Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Price of Restoration???

Can you really do one for under a G-note??


Realistically if you do will it hold up and will you truly enjoy it??

Would someone actually pay for it and be proud??

You get out of it what you put into it...IMO..

well said I agree 100%
Brandon

I do them all the time for under a grand. M/S mobil for 500,bowser exacto sentry for 785,tall tokheim for 675,groetken visible for I think it was 800.I have done all of these pumps for a guy that lives in Kansas and owns an oil company.His name is Dale Lybarger and he seems to be very happy with all my work I have done for him.If you want to ask him give me a call and I will get you his phone number or I can send pictures of my work or better yet you can see it for yourself.What do you guys charge for you hourly labor,I charge around 12 dollars because I enjoy it very much.I do the inside and the outside also!

I guess I should have clarified my hourly price.I charge this guy 12 as I do alot of work for him and when I do cars or other guys pumps it is the 15 hour rate.

Are you talking about labor only or what?
We do a pile pumps each year for around a grand LABOR, but when you add in paint and materials, sandblasting, parts, plating etc, that is where the coin comes in. And secondly only if you are talking about basic electrics (M&S 80, Benny 766, Tok 300/39, etc.)

Hey Zach,Your brother bought 4 clocks from me last week,it was nice talking to him and doing good business with him also.First of all as we discussed you guys send most of your work out,sandblasting and paint,right?I do all my own work so I dont have to pay all that labor to these guys.Seth told me that your painters dont cut you guys any slack,even on the new sheetmetal.They get 45 an hour I guess as I charge at the most 15,big difference.I get most of my paint from oriellys stores cheap by buying the screw ups they mix up,usually whites but sometimes reds.I have only done mobil to help everyone understand.This also saves a boat load.I already have everything to do all the bodywork and paint(tools) also.Seth said you guys send this out so this adds to your bill dramatically for sure.I usually have the pump owner buy all the resto from you(200 to 250)I put it together myself with new brass screws,which I have a family member that works where they are made,so no money out there and its done,hopefully without any scratches.I dont get rich but I alraedy have a good job.I do this for fun and a little extra petro money.I am swamped with work as we speak,I had to have my 69 conv camaro done by my friend,thats how busy I am.So far my work has been appreciated as I know alot of your has.Anyway thanks for your resto items and keep up the good work.

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I think the question on this thread was can you do a pump restoration for under a thousand dollars, which opens a whole new bag of snakes, i.e. how far do you go in the resto, do you do your own paint, etc, etc. We just received an order for a National A62 to be done in Fire-Chief.

For starters, there's the tear down. When we do this we have boxes for Plate, Polish, Paint, Powder-Coat....the 4 P's. We pull the computer out, we pull both the light manifold and the sight-glass manifold as well. So if you don't run into any snags and the pump is already gutted, an average take apart should take 2-3 hours. You can throw caution to the wind and just rip the pump apart tearing up and losing God knows what and do it quicker, but let's say 2-3 hours.

Then there's blasting (we do all this in-house). Sand-blast the panels & bead blast the small parts is going to require an additional 2-3 hours or $150 or so if you don't have your own units.

Then comes the body-work & paint on the A62 which we farm out. With materials (2 qts of paint, hardener, reducer, primer, etc) and labor this going to run about $500+.

Then there are pieces that will be polished (in-house), plated (farm out) and powder-coated (farm-out). I like to powder-coat the nozzle hanger and receivers so they don't chip out when people fiddle with the nozzle. So here you will have maybe an hour of polishing and $250 for plating & powder-coat.

Now comes parts. Best case scenario, you will need Faces ($50), Globe ($70), Globe Mount ($15), Glass, Ad Glass $ Rubber ($100), Firechief signs & Lead Signs ($70), electrical supplies ($15), Hose ($20) & Nozzle ($65)...there's $400+ right there.

Now the reassemble, including working & soaking the sightglasses & manifold (1 hr) rewire (1hr), computer decaling (1hr), glass installation (1hr), and the panel fitting and parts hanging (4hr give or take) and then a good, thourough detail (1hr).

The way I've got it figured you got at least 15 hours-20 hours of real labor on a cut & dried easy pump. And about $1300 invested in real dollars.

In this case, it's my A62 and I think we would all agree this is a $600-$800 pump in very good restoreable condition. So taking the $1300 in investment + 15hrs of labor (low-side)+ $700 (median) cost of the pump, unless you are going to get $3000 for the pump, you are now the United Way of the pump business. Yeah, there are special circumstances like getting the pump for $50 or it being extraordinarily complete and you don't need anything but a globe and some signs, but I think most would agree that what I described is fairly accurate.

