Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums New Members & Non-members Welcome New Members New member / wayne 50 past issues

I am nervous and skeptical about joining this group but I have been through worse so here I go.
My name is Chris Berman and I am a former Navy SEAL turned designer and manufacturer after an event 19 years ago this coming March 31st that killed some buddies.
About 8-10 years ago I was approached by a BIG TIME collector in your world and asked if I could replicate an antique pump and not much of a guy to run from a challenge I did and I believe I did a very good job.

Here is the issue while I was quietly producing about a dozen pumps in the background two arrogant asses were out shooting their mouths off about what a great job “they or he” did in replicating the pump.
Well I have read the posts and embarrassed to have been any part of their arrogant actions. Based on what I have seen and I have probably only seen the tip of iceberg its safe to say they/he is not a welcome person in the community.

Well if it makes anyone feel better they stole the first replica I made which I truly wanted to keep for myself so they were rude in here and stole from me.

Well here is what I want to get out to everyone. I reverse engineered the Wayne 50 Circa 1935 and believe I did a very respectful job on it. It was never meant to be an original and never meant to fool anyone. I was told those pumps are in collections and are very rare and its almost impossible get one and a lot of people would appreciate the ability to own a high quality replica.

From the outside its very difficult to tell its a replica but there are ways to check for authenticity and I want to share that with all of you so nobody is ever lied to.

There is no computer in display top only a frame with wheels on it that you can turn to set the cost of fuel. So removing a faceplate will reveal an empty area with no guts. REPLICA

In the very bottom the original pump has a cast iron base with specific area to mount the fluid pump. Mine you remove and of the 4 bottom panels and you will see a welded base with no place to mount anything and it also has manufacturing name and phone welded in so again open up bottom and you will see clearly its a reproduction. There is no plumbing in mine to move liquid to top assembly. REPLICA

My original pump rumor has it was purchased by some in Michigan and they will know its the first one as it has no lights in it. Whoever owns that pump owns a stolen pump by no fault of theirs. I do not want the pump and I dont want to cause any issues over the pump but I would like to offer whoever owns it a light kit for it so their display pump has lighting.

You can reach out to me if you have any questions. Please do consider I made pumps for 2 guys that were jerks and I am in no way affiliated with them. I want to do right by the world of gas memorabilia and do not want anyone getting chested out there.

I am prepared to post pictures of exactly how to verify the authenticity or in my case the lack of if anyone feels they would benefit from further details.

I am very proud of the job I did just not proud to have been associated with the people that were the face of the Wayne 50 replicas.

Thanks
Chris B

Chris, Welcome to Oldgas, and thank you for your service.

Welcome, thank you for being clear!

Welcome to Oldgas.com. Thanks for your service to our country.

Thanks for taking the time to explain the situation and to point out the way to recognize your replica pumps. We really only have a problem with unmarked reproductions that are represented to be authentic originals. Looks like you never wanted to be part of that scheme. I love the welded ID in the base.

Please post photos as we'd love to see them.

On the post submission form, click on "Attachment Manager" to upload photos into your reply to this thread.
http://www.oldgas.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=703369

welcome aboard .. ...

Welcome

welcpme to OLDGAS

Thanks for nice greetings.

If you enlarge the picture of the base you will see its a welded structure not a cast iron base. The center cross member if you look has name, date and serial number laser cut in to metal welded to center.
The picture with the wheels with numbers shows there are no guts/computer in replica.
The two red and white pumps are an original next to first pass at replica. The one with the white post and white brackets for shelf glass is replica.
The blue one is just one in a color someone requested.
My favorite is orange with black which I saw pictures with Oilzum advertising on it but I have also seen orange and black with Firestone advertising.

Other easy way to determine if its a replica is lift the pump handle and the brace it sits on that you would normally lift to activate pump wont do anything its just for looks and not connected to anything.

Also if you enlarge picture of the two red pumps side by side if you look inside the base of original you will see the cast iron base with mounting provisions for pump. Very big difference behind the base panels and inside the top between original and replica.
Funny thing is the replica does not have one single component that would allow for the pumping of any liquid. Very accurate on outside but just an empty shell.

Majority of display parts are true to dimension and can even be bolted directly in to an original being restored.
Compatible items would be 4 bottom panels, bottom display shelf, upper cover inside display above shelves, 4 vertical corner covers that support glass shelves, center post, center post shelf brackets, window frames, top of display where top display sits, display faces, display face cover with glass and just a few parts from top.

I didn't write that last paragraph in an attempt to sell anything cause I am not making anything. I was just trying to give an idea of the effort and accuracy that went in to this.

When I retire which is hopefully in next year or two I very well may decide to build some of these because I cant sit still😂

Now I know you true collectors will wish evil upon me for what I am about to say😂 but I would love to figure out how to make the display section a refrigerator so I could put beer in it so I could have that in my workshop.

Two more images for authenticity. Red pump is original with computer and blue in is replica with nothing real inside besides LED lighting.

Greetings from Nebraska.
Interesting post.

Greg