Oldgas.com Home  

Click here for Petro Porcelain Sign auction listings


Home | Help | Events | Auctions | Parts | Pictures | Links | Contact
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
#7997 Mon Sep 26 2005 06:49 PM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 625
Likes: 2
Petro Enthusiast
OP Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 625
Likes: 2
I purchased a real nice steel Mobilgas Special scriptop this weekend,only to find when I got it home that the script is different from the one I already have.(ouch!)The "a" in the word Mobilgas is closed rather than open.Does anyone know the time frame for this variation?Is there any chance of finding replacement scripts?I would even like to find a decent used set.I will try to post a picture,or get Doc or Hubba to help so you can see the difference.Thanks, Tim

------------------


Member #163
Please use For Sale forums to sell

Please - NO offers to Buy or Sell in this forum category

Statements such as, "I'm thinking about selling this." are considered an offer to sell.
#7998 Mon Sep 26 2005 07:08 PM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,110
Likes: 1
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 12,110
Likes: 1
HOW THIS FOR "QUICK?"......

TIM'S DILEMMA....



HOPE SOMEONE CAN SHED LIGHT ON THIS.....no pun intended!

DOC @ TAG.WEST


DOC @ THE AMERICAN GARAGE
#7999 Tue Sep 27 2005 06:02 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 671
T
Petro Enthusiast
Offline
Petro Enthusiast
T
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 671
If you refer to page 253 of the "Guide to Gas Pump Restoration" the Mobil Shields show BOTH the "Serif" A, and the "Round" A used between 1945 and 1955, without any reason as to why two different "A"s are used...

Where are the MOBIL guys?

#8000 Tue Sep 27 2005 08:46 PM
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
P
Moderator
Offline
Moderator
P
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 842
Likes: 2
The "serif" or open "a" is the older version......but I don't know the date of the change to the "round" or closed "a".


Richard Weir
Corinth, Texas
#8001 Tue Sep 27 2005 09:33 PM
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,275
Likes: 2
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,275
Likes: 2
I have been trying to get information about this, but no-one seem to know for sure. As for pump plates (shields) the most common plates started using the closed "a" in 1946. The open a was used on the key hole- and square tin plates as well as decals, before the war. The open a seems to be used after WW2 only in the more uncommon plates like aircraft, marine and some plates from the Magnolia area (which are hard to date properly).
If you look at plates available for sale, the open a is extremely rare and I have only seen it on ebay a couple of times since 1999 when I started to look.
In advertising, the change over was a couple of years later. I checked this on lots of ads sold on ebay a couple of years back, and the open a was common until 1948.

rgds,
Claes

[This message has been edited by fast66 (edited 09-28-2005).]

[This message has been edited by fast66 (edited 09-28-2005).]

#8002 Thu Sep 29 2005 06:05 AM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,142
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 1,142
**Wow I never knew they had two versions!!I have five script tops and never knew there could be a difference,how do you get the new inserts for that style,there not repoped are they??

#8003 Thu Sep 29 2005 07:42 PM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 625
Likes: 2
Petro Enthusiast
OP Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 625
Likes: 2
Petroholic,That's the problem here for sure.I don't think anyone repops these inserts.My only hope is to find a decent used set or maybe N.O.S.?(dream on!)Having new inserts would make this a nice rare variation that would probably be worth a tidy sum,but without them it's probably the most expensive bucket I've ever bought!LOL!By the way this is the second one I've owned.The last one had the inserts intact.

------------------


Member #163
#8004 Fri Sep 30 2005 09:23 AM
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 67
A
Active Member
Offline
Active Member
A
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 67
Making an insert should not be too hard or too difficult. Check your local yellow pages for vacuum formers, they may also be under sign shops or specialty packaging. The mold is relatively simple and the size isn't unreasonable so anyone with the vacuum form equipment could do a couple easily. Just use an extruded acrylic, polycarb or buterate not styrene.

#8005 Thu Dec 15 2005 10:05 PM
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 625
Likes: 2
Petro Enthusiast
OP Offline
Petro Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 625
Likes: 2
check out ebay auction #7204994843.Another example of the script top variation.I wonder if the high bidder knows how tough it's going to be to find inserts?

------------------


Member #163
#8006 Fri Dec 16 2005 08:20 AM
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 76
G
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
G
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 2,131
Likes: 76
Morning Tim there was a outfit in Portland that was doing a repo of the open style, maybe they can do the closed style also. The problem is I don't remember their name. You might check with Slama he might know. Richard

#8007 Fri Dec 16 2005 01:21 PM
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,791
Likes: 9
J
Veteran Member
Offline
Veteran Member
J
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 7,791
Likes: 9
Just for your information, back in the 1950s when one of the letters on these tops would break you could order just the broken letter, you didn't have to replace the complete insert. This applied for all Mibil, Conoco and Sunoco tops.
One more thing, years ago a collector called me up to tell me he had come across a Mobil scrip top that had a cutout of a Pegasus below the word Mobilgas. May have been an expermental, but it would sure be neat.
Jack Sim



[This message has been edited by Jack Sim (edited 12-16-2005).]


Author, 1st & 2nd editions of Gas Pump ID book, 3rd edition is now available at www.gaspumpbible.com
Air Meter ID book also available

Moderated by  Oldgas, Ryan Underthun 

Link Copied to Clipboard

Click here for Gas Pump auction listings

Copyright © 2023 Primarily Petroliana Interactive, All Rights Reserved

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5