Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums Showcase and Stories, Petroliana A Couple Road Trip Pictures

Alright, one more...

Christmas Day, 1994, I was 14 years old. After opening presents I talked my dad in to going out looking for pumps. We ended up in the hills above Hillsboro, Oregon. I spotted a pump I had never seen before next to an old shed that was falling down. It was so odd compared to what I had seen over the previous year of collecting. Round clockface, tapered skins, and a “house” on top of the head. I had no idea what it was but I knew I wanted it. We pulled in and spoke to the grandson of the owner. He gave us the old “it’s not for sale and never will be”. But he was a very nice guy and we talked for a while. He told us that if anything on the farm were ever to be for sale, it would be up to the oldest son who lived down the road in a mobile home. We decided we were there already, might as well go talk to the son. We found him, told him we were interested in the pump, and we couldn’t get another word out before he asked, “well what’s it worth?”. I told him I honestly didn’t know...I had no idea what model pump it was...but to me, it was worth $500. Keep in mind I’m a 14 year old kid...that was literally all I had to my name after a year of slinging pumps. The guy couldn’t tell us “yes” fast enough. We had to go back home for the pickup and by the time we get back it was disconnected from the tank and the guy was leaning it in to the truck as we backed up!

I got the pump home and called Mike Slama (who was always gracious enough to put up with my ignorant questions) and tried to describe the pump. “Boy, that sure sounds like a Wayne 800” he says. Long story short, that was the first of years and years of rare pumps but one I’ll always remember fondly. I sold it and restored it for a customer a year later...here it is restored. To this day it’s still the only 800 I’ve seen with original brass nozzle hangers that contoured the head.