HERE'S A LITTLE HISTORY ON THE BEGINNINGS TO THE PRESENT ON THIS FUN LITTLE "DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH!".....
DEC 2001: FRIENDS VISITING FROM HOLLAND WANT TO GO URBAN EXPLORING, SO I SEND THEM TO A CLOSED STATE HOSPITAL LEFT TO ROT SINCE 1996. AT THE END OF THE DAY THEY SAID THEY HAD SEEN AN OLD GAS PUMP IN A DILAPIDATED WOODEN 2-STORY BUILDING AT THE REAR OF THE HOSPITALS POWER PLANT. THEY SHOWED ME PICS TAKEN WITH THEIR DIGI-CAM BUT THE LIGHTING WAS POOR.
FEB 2002: I FINALLY GET THE CHANCE TO LOOK FOR THE BUILDING AND THE PUMP INSIDE. I FIND IT, BUT AM STUMPED AS TO HOW TO GET IT LEGALLY. UPON TALKING WITH O.M.H. SECURITY OFFICERS IT WAS A MATTER OF TALKING TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE CURRENTLY OPEN STATE HOSPITAL AT ANOTHER LOCATION. I TRIED BY PHONE SEVERAL TIMES BUT GAVE UP.
THE IDEA TO "GET" THE PUMP FELL BY THE WAYSIDE.
MARCH 2005: MORE THAN 3 YEARS LATER, I WAS CURIOUS TO SEE IF THE PUMP WAS STILL THERE. IT WAS AND I FINALLY GOT TO TALKING WITH A MEMBER OF THE MAINTENANCE CREW FOR THE GROUNDS. HE STATED HE WAS REAL BUSY AND WOULD I COME BACK IN 2 MONTHS AND HE WOULD HELP ME OUT.
EARLY JUNE 2005: I HOOKED UP WITH THE SAME GUY AND HE TOLD ME TO COME BACK THE FOLLOWING DAY AND THE PUMP WOULD BE MINE. SO TRUE TO HIS WORD CAME THE NEXT DAY AND OFF I RODE INTO THE SUNSET WITH WHAT TURNS OUT TO BE AN A.O.SMITH MODEL #910 FARM (OR) BULK PUMP.
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CERTAINLY NOT THE MOST POPULAR OF PUMPS TO RESTORE, BUT A NICE EASY SUMMER PROJECT FOR ME TO TACKLE. I GUESS THE URGE TO GET THE PUMP AND RESTORE IT COMES FROM THE FACT THAT I KNEW IT WAS STILL THERE 3.5 YEARS LATER AND WHERE IT COULD POSSIBLY END UP (A LANDFILL OR SCRAP HEAP).
ON JUNE 8TH, THE DAY AFTER I GOT THE PUMP HOME, I STRIPPED EVERYTHING OUT THAT WASN'T NEEDED....MOTOR, FILTER, PUMP, ETC.
LATER IN THE WEEK I TOOK THE PUMP APART WHICH WASN'T EASY. THERE WAS RUST EVERYWHERE AND HAD TO USE MY DREMEL TO CUT OFF SCREW AND BOLT HEADS ALL OVER. THE THING WAS A TETANUS SHOT WAITING TO HAPPEN!
OVER THE COURSE OF THE NEXT 10 WEEKS I DID THE USUAL METAL PREP, BODY FILLING, SPOT PUD, SANDING, PRIMING, RE-PRIMING AND EVENTUALLY PAINTING. I MADE THE HOSE HANGER DOOR THE FRONT COVER AND DECIDED TO GO WITH "RICHFIELD" AS THE BRAND SINCE THE COLORS NAVY BLUE AND YELLOW
WERE MUCH DIFFERENT FROM THE MANY RED OR RED & WHITE PUMPS I OWN!
I ORDERED MY MAIN PARTS FROM VIC'S 66 (THANKS SETH & CO!). THE GLOBE WAS ORIGINALLY ORDERED IN WHITE BUT LATER REPLACED WITH YELLOW.
I LIKED BOTH BUT THE YELLOW LOOKED JUST SO RIGHT! THE PUMP'S DOOR PLATES REPOP'S ALSO. THE REST OF THE GRAPHICS ARE MADE UP OR COPIED FROM ORIGINALS AND MADE INTO DECALS, LASER PRINTED AND THEN LAMINATED AND APPLIED WITH DOUBLE STICK CARPET TAPE.
AN 8' HOSE WAS NOT LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE A COMFORTABLE LOOP ON THE "FRONT" DOOR, SO I ORDERED A 10'er WHICH WORKED OUT GREAT.
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YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO SEE A DIE CUT BASE WITH WHEELS THAT I MADE FROM TRACING THE PUMPS CAST BASE AND THEN BOLTED IT THROUGH FOR EASE OF MOVING WHENEVER NEEDED.
DOC @ TAG.WEST
[This message has been edited by THE AMERICAN GARAGE (edited 09-08-2005).]
