKING SIGNS ON SIDE STREETS.
Click link for last years pictures;
http://oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=266469&page=1

Consider Donating/Loaning to County/City Museum [Great Tax Write-off] &/or a Community Project w/ less money out of your pocket.

Ken, what I have done in the past is to go to the local "Main Library". There , a lot of times, they'll have old "Reverse Look up Commercial directories ". These books will on occasion even have a picture of a business . Usually, the owners name/s , address and weither they were White or colored too.

Now as to interior details , Dick said it best . These old places were VERY SIMPLE! I can re-post pictures of a couple of the scale model service stations I have already done for our State Historical society.

Ed Shaver

Don't Forget the Out Houses, His & Hers!

Regarding glass, would these buildings have used plain glass or would I need to look into having brand names etched or painted on any panes? I'd love to see your pictures of scale models!

I'm familiar with the library's records, which aren't always the easiest but I've found quite a bit of information for other projects there. My business records show me the name of the person who owned the real estate. I also have a few historians to talk with when we can find free time together, so I feel the specific history of this building is within reach.

I really want this project to respect the general use of all buildings of this type. I don't know if this station was unique in any way, so I'm hoping to learn more of that here. Considering its location in a Lincoln Highway town, placement in a local Lincoln Highway interpretive center is possible, and the vintage auto enthusiasts who drive through would love the photo op. An outhouse is also possible.

Typically it would have had Plain glass w/ maybe a few Paper adv placed on the evening sun side & maybe a promotional adv by front door.

Nice!.... good luck with the project.

The inside would have most likely had a desk and chair. Possibly a cash register, oil can rack, map rack, phone, radio, work bench, tools, basic auto supplies like batteries, racks w/ belts, wipers, etc...

Here's what the Farmer's Market in Los Angeles did with their Gilmore station...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluepupae/2835148062/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sanfrancisco2005/6253758162/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bluepupae/2835148126/

For Rainy or Cold Winter days, setup a Checker Board [1/2 played] on a 1/4 barrel w/ a couple of chairs.

Dick, wouldn't paper ads fade on the sunny side?

Excellent photos! We have some antique tools that dad left in various sheds, so I'll make sure we reserve those for the gas station project. We also have an old oil pump that we've always used for tractor oil, but it hadn't occurred to me that they could clean up as nicely as Gilmore's photos.

I'm sure paper ads on the sunny side were changed regularly back then, so whatever I may find for that would have to be replicated. Thanks for that point, Nicole.

Checker board: check.

Not sure if anyone has mentioned a period correct, calendar?

This is one,I have by my desk:





Also cardboard signs... were real popular in vintage stations....



Even more popular was cutting advertising out of magazines, like LOOK, LIFE, Saturday Evening Post and trade magazines... The small Flying A Station I worked at as a kid, had advertising from newspapers and magazines on the walls in the mid 60s....

A couple of examples of what I am talking about....



My favorite:




Small details can really bring out the atmosphere that you are hoping to recreate... We look forward to seeing photos of how the station progresses....

DUH!
Promo Adv were usually for a limited time, then something else would have been offered.

Thanks for the ideas! Now I'm thinking in the right direction. I spoke with the two most reputable historians lately and I'm going to visit #3 this week hopefully. I got a really great story about a drunk whom the county put up in the gas station for a number of years--then found out it was a different gas station. Not much more information yet.

I start an additional job tonight which will probably put this project on hold for a while. I'll be sure to post when I make more progress!