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Many people ask me "why do you mess with all those old stinky gas pumps? Have you totally flipped your lid??!!" The reason I have developed this love for collecting petrolania is I'M 45 YEARS OLD, I WANT MY CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN TO GET A TASTE OF HOW NEAT THE SERVICE STATION ERA USED TO BE!" The current, modern day service station is "swipe your card, have very little human contact, run inside and buy some Nyquil and Kotex and hurriedly be on your way". The modern day gas pumps have zero character and the only thing now studied regarding service stations is "who's got the best price on regular"! I am sure that there are many others whom feel the same way I do. Thanks for listening! Sincerely gas pump freak

Gotta agree with ya there freak! Gas stations are so generic they basically front convenience stores the last couple of decades and there really is few old fashioned "SERVICE STATIONS" around.
There's only one truly old station here where I live that is run by a local guy who's Dad ran it years ago as an ESSO
station. The rest of the Fuel Depots are
mostly run by foreigners...if ya catch my drift! The only other place to hang out at a
real garage was Texaco owned by my neighbor. Torn down 3 years ago, replaced by a 7-11 run by....foreigners!

DOC @ The American Garages.

I have to agree. I can remember when I was a kid going to buy lawn mower gas at the local gas station on my bicycle. I always was amazed at the gas swirling thru the glass.

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Bennett 966
69 Camaro 396 Hugger Orange
Harley RoadKing

[This message has been edited by Dave Cunningham (edited 12-19-2003).]

I fondly remember those days gone by. My buddies and I would go to our corner station to fill the tires on our bikes and pick a soda from the machine out front. That was in the early 60's when the pace was slower... Mom cooked dinner.. and summer was full of summertime fun and games.
That is why I collect.

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Frank

My fondness for old gas stuff stems from the early 1960's, when as a young boy I was allowed to accompany my Grandfather to the local gas station where I learned the fine art of "loafing". The station was housed in a classic "Pure" cottage building with the steep tile roof, curved iron railings and faux chimney. The station was operated by a man named Otho "Bunk" Patterson and sold Ashland products. "Bunk" always kept a couple of Model A Fords in the garage bays and was known to tinker with old scooters, go-carts and other stuff of facination for a young boy.

The group of "regulars" that gathered there each evening after dinner will always hold a special place in my heart. They welcomed me and didn't treat me like the little kid that I was! I fondly remember getting a cold drink from the Dr. Pepper machine on a warm summer evening and sitting on the curb near the front door as I listened to the stories being told by the men. The cold winter evenings were special as the group would gather in the station to swap deer hunting tales. There was a penny gumball machine on the counter that always offered a treat for me when one of my Grandfather's friends wuld "find" a penny in their pocket. I always hated to leave the warm confines of the station to get in our cold pickup truck for the ride home.

Sadly, my Grandfather, "Bunk" and rest of the "regulars" have all been gone for over 25 years. A local used car dealer bought the property a few years ago and demolished the station, replacing it with a "generic" garage building kit from 84 Lumber.

Although nothing tangible remains of the source of so many fond childhood memories, it will forever remain a pleasant period in my life, one which I am able to revisit when I walk into my garage and look at my own Model A Ford and the various gas and oil items that I have collected over the years. I would like to think that a little bit of who I am today is a result of the life lessons that I learned at "Bunks".

Jim Winter

Great story Jim of your childhood...one that I can relate to somewhat that reminds me
of my fondness as a youngster to the Norman Rockwell paintings of smalltown friendly unrushed laidback lifestyles. How many people out there miss the ring of that old bell when the cars pulled in for service? Today it's self serve or blow the horn if nobody shows within a minute! Today, one has to look long and hard to see the old service station still what it was and used to be. Thanks for the memories and one that will last even
longer in your head now that the scene Is
Completely gone in the real world!

DOC of The American Garages

You hit it on the head Jim,I think that's
why we collect the pumps and the other stuff
We can go in the garage and be transformed
back to simpler,slower paced days.
---JERRY


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Great story Jim!! I enjoyed reading it. You are 100% on-the-money.