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#266238 Wed Aug 03 2011 07:46 AM
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Hello Everyone,
I'm just starting my first restoration project on a Fry Visible Pump Model 73. It is a pump that was inherited from the estate of a gentleman that was my grandfather figure when I was growing up since both my real grandfathers were deceased before I was five. My mother grew up on his ranch and remembers when she was a little girl and the pump was still in use. I used to work summers there when I was a kid and the pump was still standing, but was replaced in use by an electric model. I glad I'm finally getting around to restoring it. Any info in the way of litarature, photos or advice would be greatly appreciated. Also some parts that I know I would like to get are an original pump handle, and possibly some skins if the front one can not be straightened, original nozzle if one can be found. I would also like to find and original globe. I'm not sure which company to got with although the pump is currently orange and my brother vaguely remembers it being Gulf, but I'm not sure if that was original. Is there any way to know for sure?
Thanks, Albert

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Good luck on it. There are people on here that can help but be patient they are all at the Iowa gas show this week.


Thanks, Phil
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Gas Pump Heaven has skins and other parts for this pump, I have used thier skins and they fit well..Frank


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Dude those skins can always be straightened with no problem - I have not seen one yet that can not be - they are like 1/8 inch thick!

Just be sure to cold pound them back with a hand sledge and a 4x4 for a dolly/backing brace. If you use heat to bend them back they will warp with weather and cause the bondo repairs to crack over and over - and I have yet to find a way to stop that problem - but if you cold shape them you will not have that problem. You will find that it takes a lot of force to pound these back into shape, so just pound the heck out of them and get them into rough shape and then use a small body hammer to form them better into shape - then use a grinder and grind the outside of the repairs putting lines in a X shape into the metal so the bondo has something to grip to. Very easy repair...

Original handles - expensive if you can find them - but I think Ron Scobie at gaspump.com has a great cast iron copy that once installed and painted no one will know that it is not original.

If your pump works are not free and working - that is an easy fix too, just remove the lead or aluminum packing nut and use a screw driver to pull out the graphite coated rope and spring, use 80w trans axle oil and pour down into the pump and let it sit for a day, then just break free with a wrench and repack.

Globes = gasglobes.com - just pick your brand.

Color - depends on the oil company - they look best in red and the red ones I do always sell first.

As for the nozzle - Dick Bennett would be the guy to talk to here - he is the IQ on those as far as I know. I use a particular style of nozzle that works and looks best - and with a simple hardware store mod it will fit in the nozzle holder with great style.

The best gas pump hose's for your restoration can only be bought from Ron Scobie at gaspump.com - white cloth that is so original looking it kicks every other I have ever seen! I have these on all of the Visi and Pre-Visi pumps I have restored for the Smithsonian Museum in D.C.

I can get you the year on this if you can get me a photo so I can verify the exact style - there are about 4 different makes of the 73 - the first can be id'd by the base of it as it is thin with cast in strengthen braces, and 4th can be id'd by the mid center bolt line that they put on the pump to strengthen the center of the skins - also they moved the flow pipes to a new location. So if your trying to get a brand that would have been used when the pump was new - you need to get the year of it, and then find a brand with colors that was used in its "new" time.

Roy Snook in Topeka Kansas can get you the glass jar's rivit rods for the pump - as I do not make them anymore and he is the only guy in the world that I know that makes them to the exact style. His number is 785-273-7301 = they are about 45 bucks.

Ron Scobie has the original style light arms and conduit for these pumps - they only came in galvanized conduit - and some stations painted them. I make these for Ron. I make them exactly like they were when the pumps were new, not like the other reproductions sold by others that use set screws and don't fit or look right. The ones I make are museum quality - and simply the best. You would have to get these directly from Ron as I am still trying to repair damage to my house and workshop from Softball size hail that came over my house with a Tornado back in May.


Travis Towle
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Great info Travis! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with all of us! I know your info will help me with the restoration of my Fry 17. Greg


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No kidding Travis just unloaded a wealth of knowledge right there.

