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Do all original Texaco Fire Chief pump plates from the 50s have the slight curve to fit the pumps, or is there such a thing as an original flat pump plate? My understanding is that they are all slightly curved, but a plate that i was looking at to buy is claimed to be original, but is totally flat. I would appreciate any input.
Thanks
Jake

Selling it? Id be interested

Some are totally flat, some are slightly curved, and some are really curved. My anecdotal experience is that the earlier ones were usually flat or really curved (for a visible or round clockface) and the later ones have a bit of a curve to them, but that’s a guideline…not a rule.

Show the back. Sometimes it makes determination easier? In my experience, originals had a slight bow like the one in your picture.

That's an excellent question, and your understanding that many original Texaco pump plates from the 1950s were curved is correct for the cylindrical face of many pumps from that era.

Thanks guys: I appreciate the input!

THE CORRECT ANSWER….

There are extremely curved plates that were intentionally curved for visible pumps. Those were obviously manufactured that way.

HOWEVER, 50’s pump plates are NOT curved for gas pumps. Steel comes on rolls/coils and is stamped in a press to make a square. The curve on pump plates is just the curve from the original coil of steel from before it was made. This is the same from pump plates all the way up to 6 foot signs. The closer to the center of the coil of steel, the more ‘natural’ curve it’s going to have.

When steel signs are made, the rolled up coils of sheet steel are pulled from a reel, then run through a straightener then a feeder feeds them into the stamping press. The straightener doesn’t always get the natural curve out of the steel from the coil.

Don’t overthink this guys. They did NOT make slightly curved pump plates for certain 50’s pump models. They were all made the same.

-Steve

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What Steve says is correct. No pump plates were made specifically made for a specific pump, except the ones that are curved to fit a visable or any “cylindrical” shaped pump body.