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When cleaning up a bulk oil carrier do you just strip them of whatever paint or rust is on them and then clear coat them (i.e. leave them with the appearance of raw metal) or do you paint them some appropriate color? I have always clear coated them but wondered what you would do. How would the fact of a couple of bullet holes effect your decision? Would you pull them out, weld up or jb cover the hole and paint since now leaving as raw metal might be out of the question? Thanks for any guidance you can provide. John

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This is really silly, for about as many questions you have asked you will get 10 times the answers.

I am going to answer these questions before DB does, these are your pieces of equiptment, so do with them what you want, there are not pump, etc. police out thee to tell you, you have done the wrong thing.

Jack Sim

Last edited by Jack Sim; Sat Jul 28 2012 11:44 PM.

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If you are doing them for resale, Paint them bright colors with decals, That is what the "people" seem to pay the most for.


"Remember, history that is forgotten is doomed to repeat itself!"
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What Jack said. With these the right answer is to make them what you like!

In their real former life they were not painted, and that is the way I keep most of mine.

I wouldn't spend much time or money fixing bullet holes. Unless you once again prefer the better look and want to paint it.

They do sell better if that is your intent, painted with decals. But that is a "labor of love" if you know what I mean.

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Thanks for for your thoughts and answers. I guess what I really was asking was how were these originally - painted or unpainted. Gaspedler interpreted the question I failed to really ask so thank you. I only buy ones that are embossed with an actual oil company name. So far I am up to Sunoco, Amoco and two SOCONY might be one more but can't remember. My first SOCONY is the one someone decided to try target shooting and unfortunately was quite successful as it has two entrance and two exit wounds. LOL LOL

Since my son collects Sinclair I haven't found one in the wild yet and ebay prices are consistently more then I want to spend after including shipping. Doesn't all the Sinclair people have all they need yet so I can snag one cheaply. LOL LOL LOL You folks are great and this site is the best. Thanks again. John

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Originally Posted By: Gaspedler
In their real former life they were not painted


...if you're referring to the cans that resemble milk cans, I totally disagree...I have a Sinclair can that still has its original green paint, and Gulf cans with their original orange - both cans unrestored, just in original paint...if you want them original, probably the most important thing to remember is that the companies didn't waste time and money painting (and repainting) them in fanciful color schemes and adding decals; nor did they paint the embossed portions, like license plates...but even unbranded ones would have been painted red or silver, unless they were galvanized...

...I'm pretty sure the Amoco one should be solid green, the same green as on the older cans - and I think the Sunoco is dark blue...'CircaDesigns' on Oldgas has both of those, you should ask him...

...look for photos of fuel delivery trucks from the time period of your cans...you should be able to figure out what color they were painted from the pictures - even from black and white photos, if you know the colors the oil company used in their marketing...

Last edited by gulfiend!; Sun Jul 29 2012 08:20 AM.

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Now you are tempting me to paint a couple of mine.
I have about 30 cans from 20+ companies, none with original paint, most are galvanized.
Back to diggin thru old photos...

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The trouble here is you never defined what you mean by "bulk oil cans."
If it had a lid, it was for delivering oil, kerosene, whatever. A person would order so many gallons, it was put in a can with a lid, and it was then taken to the buyer.

No lid, it was used around the bulk plant.

Jack Sim


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i have about a dozen of them and a couple that could use a clean up. But, don't want to paint them , because I want to keep them original. Question what if I lightly SAND BLASTED them ? since they are galvanized. It would really make them look like new, right?


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