Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Question for everybody

like some of my oldgas family, it was just a natural progression from my hot rod days.. i like all old advertising but seem to be stuck on this gas junk... just wishin' i had more room !!!

FROM THE TIME I WAS 12 IN 1972, I HAD BEEN COLLECTING COCA-COLA. IN 1979 I PURCHASED MY DREAM CAR, A 1957 T-BIRD SIMILAR TO THE ONE IN AMERICAN GRAFFITI BUT THE YEAR AFTER....I HAD TO BE WHITE WITH RED INTERIOR AND A PORTHOLE TOP. I HAD ALWAYS COLLECTED COKE WITHIN A 1930'S TO 1960'S TIME PERIOD. WHEN COKE COLLECTING TOOK OFF IN 1986, I STARTED LOOKING AT GAS & OIL STUFF. I WOULD GO TO CARLISLE EVERY SPRING AND FALL AND BUY LOTS OF (THEN) CHEAP COKE STUFF.
I WOULD SOMETIMES HAVE FUNDS LEFT OVER AND WOULD SPOT A COOL
TEXACO OR FIRESTONE SIGN AND IT WOULD COME HOME WITH ME. I GOT INTO MAPS AND LICENSE PLATES IN THE LATE 80'S, AND WHEN COKE PRICES IN THE 90'S SOARED TOO HIGH, I KINDA SWITCHED GEARS AND STARTED COLLECTING PUMPS, AND MANY MANY SIGNS....SOME NICE...SOME NOT - WHICH I WOULD RESTORE AND HANG OUTSIDE. WITH MOST ALL THIS STUFF IN STORAGE UNTIL MY MOM'S DEATH....I FIGURED MOST OF MY COKE STUFF WOULD RESIDE INSIDE THE HOUSE AND ANYTHING GAS & OIL IF IN COND 8 OR BETTER WOULD STAY INSIDE TOO. MY WHOLE HOUSE EXCEPT FOR 2 ROOMS IS DECKED WITH OVER 30 YEARS OF COLLECTING
IN AN OVERKILL MANNER!

THAT'S MY STORY AND I'M STICKING TO IT! YES, MY PLACE HAS AN ALARM AND 5 MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPT LIVE ON MY STREET.....HEY, YA NEVER KNOW!

DOC @ THE AMERICAN GARAGES

I guess I have always had an interest in old cars and gas stations ever since I can remember. Dad would always tell me stories about his old cars that he drove and the various gas stations (Richfield, Standard, M&E Oil, and partial owner of Texaco and Phillips 66 with my uncle) he had owned/opprerated 40s to 70s. However at 16 I wanted an early 50`s Chev Pu for my first car but dad did not want me to have an "old Junker" like my brother would buy, drive a year or two at most, then sell just to get something else that ran. Years went by till I came to ND after graduating from UTK. I started noticing all the old farm trucks still being used and wanted that same old Chev PU. Mom talked me into an classic car since I already had a late model PU. I purchase a car from a local farmer whos hobby consisted of old chevy'S and was collecting gas and oil signs. As I was making payments on the car he bought his first two gas pump Wayne 519 and a Bowser Xacto Sentry Clockface. I asked what are those junk heaps? He told me they were old gas pumps. I kidded him and said I would collect one that had my last name...Butler. Two months went by and he picked one of those up Butler 61 and I got the bug. First pump I bought was a GB 996 from an antique store in Canada about 4 years ago and first sign I got was Phillips 66 sign I got a swap meet in Minniapolis, MN. Still have that as well as 20 other gas pumps and 13 signs. Bug is still strong as ever. My friend and his son have a fairly large collection of gas and oil items. Most of the pumps I have are for my own collection, but will sell(preferably trade) duplicates. My favorite 3 pumps are my Bowser double visible, Butler 61 visible, Butler 131 clockface. My "Holy Grail" is an original unrestored double clockface.

Thanks,

Easy

[This message has been edited by TN Volunteer (edited 08-26-2004).]

My story is like many other posts...
Old muscle cars, then a garage, then gotta do something with these bare walls! My first original piece of nostalgia was in the form of an old AC spark plug bench top plug cleaner and tester I hauled home from a local swap meet in the fall of 1990. On the way home from that very swap meet, I stopped by a guy's garage with a pump island display out front. He was nice enough to let me look around, and invited me inside his garage when I was done loooking. (He was already inside with some of his buddies shooting the breeze) Anyway, I finish checking out his display, and I head for the garage. When I opened the door I'd wish I had a picture of how I must have looked. I'm sure my jaw was firmly on the floor! This man had it all! Rare globes, signs, cans, pumps, barber shop goodies, country store collectibles. All these were in at least an 8+ condition or better and his displays were incredible!
That was it..I was hooked big time. And to think it all came together in just one day!

[This message has been edited by Sinclair Joe (edited 08-26-2004).]

I started working in the pump and tank field about 15 yrs ago and kept finding old nozzles, cans, and other stuff.Having worked in a antique shop in high school I have always loved old things . Also I raced gocarts,motorcyles,and a 73 z28 camaro,had a 64 chevy 2 and 2 65 impala ss convertibles.A friend finialy convinced me on the pumps after seeing all my other things.hooked.
Bill

I am only 19, but I love all the old stuff. I went to car shows with my dad when I was younger. I have always seen the beauty in the old cars and stuff that most kids my age don't see. As long as I can remember, I have always been bringing home old stuff and ripping it apart and restoring it. I have done traffic lights, drive in speakers,1940's and 50's electric fans, and a 1961 schwinn tornado. I had always wanted to do an old gas pump. I got a job working for a sandblasting shop, and one day a customer came in with skins off a bennett. I asked where he got it and he gave me the card of a dealer. I went out to the guys place, and he had all kinds of stuff, mostly petro in his barn. He only had a Tok. 39 for sale, but that was exactly what I wanted. I ended up trading a car full of traffic signals for it (litterly, I even had one in the front passenger's seat). A few months after I finished restoring the Tok. 39, I was driving home from my other job at a neon sign shop and saw some guys working on the gas pumps. I stopped and talked to one man, and he said he had 4 M&S 80's for sale. I ended up buying one for $170 delivered to my house. I wasn't sure if I wanted another pump, but for $170, I couldn't say no. Now I am on that one's restoration, and I got my buddy at the sandblasters hooked and he bought a 39 from the same guy and together we are restoring them to sunoco.
-Mike

I worked at a gas station part time when I
got married.(43 years ago).I used some of
the old pumps and oil bottels.Fast forward
40 Yrs.I told my wife It would be neat to
get a old pump like I used to use to put
outside of my new garage.So for christmas
she and the kids gave me a Bennett-756 It
never did go outside and the bug is still
biteing.

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JERRY

Would being (just about) born and raised in a Texaco bulk plant count as a reason?

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Jim Hinds
Columbus, Indiana