My class and I just finished restoring this Neptune 855. I have 5 students in class this year (4 seniors and a junior) and it took them since the beginning of the school year to get it done. We are getting faster -- the first one we did took 5 years! One of the seniors is going to go into the autobody program at the local community college next year, partly from his experience of working on this pump.

This pump was in decent shape when we got it except for one door that was really caved in. The guys learned a lot about shrinking metal and doing body work on that door. They really took a lot of pride in this pump and wanted it to be better than the previous ones.

I'm sure some of you would have rather seen the pump finished as an actual gas company. However, since we are such a small state and only have one 4 year university, the Wyoming Cowboys are huge around here. We went with the school colors and a custome globe.

Thanks again to everyone for the advise and support.
Chris

couple more pictures

a job well done- awesome...

Tell them all great job!!
Very nice!!!
I hope they really enjoyed it!

Looks great guys! Nice job.

Great Job!

Nice work guy's! Keep up the good work.


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Kurt

As a teacher, I wish that every student could be involved in a real world project such as this that, when finished, instills pride and self-esteem from a job well done and not from some Mickey Mouse, "everybody is a winner" pseudo intellectual garbage that is so prevalent in education today.

Nice, nice job, guys. And, thank you, Chris, for being such a positive leader, role model, and mentor. After the day I just finished, I am truly envious.

Very nice project. Never had the opportunity to do anything remotely like that myself back in the day. Great job done to all.

Dave you are so right. The "everyone's a winner" is killing our kids with kindness. It will turn "everyone into a whiner" as they face reality. The real world isn't like that.

Great job by all. Reminds me of my highschool shop days , best memories of turning a pc. of raw stock on a lathe into a knurled handle for a tool, or a set of chisel's , or carving a Mahogany abstract bowl for my mom , & animal shaped cutting boards for Xmas presents for mom and Grandma. Leaves you with ever lasting memories of accomplishment
Shop teachers are the most dedicated teachers that you will have . That is because they love what they do and that is why they do it!
Students are to be commended for a job well done !

I agree with the comments about shop teachers being important models. I remember each of my shop teachers fondly-all good guys as I'm sure you are too Chris. It takes a special guy or gal. my hats off to you and your guys did a really nice job on the pump.

Great job on this project! So nice to see these kids do an old pump. I'm sured they learned some history along the way, and hopefully some caught the "bug" we all have. Always great to see young people who love spinning wrenches and figuring out how and why things work the way they do! Excellent work!

Outstanding job!!

Looks Great!

great job, a great looking pump, your students & yourself should be proud of it.

Very good looking pump, you all did great!

Great Job! You guy's are doing it right.

To the kids. Go Cowboys, Let er Buck. Good seeing you today Chris. Mitch

That's Whack...as kids their age would say.

Chris,
You and your students did great!
Can't go wrong when you add Steamboat in there, where did you find the globe, add glass and decals? I'd like to do one myself someday.
I hope the boy enjoys autbody at LCCC glad to see kids who aren't afraid to get dirty and work with their hands heck they don't even have any shop classes here in Greeley really makes me upset as it gives kids real life knowledge and shows them that with hard work and patience you do anything that's not so common anymore in this point and click world we live in.
Be sure to tell them I'd be proud to have them work on one for me any day.

Let er' buck!

Bob

Very nice!!!

Thanks for all the positive comments!

The globe was custom made a couple years ago, but Scott Anderson at Time Passages can also make them. The globe that you see on the pump is my globe, but the one that is actually on the pump was made by Time Passages very recently and looks exactly the same. It is my design, so if you'd like one, please let me know and I'll get you the specifics.

The ad glass was made by T-Way and it looks great. He also made the decals for the pump plates. We cut out a 12" round pieces of 1/8" sheet metal, drilled holes in it, stuck on the decal, and then clear coated it.

I really appreciate all the nice comments and help that most people on this site have given us. I'm glad that most of the people on this site are interested in helping kids out on their path to learning what I feel are very important skills and teaching them about a pretty cool hobby.

Chris

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I'm normally not a fan of "custom" pumps but I LOVE that thing...

It represents your state well!

Those guys did a great job.