Preserving a Family Treasure from the past

[Heber Richins]

While i was growing up I had the privilege of knowing my grandfathers; listening to their life stories, and just learning what life was liken when thry were my age. But now that their both gone, I don't get to hear their stories from them, instead I can hear about their life stories from my grandma and other family members..

Sometimes I also learn by preserving the things they once owned and used...
My dad's dad passed away in 2013, and he had quite the life, he was a farmer, a rancher, a boy scout leader, a jokester, and a kind loving father, uncle, grandfather and brother.
In 2018 I found his old gas pump that he had bought a long time ago for his farm. It was in bad shape. This was my chance to show my love for him and to repay him for the love he showed me and all of his family..

I started restoration work on it, salvaging as much original parts as I could.. all the rust was removed dents and cracks were repaired, replacing broken or missing parts, a new paint job, and finally rewiring.. finally in 2020 after 2 years of work the pump came back to life for the first time in decades...

Next month I am taking it to our county fair with a few other items and a Picture of him with it to be displayed there.

1950 Gilbarco 996 Chevron Gas Pump

2018 ----------------------------Present Day

 

[Skittlebisquit]

There was a thread I started a few months ago that you might like. It was called " shop studies, the joy of creation" or something like that. It was pretty neat.

That's just a beautiful restoration, on the gas pump, well done!

 

[tree]

There was a thread I started a few months ago that you might like. It was called " shop studies, the joy of creation" or something like that. It was pretty neat.

That's just a beautiful restoration, on the gas pump, well done!

Shop Studies, the joy of creation
That's the thread you started.

You know you can view all your own Threads by going to your Profile, clicking the
Postings tab, and selecting "Find all threads by Skittlebisquit".....right?

 

[Skittlebisquit]

Thanks tree I knew that I could do that, but I did not know how to add a hyperlink in a thread, so I tried to remember the name

 

[Nitro]

1950s version due to the aluminum valve cap and no auto shutoff

 

[Tom]

Wow, that's a beautiful and completely professional looking restoration! I do not imagine that was an easy project. I only do very small restorations within my toy soldier collection, but still get some satisfaction bringing something back from a wreck to displayable.

I've attended a few old military vehicle shows and really loved seeing the restored jeeps, trucks and armored cars. Even got to do a trail ride one time in a whole column of them. I never realized how loud those old vehicles were, and the dust they raise. That was the only big type project that ever tempted me. Perhaps because in my military career we occaisonally used old military vehicles as targets on the ranges. I've seen whole lines of scrapped jeeps, planes and tanks. But the work and money I thought would be required discouraged me. Never seemed to be much extra time or money in regular life as it was.

 

[Au Naturel]

Wow, that's a beautiful and completely professional looking restoration! I do not imagine that was an easy project. I only do very small restorations within my toy soldier collection, but still get some satisfaction bringing something back from a wreck to displayable.

I've attended a few old military vehicle shows and really loved seeing the restored jeeps, trucks and armored cars. Even got to do a trail ride one time in a whole column of them. I never realized how loud those old vehicles were, and the dust they raise. That was the only big type project that ever tempted me. Perhaps because in my military career we occaisonally used old military vehicles as targets on the ranges. I've seen whole lines of scrapped jeeps, planes and tanks. But the work and money I thought would be required discouraged me. Never seemed to be much extra time or money in regular life as it was.

I'd love to have an old Wylis Jeep. A restored one costs a fortune and there aren't many left to restore.

 

[Martha Ferris]

Well done!

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

Remove rust easily and safely: Get a 5 gallon bucket and fill it with cheap white vinegar. Place rusted-over metallic object in said bucket. Leave for a week or so. Pull out shiny object and be amazed.

I did this with horridly rusted tire chains that wouldn't even bend, they were so rusted. They shone like chrome after 7 days!


Note: Do this outside or in a shed/garage. The fumes from it are pretty strong.

 

[Shamar]

While i was growing up I had the privilege of knowing my grandfathers; listening to their life stories, and just learning what life was liken when thry were my age. But now that their both gone, I don't get to hear their stories from them, instead I can hear about their life stories from my grandma and other family members..

Sometimes I also learn by preserving the things they once owned and used...
My dad's dad passed away in 2013, and he had quite the life, he was a farmer, a rancher, a boy scout leader, a jokester, and a kind loving father, uncle, grandfather and brother.
In 2018 I found his old gas pump that he had bought a long time ago for his farm. It was in bad shape. This was my chance to show my love for him and to repay him for the love he showed me and all of his family..

I started restoration work on it, salvaging as much original parts as I could.. all the rust was removed dents and cracks were repaired, replacing broken or missing parts, a new paint job, and finally rewiring.. finally in 2020 after 2 years of work the pump came back to life for the first time in decades...

Next month I am taking it to our county fair with a few other items and a Picture of him with it to be displayed there.

1950 Gilbarco 996 Chevron Gas Pump
2018 ----------------------------Present Day
View attachment 69000

WONDERFUL!! You have saved and preserved a piece of history. Just make sure your descendants, and those of your siblings, learn about and understand it as much as you do. Otherwise it will be thrown out or sold by them as meaningless. All you really need is one who appreciates it for what it is.