Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Powerine / Bearcat Pump theme on 39 Short

Hi All,

I was recently given a Tokheim 39 Short as a gift to restore from a friend. I have been looking into doing one for awhile, and have been trying to decide on what theme to go with for paint and decals. I have seen many "Firechief" pumps and all the rest of the more trendy themes. I would like to do something different, but also want it to make sense. For example, I saw the Powerine Bearcat, and instantly thought it was the coolest graphic out of all of them. I'd love to do my pump in with this brand and glove, but am not sure that it would 'match up'. I have done a little reasearch, but it seems they use a lot of visibles or other different types of pumps with this brand. Any Powerine fans know if using a Tokheim 39 Short would 'comply' with restoration standards? All help is greatly appreciated!!!

I'm no expert but that would be awesome!!! I think the Bearcat is cool too. Do the pump the way you want and it will turn out right. I love 39's and I am doing mine in Chevron but the pump will be painted to match my shop, Hunter green and a cream color.
Do the Bearcat, makes perfect sense to me and make sure to post pictures.
Mike

Do it!

Powerine was around until the 50's. Tokheim 39's were a very commonly used pump.

Larry

When I got my Globe and Decals I put the decals on magnetic material so they could be moved to other pumps if I chose to change them. Here is a pic of my short 39 that I posted on old gas back then.




I have since put the Bearcat on my Tokheim 850

[This message has been edited by st.rod (edited 07-31-2008).]

[This message has been edited by st.rod (edited 07-31-2008).]

This is a very good idea for change the looks, however I prefer that restoration respect the original methods.
Compliments for the pump.

Enrico

Jacob, first of all welcome. Good to see another PNW collector, here. It has been stated before and will be again, that there is no Gas Pump Police. If one likes a certain pump in a certain "wrapper", go for it. A good portion of old/older pumps have more than one company logo on them. Pumps were/are expensive and they were used until they almost fell apart. I worked at an independent station as a young man, we painted the pumps using house paint. I only have 1 pump so far, I have fought temtation, it is a G&B trimline. It had at least 4 different company logos on it each painted over as the market place changed. It looked as if it had been at times painted by both brush and "rattle can". Traveling NW backroads, one can still see early pumps with newer computers and face plates cut so the owner can still use it in the face of gas prices over $1.00. My trimline is one that has a cut up face plate. Go for it and let us see the completed pump.

I love the bearcat pumps! I can't wait to see yours when you are done.


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

Hey thanks for the good replies guys. Larry, that picture you posted is like looking into the future! Thanks! I think I would like to do a black and red on mine, but the same logos would be used. Does anybody have good leads to graphics and globes for bearcat? I emailed the T-way graphics guy, and he said they only do like one-off stuff for customers and that he couldn't do a repeat of the nice globe I saw. Where did you get your stuff Larry?

Here is a pic of the pump now:

Oh no!!! I can't allow you to redo a Chevron pump. Once it has been Chevron it has to stay.

In fact it belongs next to mine so it can have baby Chevrons.

When is a good time for me to come get the pump? I'll give you pick of the litter so you are actually getting a good deal.
Mike

Haha! That's hilarious! Naw, can't part with it. My buddy basically knew I was looking and irritated by the inflated prices on tired old pumps and he found this one for a great price from a friend. He then just gave it to me, so I will never sell it, I want it for the reason this hobby was started, the love of petroliana, not to make a buck. As a result, I will keep it as long as possible.

Here's mine:







I also had a set of lenses run, different Bearcat though.






I know of one person that has a set of the first ones that he might let go of, I'll check and see if I have anymore of the other Bearcat.

Brian

Bob, your history is very interesting and it sounds curious read that you painted pumps using house paint when company logos changed. You say that for you is not important the logo and that has been stated before and will be again, that there is no Gas Pump Police. It depends of point of wiew, personally I think that is important the preservation of the history. For some pumps that has changed company logo many times its not important but for other yes. I have a Wayne 60 that operated like Atlantic and I could never change the logo because is its history. For me change his original logo correspond as a sacrilege or a desecration. I think of how many men, women and children will have seen his livery over the years and now thinking about this I am very fascinated that is still the same.
What was the name of the independent station company you worked as young man?

Enrico

BLange: your Wayne pump is amazing, a true masterpiece!
Now you have made me fall in love to bearcat...
Is bearcat a fantasy animal or really exists?

The image I did is a repoduction of an original, yes they made both.

Larry Ivy did the resto on the 40A, just got it from him at Iowa Gas. It looks even better in person.

Having a Wayne 40 done in the regular Bearcat, they should look good together.

BL

Enrico, the station I worked at started out as a Flying "A"/Tydol station. The station wasn't in a very good location and didn't get a lot of business. So we were dropped. We tossed the Flying "A" signage, painted over the overhead sign and pumps and became a "Gas for Less". The owner bought gas from which ever jobber had fuel left over. So we could get fuel from 2 or 3 different jobbers in one day, so they wouldn't have to carry it back to Portland. Gas was 29.9 back then and it was plentiful like you wouldn't believe. I commend you on wanting to keep your pump with it's original wrapper, but what if it had 2 or 3 or 5 different wrappers through the years? Isn't the important thing perserving the pump, keeping it out of the "scrapman's" hands? So my opinion, and mine only, is do whatever you want with a pump. If you want a fantasy wrapper, go for it. Want to change it into a clockface, go for it. Want to turn it into a tv cabinet, go for it. If it didn't have a globe on top add one, if you the owner wants it. The important thing is the junkman didn't get his hands on it and it still has a useful life. Oh, I can't speak for all "shoestring" stations, but most of the people I have talked to that worked at one, have the same stories. They used whatever paint was avail to ensure that the pump and station would last another year. And most were painted using a brush. Pumps got beat up, doors opened up into them, people drove and backed up into them, gas spilt from nozzels on them. They lost that "showroom" luster in a real hurry. It is good that you want to keep a little "piece" of American Service Station history alive, but remember these pumps and stations were working 7 days a week, most of them for at least 16 hours a day. They weren't showrooms, but working stations and garages. Our coveralls weren't always white, our hands weren't always clean and sometimes we didn't have a cheerful smile on our faces when a customer drove up. Especially, if we had just dropped a starter on our hand or got burnt from oil draining from the crankcase. Or the one I liked the most, getting knuckles "barked" removing the sparkplugs in the back of the engine and/or laying your arm on a hot exhaust.


[This message has been edited by Bob Richards (edited 08-01-2008).]

I found the Bearcat decal, on a pump, that I picked up here in Colorado. Scott Wright, our resident "Powerine" guy, had the decal reproduced, as well as a globe with the same logo. Check here, for a Company history feature that Scott did for us. http://www.oldgas.com/shoptalk/ubb/Forum4/HTML/001432.html
You'll see lots of pictures in there. As far as the decals & globes, there should still be some available...... Somewhere...