Last edited by s932; Fri Aug 05 2011 07:16 PM.

Originals only for me. Always looking for Simpson oil, Super A, and MFA oil cans and globes.
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Awesome! Thanks for all the great info. Started disassembly this morning. Here are some pics before I started. I have asked some questions following some of them to find out more about them. Thanks again.





What is this part called? Is it opened by the lever located at the top? Lever stuck right now. Also, what is the holder used for just above and to the right?


What should I do to the tubes to clean?


What is the purpose of the conduit that goes through the cap and turns back down into the cylinder?

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called a drain back valve...you would put the nozzle in there & in the holder on the skins & lock it up at night. chris

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Heck you don't need new skins - they are great...

Glass is good, and will pop right off once you take the rods off and remove the conduit and top - there are rings that the glass is sealed too that only are secured to the pump with cork gaskets. Just do not take the rings off the glass at all! The glass has a tendency to expand and crack if taken off the rings - unless the rings are loose and come off with no work.

The top center pipes inside the glass were nickle plated originally. There is some great nickle/real chrome paint that works just as good that you can find at auto shops.

There are two conduits going to the globe top - one carries wire for the lights, the other is cosmetic balance and also helps to firm up the top and could have worked as a safety flow over if gas or water ever got up there to help keep it from covering the exposed lighting wire.

That lever is for a pop valve that has no real value - the only thing it could have been used for was a vacuum release. It is connected to a spring and goes down to the nozzle lock / storage top = it is that little bar behind that cast iron weight.

The gallon indicators are original and in great shape - lucky you - they are brass and will clean right up with 220 sand paper on an orbital sander, then just clear coat leaving the blackened brass for the numbers.

The pipe that is the small 12 inch-er on the lower part of the pump - where the nozzle is locked up at night, should be galvanized, and the T for it is brass.

The rivet rods you have are original - if one or two break just call Roy to get replacements - they should be galvanized too. If you can not get a company to galv them for you - then just use galvanized spray paint from lowes then wet sand and clear coat with flat clear - no one will ever know the difference.

The conduit was originally galvanized, but yours was painted probably by gulf. You will probably have to cut that off, and get a new set from Scobie - don't worry because the ones I make for him are exactly the same - just make sure to tell him you want one of the sets made by me in case he is buying from others too?

I could not tell from the photos if your pump has a bolt belt line, but it is either gen 2 or 3.

It looks like you may be missing your cast iron conduit T pipe for the upper globe light, if you are no big deal, just use a piece of cardboard to mark the 3 holes on that cast iron junction box, and use 1/8 plate steel to drill 3 holes for brass screws, mark the circle and cut to fit the junction box, then find the middle of the new top you made and drill 1/2 inch hole for a 9" conduit from lowes with 2 screw conduit sets and that gives you your globe light that is just like original.

I will try to post a photo of mine that is restored so you can get an idea of what it looks like all done, and how that nozzle works.

If you want new id tags Ron Scobie has the original molds for them, and they are the only ones that fit 100% right - or you can just bead blast them, clear coat and reinstall. If you get new ones you can have a lock shop stamp your numbers into them for like 2 bucks.

That band around your top is original and is stainless steel - just remove and polish up and reinstall with brass screws - do not silicone it on if you are going to leave outside, because it will then hold water every time it rains. Your lower cover that hides the rivet rod nuts should be put back on with brass screws too, and it would have been painted the same color as the pump.

From what I see there are only a few parts missing - the pump handle - the T cover for the junction box - the gate vale that you can get from McMasters for like 50 bucks - and the overflow cap cover, I just take it off anyway, if you want use a round 1/16 plate for it - the globe - the light shades - the hose and nozzle.

Great pump - I would have paid 850 - 1,200 for it if I came across it in the field.

I got your phone call today, and will try to get back to you soon!


Travis Towle
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Travis, thanks for all your help. Here are some pictures that hopefully may help identify the year.


There are four bolts at the belt line on the back panel only. Nothing on the front belt line.


There are four round bolt heads approx. 3/16" dia. on the back panel as well as the front.





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