I just read my stories again, brought back a lot of memories, I didn't realize it was 9 years ago that I wrote them.
There is one thing I need to add to one of the stories. When I sold off the last 75 pumps I had, they were purchased by Rick, of Rick's Restoration in Las Vegas (American Restoration on TV).
I don't know how, but back in the early 90s Rick and I became friends, we even shared spaces at some shows, he selling restored gas pump and Coke Machines, me selling restored ECOs.
One day he called me up, said he was looking to purchase some gas pumps, and did I know anyone who had any? I told him, yes, me. He drove a large truck from Vages to St. Louis and took them back, he even had to pay a fine in some state because he was overloaded.
Now to explain something, when I was stripping pumps and selling parts some pump were getting very bare, so I would take the time to pull off anything I thought I could sell, then I would give the frames, a lot of sides because they didn't sell as fast as the doors, and a lot of tops for the same reason, to anybody who was hauling scrap. The parts I pulled off the pumps were carefully devided so all the 39 parts were together, etc. At the time I had individual, stackable file drawers, which I used to store the parts. At least 3 for the 39, same for the 300, drawers for each of the Waynes, each of the Bowsers, one for the Eries, etc. There were probably about 15 to 20 drawers filled with sight glass, bezels, well, anything that would fit in the drawers.
Rick had seen them when he picked up the pumps, and a about a year after the purchase of the pumps, he called again and asked what was I going to do with the parts.
Well, a couple of weeks later he arrived in another large truck. First, he paid me the same for the parts as he had paid me for the pumps a year earlier. Second, after the negotiations he started to look at the drawers. He didn't say anything but I realized he was trying to figure out how he was going to be able to get all the parts back to Vegas without mixing them up, how many boxes he would need. I smiled and said, "Rick, you not only bought the parts but you also bought the drawers." It took him less than 15 minutes to load everything.
The reason for such an explanation is that when I watch his show, I don't look at the items he is restoring, I look into the background, and in two or three of the shows I saw glimpses of my file drawers. I have also seen some pumps that could part of the original purchase.
Two more stories coming soon, and you guys gave me an idea, I think I will put them all together with pictures and write an article for "Check The Oil."
One last thing, I have been taking a camera with me when I go to the shows or auctions, so if you have not already seen these pictures I suggest you go to this page on my website:
http://petrolianacollectibles.com/picture%20album.htmBesure to look at the Gelette, the Gold and the Evensville pictures. I even wrote an article about the Gelette and Gold trips for CTO. All three of these are real collections.
Jack Sim
