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I received this Gates Rubber catalog recently and realized I could use it to answer many questions that are asked here on Old Gas.

Obviously, the picture is of a tanker dropping product at a station. Gates had their catalog designers white out the gasoline brand name on just about everything, but they left the "N" and the "O" on the tanker showing, so it tells us this is a Conoco station.

Now, let move to the very left side of the picture, back behind the tanker we spot a oil can rack, showing not only quarts, but I believe five quart cans. This tells us, they made racks that held both.

Moving to the island there is a pole, it probably was a light pole before the pump with the stationlighter was installed. Now look real close to the top of the pole (or look at the 3rd picture below). Did you spot the Conoco logo? Something else about the pole, there is a water spigot, so probably this pole was equipped with air and water.

Now to the tanker, I would estimate this is a 4000 gallon tanker and it has four compartments. Look closely at the lids on the top of each tank. The 4th picture below, shows a similar lid that was being sold by McDonald at that time. It looks like something Flash Gordon wore as a hot in those old movies. (You young guys can ask you father who Flash Gordon was).

The gas pump. Easy to identify, a Tall Tokheim 39 with the ad glass at the top of the pump. As I mentioned above, Tokheim called the light a "Stationlighter." Now look closer at the pump, notice the lead sign is on the front, why, because many states, cities, etc. had requirement for the placement of these signs. If you were ordering a pump directly from Tokheim, they would ask you where you wanted the lead sign. Also notice the price sign on the top of the pump. Just three days ago I got a call from someone who wanted to know what that hole on the top of his 39 was used for, there is your answer. Just like the lead signs many municipalities required the price of the gasoline be visible from so many feet away, this is why Tokheim built the pumps this way (actually so did Bowser). If you did not have this requirement it was usually used for an advertising sign. Notice too, the way the pump is painted. Hopefully someone will fill in the correct colors and if this pump is for regular or premium.

Look at the building, notice anything. "LESSEES & OPERATOR." This means the station was owned by Conoco or the local jobber for Conoco, and leased by Mr. Colborn. Conoco or the local jobber would have been responsible for the pumps and the island.

Pictures can be a lot more that just being "cool." So the next time you see a cool picture, scan it, enlarge the picture, you might find all kinds of collectibles.

Jack Sim


Author, 1st & 2nd editions of Gas Pump ID book, 3rd edition is now available at www.gaspumpbible.com
Air Meter ID book also available
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Some great points you brought up Jack.

I use to spend hours analyzing pictures of Texaco stations and I learned a lot by doing so. It's a lot easier to research values than to research the history behind our hobby.



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Great points . I study the pics also for hours . Its one of the things I enjoy the most . It helps verify true items and what was actually out there .


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That was a super fun read!

Thanks Jack!


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Great picture and great points Jack, but the tanker couldn't hold 4,000 gallons.... it's only a single axle truck. The compartments at the most would hold 500 gallons each and usually there were some smaller compartments in the configuration.
I'm pretty sure that this particular truck would have hauled less than 1,500 gallons.

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Great to see the response and the corrections.

My only association with tanker trucks was climbing up on top of a 8,000 gallon tanker and looking in each compartment. That was when I was a Shell dealer in the mid-1970s.

Jack Sim


Author, 1st & 2nd editions of Gas Pump ID book, 3rd edition is now available at www.gaspumpbible.com
Air Meter ID book also available
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Awesome info Jack, I loved reading through your post and analyzing the pictures. I'll definitely pay more attention to pictures now. Thank you!


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There is no date on the catalog, but I would guess it is from the late 30s. One more thing, notice the lead sign is the large variety.

Jack


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Originally Posted By: huskybob
Great picture and great points Jack, but the tanker couldn't hold 4,000 gallons.... it's only a single axle truck. The compartments at the most would hold 500 gallons each and usually there were some smaller compartments in the configuration.
I'm pretty sure that this particular truck would have hauled less than 1,500 gallons.


Agree.

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This is what I like, everybody is everybody's assistant.

I know the younger generation expects answers much faster that we could even ask them back in the day, so I will be putting things on OG that will provide answers before they are asked, such as the above.

I have a ton of ideas, will try and do one each week.

And thanks, Jim, for letting me put these in the general discussion section.

Jack Sim

Last edited by Jack Sim; Sat Dec 20 2014 02:08 AM.

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Here is a Progress body that has a similar size and appearance of body style as the tank wagon in Jack's photo.
Gotta love old large format films. You can actually read the Body plate. This model is a 1000 gallon. Don't have a side view of this tank wagon just the back.
Chuck

Tankwagon (3)abc.jpg Tankwagon (3)abcd.jpg
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I always wonder why the rails around the top of the building like people will be walking around up there.


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coheley5,
I thought about that also, the only thing I came up with is that they possibly at one time held long signs, one on the front of the building and one on the side.

Jack


Author, 1st & 2nd editions of Gas Pump ID book, 3rd edition is now available at www.gaspumpbible.com
Air Meter ID book also available

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