Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana Sign of the Month Feb 2007..............Barn, Scrap Heap, Garbage, Dump Finds

Well after a little break let's get back into it.

This month lets do signs that you literally found in a dump, took out of or off a barn, found in a dump or scrap heap; whatever.

Anything you have rescued from obilivion....

Here's a couple of my barn finds.........





More to come.

I found a Frigidaire sign in a dump recently. It's an old neon, totally wasted, but the porecelain signage is good. A few fresh inches of snow and the fact that it's at the bottom of a ravine keep me from getting it right now. It's not going anyware, but once the snow melts and I can get my hands on a cordless sawzall, it's going on my barn!!

COME ON, LETS SEE YOUR FAVORTITE "FINDS"....

I found this sign in a barn that belonged to a relative. He told me I could store something in this old barn. When I looked around there were 5 or 6 of these in the rafters holding up short pieces of lumber. He had totally forgotten about them years ago. He had bought them when he bought some shelving from an auto parts place that was going out of business back in the 70's. I bugged him and bugged him and bugged him and one day I stopped by his house and he had gotten them all down and had them at his house. He told me to pick out the best one and he also gave me one with a rusted hole in it that I hang outdoors.

I had my eye on this sign for years before finding out who owned it.It was on the side of an old rice mill in N.Ca.When i contacted the owner he said -"if you can get it down you may have it"! I and my 16 ft.ladder headed north at a high rate of speed! NH3--Anhydrous Ammonia

I found this one Literally Buried, only about 8 feet of the bottom of the pole sticking out of a hillside. Started disassembly and cleaning it today.





Mike

This sign was found in a trench by a backhoe operator digging utility trenches near the train station in San Luis Obispo, California. When I did historical research on the business I discovered that it was not far from where it was found. Had concrete splatters and looked like it had been used for a form for some concrete.



After clean up

Some of you will remember I rescued these from the Bulldozer. They were at a long abandoned Texaco bulk plant.
Chuck

Here is a link to my posting on Old Gas when I found them.
http://www.oldgas.com/shoptalk/ubb/Forum1/HTML/007548.html

This sign was found at the dump in Arvada CO 10 years ago, I wish I had been the one to find it:


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Scott Wright-
http://www.frontrangegas.com/powerine.htm

FOUND AT A BARN SALE BACK IN OCTOBER....DIRT CHEAP!

BEFORE:


AFTER A COUPLE HOURS OF PAINT REMOVER AND LACQUER THINNER:


I KNOW IT'S NOT GAS AND OIL, BUT STILL JUST SHOWS TO GO YA WHAT'S STILL OUT THERE!

~DOC

Guys:

Some of you have seen this one before - but for those of you that are new, here's my Polarine sign.

This procelain sign had been made into a work table. It was part of the 'property' when I bought my old farmhouse.

I didn't know the table was a gas/oil sign, I just used it in my shop.

Well one day I'm rolling out from under one of my cars and happen to look at the bottom of my work table. I saw the word 'oil' and immediately dropped what I was doing and took the top off of the table. A bit of cleaning and a fairly nice sign emerged.

Of course, then I had to do a pump to match - and a lubester - and a transfer can - and start collecting oil bottles and a rack. LOL



Later . . .

Jim

"CYCLOPS!"


~DOC

These signs were used as flooring in a root cellar. That is one EXPENSIVE floor:


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Scott Wright-
http://www.frontrangegas.com/powerine.htm

heres one that maybe should have been left buried in the leaves and crapola in the former owners backyard ... sorry... first sign i ever got....

Wow, some great finds.

Doc, that was a score for sure. Love those Powerlube signs. Can't believe they were used as a floor. Great Polarine Sign!!

Kmann, nothing wrong with that sign. Would look nice on a barn or shed.

So this is all we have found?!?!!

Come on I know there is more great stories and finds out there. 5000+ members.

These two came out of a local junkyard. The chevy is 100% original except for the neon. The GMC was just the sign, no can no neon.





This one was found by our friend Don in a barn.


This one was rescued from a barn too.

Sorry heres the right pic of the GMC sign.

I think I just had a coronary.........

Here's one from my buddy mr-f100-89.

He found it while hunting about 20 years ago. I am sure some of you will know were you might have read this before. Believe it or not there are still a few around this area............

Wow guys keep em' coming. That Chevrolet neon was found in a junkyard!?!?! WOW. Beautys, all of them.

Here's another more humble one. I rescued this one from the floor of this old guys barn. It was partially covered in dirt. You just can't leave this stuff lying in the dirt....no matter how damaged.

"LIGHTS OUT BEFORE ENTERING".

That brings back a lot of memories. We still have a couple of those around here also.

Wonder how many of our younger members know where that is from?

Here is a clue, it is where they hold submarine races......lol.
Chuck

Ya gotta love the drive in?

Submarine races were when you were parked by the lake.

LARRY

I am never sure that what I try to do will work, but here goes. about ten years ago a friend of mine that knew I collected petro. called and said he had something for me, if I was intrested.This is a TRUE, story.He was installing a new septic tank in Weldon Ill. and when the contractor dug down to the lid, he discovered it was covered by not one, but two, Shell porcelain signs, sandwiched together. I could buy them if I would get a temporary lid to cover the hole while they worked on it.I did think quickly enough to get a polaroid camera to take a picture before I removed the signs. this is a pic. of them in the ground, and after I did a rough clean up.Which by the way is not not for someone with a weak stomach. The signs were mfg. by Artcraft, dated 11-37. There were condition problems, but the story, is almost as good as the find. I kept the sign for about 5 years, and eventually traded it to an avid Shell collector, Greg Harris, for a really nice Cities Service sign which I wanted. This is about as rough and dirty as it gets. thanks Norm Huff.

Great topic, SUPER SIGNS SAVED!

This was my second sign, I was just getting into gas/oil habit and was telling a friend about the stuff, turns out he had found this in the middle of the woods while surveying. He had taken it home and put it under his work bench in case he ever needed a chuck of steel that size. It had been there a couple years and he was happy to give it to me to get it out of his way.



HAGD

We used to call them the "Passion Pit"!
The VCR and daylight savings time kind of did a number on them.
My wife's mother never liked it when we went there.LOL
Rod van Pelt

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Here are my finds.

The Imperial sign was found in a junk yard in Missouri. It is a little over 7 foot tall.


These Brake Service & Tires signs are from Goodyear. I have the sign that says Goodyear but some of it is cut off & it is covered in paint.



This 6ft Texaco was found on a farm covering a well. The other side is gone with no porcelain left.



This 30in Champlin was found on a farm in southern IL.



Not petro but this Janitrol Heating lexan sign was found in a dumpster by a co-worker of mine. It is cool anyway.

Heres a couple from our friend Tom Stover. The Carboard 1930 sign was saved from heading to the trash can when the General Petroleum Museum was being dismantled..the Minute man "Taco" was bought at freds for 5 bucks ..LOL..He now has two of these rare signs..who can say that..LOL



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Hubba: GAS GEEK , OIL FREAK and humble moderator

Hubba.....you didn't mention how proud Tom was of that sign too. I can't believe he still has it. LOL


Craig

Craig, it came in handy last week as a snow plow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! See you two Thursday!!!