Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion what color to paint a texaco globe

Its a beauty. I think if i were of the mind to have it look as new as possible simply for display reasons. Before I would paint the original. I would bye a plastic casing and store the original ring.

Personally I would just sand it down and get a can of fast drying enamel spray paint for $3.00 and paint it red. It won't hurt the value and make it look much better. I usually leave them but when they look this rough I paint them. I know some people spend $200 and put a car finish on it but they never looked that good. My idea makes them look about what they looked like NOS and no better. I doubt there are 5 people that would know what the actual correct red would look like. Fire engine red or any regular red will work fine...Just my opinion. Scott B.

Really agree to not mess with it. But, for sure its yours. Bought and paid for. Still I have to put my .02 in. The Black T globe is old. It's done its hard time and survived. If you want to spend a bunch of money to make it look like new, take it to get blasted, ect. ect. Why wouldn't you just buy a new body and stick that one in the closet or up in the attic? Then rattle can and maybe take the new paint look off with some #000 steel wool. IMO- later on, you will be glad you didnt destroy the original. Too many people see that guy on TV completely destroy and devalue killer stuff- then claim its worth more when he gets done. So much of this has been taking place during the last few years,original items that havent been monkeyed with are getting harder to come by. No offense and its just my opinion, but take that Independent globe for example-the new paint just doesnt look right on it-to me.

If you decide to change it, or get a repop frame and paint that in order to prserve the original, here it is with color. But to me this looks like a repaint itself. But who knows.
Whatever you do, please post pics once displayed!!

Or if you want it painted and similar to Scott's idea Try to match what would have happened back when it sat on top of the pump at the station, the owner would have given one of the guys a brush, a can of paint and a ladder to go out and paint the globe!!

Hi Mark, it's your globe. But IMO the lenses look mint and the body distracts the globe. If the lenses were faded I'd say leave it as is. Nothing worse than putting mint lenses in an aged body. If those lenses were original to body then there would be some aging of some sort to the lenses. The lenses look like NOS from an attic and installed in a good used frame. If you have any Texaco signs you can have the red computer matched and put in a rattle can. I still sandblast my originals, primer and then rattle can them, used to spray them before but the price of materials and then you have to clean out the gun, its not worth it. If the lenses are worn I leave the body or find a compatible used one. As far as the independent goes, it would look better in a real red. Finally, IMO mint lenses on a mint body, worn lenses on an aged body. Ted

My two cents is...Leave her original...another body or paint IMO would ruin its history...those lens are beautiful...Great find!!

I would leave it as is also , very nice globe that represents the past.

I am surprised with the amount of people suggesting to not paint it. I agree 100%
I thought the majority of the members on this site were all in favor of restorations. I was wrong.
I believe in leaving original painted items as found and have zero interest in owning items restored to look original.

Mark, your globe body... Is not "original"! It is rusty.

Such an item, would not have been allowed to be in such condition at a Texaco Station... Texaco Reps would have jumped all over a Station Manager for such an item!!!!

Anyone who actually worked/owned a Station during the time period of the 1930s to early 1970s... Will tell you the same thing...

Your body, looks as if it came off of an abandoned pump (except the lenses are not broken and/or faded out)...

That is the only instance where such a look would be the norm... Same with Ohio Oil's "Old School A38"...

Marathon Oil would fire any Franchisee or Manager of a "Company Store" that allowed one of their pumps to look like this one...

And if one worked in a Station during the 30s-60s... They would know 1st hand...

I was scraping, wire brushing and painting with a paint brush... Gas pumps, buildings, signage, restrooms, grease racks, air stations... etc... And they would have done the same!

Oil Companies would send in Company Reps at least every couple of Months to grade the Station... Plus, one never knew when a "Mystery Guest" would stop by the Station and file a report with the District Office...

Each Station was graded on everything and I mean everything... Appearance of the building and outdoor equipment... Appearance of the inside of the station including the Service Bays, Office, Restrooms and Waiting Area, if the Station had a separate area.. The Attendants were graded on their appearance, including clothing, if they needed a haircut and/or shave... The Station lighting was graded; was the entry and exit well lit? Was the pump area and air station lit well enough that someone could use them without problem? They even graded how clean and how well taken care of, were the private tools that the Mechanics used...

Every once and a while on Ebay, one will run across an Oil Company Station "Appearance Checklist"...

Like this one from Veltex Oil. Most likely it is from the 1940s:




So if the Oil Companies were so "anal" about ensuring that every facet of a Station made an "Outstanding Impression" on the Customer... Can anyone really believe they would allow anything rusty to be in front of their Customers?

The rusty look or patina look, if one likes... Is the look of an abandoned item... When I was a kid, my Dad and his friends called it: the "In the wild" look... I still call it that...

I agree with you Bob. Very good explanation on the miss use of the term "original". An abandoned pump left to weather in a field is not original nor is it a survivor. Another term that gets tossed around quite a bit to describe weathered pumps.

Thanks Bob for the great explanation of the term "original". I worked as a mechanic at a small Dodge dealership/gas station in the early 70's. One of my jobs in the springtime was repainting the gas pumps with a brush and Sears exterior paint. Nothing was left with rust on it.

Must agree with you there Bob. Should have used the term as originally found or out in the wild

interesting discussion...

so is it still 'technically' an original globe ring? just no longer an original 'Texaco' globe ring since the paint is gone?

...I'd leave it alone...you can always repaint it later...a shiny coat of paint on that body will detract from the vibrancy of the lenses, IMO, and it won't look as 'old'...