Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion HELP WITH A GILBARCO ( ESSO PUMP )

I NEED SOME HELP, I HAVE A GILBARCO FROM THE
1936 ERA TO 1940. FROM THE RESEARCH I HAVE DONE THE COLORS ARE AS FOLLOWS. THE DOORS ARE WHITE, THE SIDES ARE RED AND THE TOP IS RED.THE GLASS BEZELS THAT ARE ON THE DOORS ARE WEATHERD BAD,I REMOVED THE CHROME PIECE AT THE THE TOP OF IT, AND THERE WAS BLACK PAINT UNDER IT IN EXCELLANCE CONDITION. COULD IT BE THAT THE COMPLETE BEZEL FOR THIS PUMP WAS BLACK? I CAN'T SEEM TO FIND ANY PICTURES OF THIS PUMP, AND I AM HAVING A FEW PROBLEMS FINDING THE OUTSIDE CORNER TRIM. THE MODEL# IS 86BR79 AND THE SERIAL # 848220. ANY INFORMATION WILL BE VERY HELPFUL TO ME IN COMPLETING MY PROJECT. THANKS IN ADVANCE.

Individual pumps left the factory painted red. If you paid more, or you purchased a large number of pumps, they would be painted the way you wanted. Old pumps were traded in and repainted for the stations that purchased used or rebuilt pumps. I have had pumps that looked like they had been painted over ten times. Unless you want to restore the pump to Esso, the original colors don't matter. Once a pump has been sandblasted, you can paint it anything you want. There are no pump police or shows where we bring pumps to be judged, so pick the oil company you like (your father was a Shell dealer, you used to work at a Pure station, etc.) and paint it. In other words, have fun with the pump.
As far as your 86 is concerned, it was introduced in 1936. I have ads showing the pump and I have a parts/repair manual for the pump. The pump is also shown in my new gas pump identification book (due out May 10, 2002). For more information about the literature email me at: jhsim@wbel.net
For information about the new book, see my website: www.crspub.com
Jack Sim

I have a G&B 86 and 87 (clockface version) that were still connected in an old outbuilding when I found them. They were both painted solid red. I agree with Jim on painting them what you like. Good luck.

I forgot to mention that these solid red pumps were branded Esso and Esso Extra by the ad glass on them.