The bottom line is this, pumps (like signs & globes) are getting rarer & rarer and more expensive every single day. Think of it this way....at the beginning of this year, I had about 7 complete 10gal Mae Wests with original cylinders. I had given anywhere from $1200-$1800/each for them about 3 years ago. For the last 3 years, anytime someone called I said $2500/each. In year one, people chuckled and said "no thanks". In year two, people said "not bad, but I'll pass for now". In year three they are all gone. The good thing for guys that restore a lot of pumps for customers or for speculation, the sale prices are appreciating at a much greater rate than the restoration costs are, so your labor can finally be rewarded with a good profit.

Hey Seth,I agree with you on your resto comment,your in business to make money.I do this as an enjoyment,you guys have to keep a standard on the restos I understand.I spend at the most 150 on paint,you could spend 20 on 2 stickers instead of 50 on porc. signs,add glass and rubber is more like 50 at 15 a piece and 20 for rubber on most pumps,already have a nozzle and can be found all day long for 20 at any shows,I know you guys dont have the extra time to just wait on things but I do as I do this for a hobby and a little extra money.You can resto a pump so many ways as so many people have different ideas on how they want it and how much money they have.I would guess that most of your lower income guys cant afford you to have a pump restored but still many others can.I just cant seem to get into my guys pocket as he is good to me in everyway so I will continue to keep my prices low for him and keep the gargae full with work.Speaking of that!!!!!!!!Talk to you soon Seth.I need some more stuff!Hope you had a good trip,Steve

Steve...2 Pump Windows + Rubber and 2 Pieces of A62 Ad Glass + Rubber is actually over $100 in every restoration catalog in the industry and 9 out 10 people that we restore for prefer porcelain signs over decals. Nobody is encouraging you to "get in your guys' pocket" just saying that it's one thing to do pumps for someone as a favor and another to do pumps with overhead in mind. To each their own, and it takes all kinds and whatever cliche' that can be applied, see ya! Thanks for your biz...

[This message has been edited by Seth Robbins (edited 11-19-2005).]

On this restoration business...Here is my 2 cets:, I charge a flat 1g for my labor. Plus the cost of the pump, SB, paint, parts, etc. Have resatored 26 pumps this year since Jan 24, no one seems to balk at the 1G for my labor. Normally, the cost of everything, less the pump itself, runs about 21-22oo. You fellows who are charging 15 per hour, in my opinion, are giving your time away....tks Warren

Here's is my take on this......We charge a flat rate for electric pumps, a different flat rate for clock faces and another flat rate for visibles. All these rates do not include parts......they are extra....and that also does not include the pump cost. You see, as much as I love doing these restorations......I can not stay in business unless I charge for my labor. Oh, by the way.....I'm not getting rich doing this either. It is basically a hobby turned into a business. I to have a full time job too. That lets me keep groceries in the house. Paul

I was talking in the more common range for the parts Seth,a62 ad glass is I think the most expensive.Anyway Parts dont matter,my guy buys everything I need.I guess I need a new job or something,15(or12) an hour is good money for having a good time in my eyes besides my normal job.I didnt think that I was that low on the poverty level.Is everyone on here doctors?Is 15 an hour not good enough money to put into your pocket.Ill stick with my prices and stay busy and go to bed feeling good about my work.I understand vics billing process,he has a business but in my eyes 1000 is to much for the garage guys with absolitely no overhead.Most of the guys buy repro skins already and theres no work in them,at least none that I have got so far,except the time I had to cut a hole out for the handle on a visible(15min).Clocks included,electrics take a little more time.I guess I am just going to keep giving my time away,its amazing what my customers have gave me for being so fair to them,globes,extra pumps and I even got a nice sum of money for Christmas last year.My2cents

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Slick, have you ever priced rubber for a Gilbarco electric, its the price of a car tire!!

15.00 an hour is ok for spending money, but wait till you have to buy a new compressor, mig welder, grinders, sandblaster etc.

You are getting presents because they feel guilty...IMO..

[This message has been edited by dodogas (edited 11-19-2005).]

This is beating a dead horse. If one can do it for 600 and is happy then good for him. But all I know my welders, compressors, and toools were not free so I do have overhead to recover. My 2 cents
Brandon

Just sold a wayne 70 today to a guy in springfield and he only charges 700 paint and labor,thats 2 guys,oh my gosh.No one feels guilty and both of us are happy.Maybe your thinking backwards dodogas,If I was to quit today (restos) all my equipment is paid for,everything,from the pumps that I have done so far.I now have 1yr old equipment to use for myself just from my work.I know I dont know anything and it seems like everyone has all the answers on here but I dont stick it to people.Charge what you want its America,just remember this is why everyone wants a million for everything now,so dont complain.I will post pictures of the pump I just restored,I will have another one soon if anyone is interested wayne 60 any scheme you want for 3999.Everyone have a good and safe thanksgiving!

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