I've had this sign and project in mind for some time. I would never spend the money on a real one and I don't like how much space they take up. I wish I had the sign with the holes in it!!
I had a fabricator weld up the frame for me. Of course it will be stamped reproduction and dated!! I'm having the remaining panels made and then everything will be likely powder coated. The frame black and the panels to match the yellow in sign. If they cant be exact I'll have paint made and just paint the panels.
The shelves will be blacked out plexiglass or lexan with only clear diameters for the light to shine up through the bottles. I wanted to make it as narrow as possible but had fear of it being to susceptible to falling over. So I made it a little wider. Now it could use a second row of bottles.
I also may look into having the bottle tops re-chromed. Anyone ever done that? It can be done right?

Steve are you sure you want "Chromed Spouts"? I haven't seen a Magazine ad selling Oil Bottles, spouts and dust caps from the 1920s and 30s that advertised anything but tin spouts/caps or copper colored spouts/caps or heavy steel or "bakelite". (that doesn't mean that a Company did not sell "Chromed" spouts/caps; just that I don't remember seeing such an ad)...

Quite a few early "Oil Bottle Spout/cap" Mfg. advertised that they had as an option; different "colored dust caps" to differentiate the different Grades of Oil. Later (even into the 1950s and early '60s), some more Rural Gas Stations would just paint the spout a certain color for a specific Grade of Oil (we did it mostly for our Customers, who would borrow the bottles to top off their "Off Road Equipment" (tractors, logging graders, donkey engines, towers.. etc.) ... Much easier to keep track than trying to determine which "dust cap" went to which bottle....

Steve - great idea! The display is coming together nicely. The plating shop I use from time to time for projects offers many different plating options. I would imagine other shops do as well. Over the years I've replated a few spouts and caps using tin plating instead of chrome as I thought that finish looked more original to the era...Have fun!

Sorry guys. Maybe chrome isn't the correct material. That's what I thought they were. Maybe it's some kind of nickle? Although that sounds expensive for the OEM.

Take a look at Ron Scobies web sight. He has some nice spouts! That is a nice little display looks good. My frame on my rack is painted dark blue from the factory.

NIce job Steve. Are you sure you want shinny spouts? I think your rack and bottles look great as is and look as they should belong together.

Looks great! I've had thoughts of building something very similar myself.

Looks good Steve!

Pretty sure the oil bottle caps that appear to be chrome were actually nickel plated just like the cook and wood stoves of that era were . I have several of the original peeling and not peeling Sunoco bottles with the nickel plated spouts .

Great display. I would move forward and finish the project as you feel fit.

_______________
Kurt

Looks great!

Looks good Steve. When do I get to come see it?

looks cool

All my spouts were original and very almost rusty looking and I buffed them with a buffing wheel and buffing compound and all turned up to an almost chrome finish look. Give it a try. Good luck

Some progress. Spent a several hours grinding welds and panel corners to clear welds. I should have foreseen this in the design and had the welder either be more careful in those area's or had him grind them. I'm sure he had better tools to get the job done quicker.

Still debating powder coat or paint.

Super awesome!!

First time I ever stamped anything, so please dont grade me. And I was so afraid of smashing a thumb!!
But frame is stamped/dated. So if they have the right color and I go powder coat, this should be impossible to grind out without knowing something was done. Unless someone in 100 years or so grinds it out and paints the frame.
I had to try to do my part for the future collector.

Great job Steve, it's not easy for sure.

Looks good.
I wouldn't touch your tin spouts.They look great the way they are now,almost like Patina.
If you do have them replated,they'll take away from the rest of the display when done.
Leave em be.

Steve -its looking good! -your PMs are full.

Thanks guys!!

Jim, I emptied some out.

Finally got everything back from powdercoat. Time for assembly!!

that's going too pop- nice restoration, going too look awesome when done .. ...