Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Gutting

Here's the brutal honesty for those who desire the guts remain in the pumps. Pay extra for a pump with guts above what everyone else will pay for the same pump without the guts. And I'm not talking $50 more. Because of the 2 main drawbacks of those guts, extra weight & hazardous liquids, leaving them in doesn't make the seller any more money.

Think of it this way, the guy who buys a matching numbers vintage car is willing to pay substantially more than a non-matching numbers car.

Pay a guy an extra 30-40% for those guts in place and you'll see some segment of the market respond.

...'brutal honesty' from a picker? wow...

...I guess that makes me a purist, because I'd rather have an entire pump than one that's been monkeyed with...cars that sit in a static museum display are likely never going to be driven again; their engines/transmissions, etc., weigh considerably more than gas pump guts and are never seen; and the majority of people who admire old cars do so because of the body styling...

...also, it seems as though those with large collections of gutted pumps have a vested interest in saying 'it doesn't matter' - because if it did, their collections would be perceived as less valuable...

...I was once offered a gutted pump, only to discover that the person had 'over-gutted' it, and there was nothing to attach the visigauge to...

I find it so interesting that the people endorsing the gutted pumps,are the people selling the gutted pumps.

Real collectors seem to want the pumps with their guts left in em,but unfortunately the "fast flippers" or sellers get to em first & gut em because they have a "bad back",and then justify it by saying no one wants the guts left in em.................oh really?

When I look for pumps I ask and try to find them with guts. Sometimes I dont have a choice. It does make it harder to find. I think leaving the guts in gives you more potential buyers that my have passed on it had it been gutted. I know some say the guts don't mean anything but they were apart of the pump that once removed you can never find again.

Gutting hasn't hurt the value of old Fords having their engines swapped out w/ Chevy engines! It's the Body that most are after.

I beg to differ.
A pristinely restored Ford,Chrysler,Chevy or anything else will always be more admired & sought after if it has it's original factory drivetrain intact between it's body.
No matter how much a vehicle with a replacement drivetrain sells for,it would be trumped in price by an identical vehicle in the exact condition holding it's born with engine-trans-rear.

I agree tell your insurance provider you have 20 non gutted pumps in the old man cave and see if he doesn't freak out. Got them in the garage better but lots of garages ae attached now days. I agree that demand would somewhat drive the market. The old tall visables I'm on the fence about as they are top heavy- but aren't they all ready heavy enough without the pump. Something to be said for complete orginal only once but for me gutt-em.

Right on Rick.

Why the negativity and the divisiveness?

Why attack or label someone because they expressed their opinion?
"...'brutal honesty' from a picker? wow..."

Why divide the ranks as "real collectors" and what; fake collectors?

Express your opinion and move on, no need to slam anyone. Why is it so hard to respect those that hold a differing opinion!

For the record; I gut my short and tall electric's. Visibles and clock faces I keep intact. I respect everyone's else to do what ever they want with their pumps.

...Dave, he labelled himself as a picker: 'Paul's Picks'...

Yep, I pick and sell Gulfiend and brutal honesty gets it's name for being brutal. I know far more paying customers who prefer no guts on pumps that don't need them.

Next time I find any pump complete you gonna pay me 30-40% more than the market pays for a gutted version? If you're not willing to put money in my hand for the extra grief why should I call you first when I get a pump? No reason whatsoever.

Common pumps just aren't that important to be hassling about guts/no guts for a Tokheim 39, Gilbarco 906, etc.

Unlike vintage automobiles which can actually perform a useful function as transportation, gas electric pumps from the old units won't be put to any use by 99.9999% of those who leave them in. You'll find more old lubesters in use than gas pumps because they are still useful and worth buying functional.

Why not polish gas pump parts with gas pump parts ...and they work great!!!

Not meant to divide ranks Dave,in mentioning people who act like collectors.




If you're both going to use this as an argument,then why not go all the way & say this about the entire gas pump itself as well as collecting full oil cans.
All of em are on display today & not used what initially intended for.
If every person from here on out,gutted their gas pump,there would be a best selling book released 10 years from now entitled:
"How a Gas Pump Originally Pumped Gas",with no illustrations.

LOL, I like the repurposing.


BTW, the pump book won't come out until people use only electricity to power their vehicles and only have to drive over a charging spot and get a trickle charge through their tires.

...what I want to know is: if you're literally doing nothing but moving an extra 150-200 lbs. from one place to another, and that alone justifies a 30-40% markup (on a $500 pump, that's another $150-200), what markup does the 'extra grief' of actually gutting the pump justify?