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Hey guys how hard are gas pumps to restore? There is a service station that has been closed here in town for a really long time I want to say maybe 8 years or something like that and they have some gas pumps that I would like to try to buy. They are not antique pumps but they are old enough to have the little number reals like the odometer in your car and I think they just look like a lot of fun to work on. Anyone think I should try to go for one? They look like a lot of fun to mess with. Also I don't know where the guy got these pumps but he has 4 different ones. I did find a pic of a pump that looks similar to one of them. http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2008/05/16/P5170253.JPG I just have to act fast because they want to tear it down soon. I will try to get some pics of the place the next time I am out there. I am always out that way so it should be pretty soon.

I don't know about value but a gas pump is as easy if not easier to restore than a Soda machine.

Unless you are sitting on a well of refined oil I assume you want the pump just for its cosemtic appeal.

I bought a pump once and the guys here finally convinced me to strip the whole thing out and throw the inards away. It took some convincing but I'm glad I did it. It made it much lighter and you don't have to live with that petrol smell.

Once the inards are out its a matter of re-doing the panels and other bits of trim. There are plenty of people here
much more knowledgeable than me who I'm sure will pipe up. If you like it go for it....


Dave

Dave  pretty much summed it up.

try here.... great resource for parts and advice...

http://oldgas.com/

and i will toss in a plug  for Chesse

http://www.bigcheesepetro.com/ (http://www.bigcheesepetro.com/)


Cheese is the host of this weekend's Michigan Gas Fest in Fowlerville.

Awesome I am definatly going to try to get a pump. I am really interested in the mechanical meter part of the pump. Just a whole bunch of parts that look like a lot of fun to work with. I am going to try to contact the owner of the service station and ask about the pumps and I will let you guys know what I find out. I will also try to get some pictures of the pumps. Who knows maybe they will be willing to sell me one.
I don't have any pics of the place yet but I do have a google maps street view of the place. You can sort of see the gas pumps but not too well. http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=72nd+and+harrison&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Harrison+St+%26+S+72nd+St,+Nebraska&ll=41.190953,-96.023571&spn=0,0.002637&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=41.190638,-96.023273&panoid=CeQcY1RipdaVegs-shiUMA&cbp=12,195.11,,0,3.99

How exactly do these pumps know how much gas is being pumped out? There has got to be something hooking the pump to the counter so would it be possible to some how hook up a motor or something so that you could make the numbers move when you for example pull the handle or something like that? Just thinking up some ideas. Hopefully I will figure out who I need to contact soon.

The computer works by the flow of liquid. It would be very difficult to use for anything other than a decoration. I have seen people hook their water hose to the gas filler hose to wash cars with but that will only utilize the hose not the computer. You would have to use the pump inside to make the computer work and it would be very difficult to use with anything other than petrol. The pump will still be full of petrol and getting that odor out I would think would be next to impossible.

you can hook a small electric motor to the base gear of the computer or Veeder Root.  A guy that goes by the name of jkyocom on oldgas has the parts and knowledge and rebulds Veeder Roots...

Gas Pumps are alot of fun to work on, but however the model your looking at is a mid to late 60's possilble 70's era pump and there are no reproduction parts available if you need something..

Also the pumps you are looking at really do not have a lot of value for following. If your building it for yourself because you like it then that is great. Just keep it in mind that if you put a lot of money into it you will not be able to get it back out of it if you want to sell it.

That is fine. I am just looking at them because I like them. From what it looks like they don't need much work. Looks like all the parts are there and the biggest expense would proboly be the paint and some decals. Looks like a good summer project to keep my busy for a little while.

If I do get a pump I think I might like to do it up like this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/andrew-turnbull/3744545647/in/pool-vintageamoco or one of these ones http://farm1.static.flickr.com/82/213876744_f5d5116a34.jpg . Also is this all that is in those pumps? http://www.flickr.com/photos/slworking/3880990002/in/photostream/ Looks pretty easy to remove all that and just keep the computer part of it.

Having never worked on a newer style pump, I can't say for sure how easy or hard it would be to remove the innards., but yeah, there's basically the pump mech and the compute,r or  mechanical counters.
If you really want one, i'd say go for it.

From what it looks like there is if they do sell me one I might even be able to remove the pump but still leave the pumping part of it hooked up to the ground. Looks like all that is there is that big thing in the center and once that is out all you got is the frame and the counter. I never realized how simple they are inside.

The EPA will not be happy if you just leave the motor attached the tank. The tank will need to capped at least and maybe removed.
Creighton

good point I did not think about that. Well they will be tearing the place down so I might be able to take the pump when they remove the tanks that is if they sell one.

The pump isn't needed,  it adds weight, and do you want the smmell of gasoline permeating the house?

I really don't want the pump part but if I have to take it I will. I just don't want to get in trouble with the EPA either by leaving the pumping part of the gas pump and taking the outer shell, the hose and nozzle and the counting part.

you can make a buck or two selling the innards as scrap. :)

Thats not a bad idea.

If working the motor is great for grinders/buffing wheels etc..
Creighton

Well looks like I might not be getting one. I sent a letter because that was the only contact info I found and got a return to sender. Kind of dissapointing but oh well what can you do.