Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana 36B stationlighter lesson!

Thought I'd share with everyone about the things I have learned during my experiences with Tokheim 36B stationlighters.
The journey started about 5 years ago when one of these elusive stationlighters popped up in front of me, and I bought it without a clue as to how to install it, or any of the additional parts that I might need!
I basically started with cleanup and asking questions like how, what, and where? It wasn't long before I learned that I would need a specialized top to mount this thing to, and a completely different lighting system that included a rather heavy cast iron mounting tower that went up inside the ad glass top! Now, the hunt was on!
I slowly gathered the necessary parts and along the way, was able to gather up 2 more stationlighters, a couple of bonnets and another mounting tower! I had always planned on putting this system onto a pump that I had previously restored, but decided against it, and located a pump nearby that needed a little work and was priced right.
I had all these parts and decided to pick thru them and select the best of the bunch to use and slowly sell off everything I didn't need to accomplish my goal. The parts were easy to sell off, and went to several people that needed different items for their own projects.
Like any long term project, I lost interest in it several times because of small problems that I didn't want to deal with at the time, or something else would pop up that got preference, and this project got pushed to the side for an unreasonable length of time. I resolved to finish it this spring, and with the help of a few friends along the way, it is finally done!
The parts gathering, and the body work, all took time, but there was a problem that had me stumped for the longest time! It had to do with the installation, and it was so simple, that I'm almost embarrassed that I couldn't figure it out!
When you are doing the installation, there is a logical order to these parts, and they have to be installed in that order for it all to go together properly. The light system and mounting tower get bolted onto the top casting, and then the specialized ad glass top goes on, and the pole with the bonnet next! All of that seemed very easy and my problem didn't start until the next phase!
To install the sheet metal, the main body of the tower comes in 4 main pieces. Two larger sections of the tower with the spears bolted on and slide mounts attached, and they simply bolt together with a few small screws! Next is the installation of the rest of the decorative spears that attach by slipping into the slots in the sheet metal tower, and locking in place with the slide mechanism that is inside the sheet metal tower!
THATS WHERE THE PROBLEM AROSE! The ends of the slide mechanism are now inside the ad glass top, with no manner to access them, and you have to be able to grab them and push up to allow installation of the decorative spears, and pull down to hold these spears in place???? I TRIED EVERYTHING! NOTHING WORKED! Common sense told me that the engineers didn't design this problem into the mechanism, that the problem was with me, and I couldn't figure it out!
I promptly got onto the phone with Dick Bennett and he explained that Tokheim actually made a 2 piece ad glass holder that would allow access to the underneath of the ad glass top, to solve this problem! He didn't have any but told me what they looked like, so I set off in search of this elusive item.
Talk about something that most have never seen or heard of!! I finally contacted Clinton Newell, and he knew exactly what I was looking for and happened to have an extra set. Time passed, and we finally got them shipped up here, so that I could finish this project up. You have to get the ad glass cut down to fit the frames, but installation is a piece of cake and allows very easy access to the underside of the top for effortless access to the wiring and the slide mechanism!
I'm attaching pictures that show these parts, and I'm always willing to help others if they have questions on this confusing apparatus called the Tokheim 36 B Stationlighter!!!!
Many thanks to the late Dick Bennett, Clinton Newell, John Kramer, and Owen Wright, whose help made it possible for me to finally finish this time consuming project!

Two piece ad glass holder.


Two piece holder installed into top.


Picture shows small centering tab that aligns these holders to the opening.


View of the top, looking across at the 2 piece holder installed.

More pictures

Top in place showing mounting tower that needs to be accessed.


Two piece ad glass frame with ad glass installed.


Back side of 2 piece ad glass frame with glass installed.


Two piece ad glass frame installed in top.

FINALLY FINISHED!!!!

Awesome pump... Well worth the wait !!

good story, looks good with the tower on the 36B
well worth the fight completely together-
are you going too paint it? ...

Well worth the wait and done right! Looks fantastic!!
Thanks for sharing!!

Excellent!

That is sharp Kevin . DB would have liked that you followed thru with the project . I bet he would have made some little witty funny commet as well like , now that it's done (don't let the grand kids use it as a tether ball pole) . Very nice looking pump!

Looks great Kevin.Thanks for the info on the ad glass holders. I wondered why they were diff on those tops.Makes sense now! Very cool pump! Mark

Sharp looking pump Kevin, nice to hear about Dick helping you out. Miss the old guy...

Great job, Kevin! Thanks for passing on the education of it all.

Awesome!! And thank you for the information Kevin.

Nice Job Kevin. It looks great. Thanks for sharing your knowledge. Stuff like the ad glass holders is pretty much impossible to figure out on our own, and so often simple when the key piece of info finally comes to light.

Nice job! I didn't think you could improve on the 36b design but that stationlighter does just that. Love it!

Looking good Kevin!!!!!

nice,it looks taller then a visable?

Looks awesome!

Kevin .. Restored a station lighter a couple of years ago .. Been sitting in the corner ..you now answered the question .. Ineed a top like that !!! Tom