Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion Buy one or do your own. What's cheaper??

Which is a cheaper? Buying a restored pump or restoring your own?
This is just a general question. I realize the philosophical side of the reward and challenge of doing your own. And in doing your own there are added expenses involved in chasing parts and such. But in general, which is a less expensive way to go? And lets say you already have all the tools required to do your own.

I restored a few visibles and a clock face last winter. I broke even at best on all of them. I probably over restored them as I treated them like a classic car and finished them that way. My biggest expense was not the parts it was the paint and materials. You use a lot of stuff up to do it right. With that being said if you are doing it for yourself and have the knowledge and tools, I say do it yourself and it will probably mean more to you when its finished. The lesson I learned is there isn't a lot of money to be made on restoring pumps. So if you are looking for the cheapest way out find one you like and buy it.

i agree with Boxer. if i sell my pump i'll make a few bucks. but not the kind of money as if i had a business and i had to pay over head. the killer was the paint and body work, here in NY thats expensive. i paid 1K to have the doors, panels and lid done. they look like new and shine like glass but thats a lot on money.

Boxer said it correctly....there is not a lot of money being made in pump restorations. We do best on custom restoration work. However, we run a business and always have restored stuff in stock, as the phone rings constantly. Kinda think of myself as the Walmart of gaspump restorations. Do enough and you make a little on each.Paul www.severngaspumps.com

Buying a restored one usually is cheaper, especially if it's an older restoration. Just look at the pump Kevin bought this week off of eBay. There's no way you could buy and restore a pump for what it was purchased for. If youre patient you'll find one.

Do it your self, it won't be any cheaper then buying one already done but the enjoyment in hunting down the parts and the overall experience is fun. And you will be much prouder of your restored pump knowing that you did the work your self. I have restored 7 pumps, 6 for me and 1 for a friend. I have had most of my paint work done by a body man, but I did all the tare down and assembly and hunting down of the pumps and parts. And when you do them yourself you are in control of all the little details.

I say buy a unrestored pump and tackle the project you will enjoy it.

One more option and I would think the most cost effective is to find an original pump that doesn't need restoration..... they are a little harder to come by, but it's nice to have a piece of history that is as it was when it was retired from service.

I love this idea!! Just like most of the signs I buy, I don't mind a couple small war wounds. It gives the a character that I enjoy.

I have switched my focus to pumps that are in good original condition.
Here are some that are still out there that I don't think need restoration.

I would pay more for these pumps because there would be no sand blasting or paint to buy.... just clean them up and you may have to buy a few parts, but for the most part I think they look pretty good the way they are.... and they are only original once.

Husky Bob has the right idea and there are still deals out there but you gotta go hunting in small towns and farms to find a lot of them. Here's a pump I found scouting out an old town and picked up for $175.00. It's been brushed a couple times but was in excellent rust free condition. So much so that the only thing I'm going to do is wash down the inside, lube the veedo-root and paint the panels up before putting them on with a new hose, pump handles and signs/globe. Bet I'll be into this one for less than $1500 when it's all done and said, and it'll look real pretty in black with silver doors, a custom GM globe and BelAir ad glass. :-)


(Body is very straight and only requires a sanding and paint job)


(Rust free inner frame just needs a wash down and pump removed)

That Orange Husky pump is Cool!!!

...I totally agree that those pumps just need a few parts and cleaning, and that's it...maybe new wiring if you wanted to light them up...

Hers is a pump I have that I left unrestored. I had it all tore down for restoration and I just couldn't bring myself to restore it. It has the original coat of red paint it left the factory with. Put a original globe and pump plate on it, the add glass and hose are the only repop parts on the pump.

I'm really liking that Imperial pump Jason...... looks great and it fits right in with the rest of your collection and I'll bet it didn't take long from start to finish..... really nice display pump you made also.

Here's one I picked up that won't need any restoration..... fortunately the farmer had it hooked up to the tank just inside his garage that really protected it from the elements.

It's also the cleanest pump I've ever found interior wise: