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Joined: Jun 2006
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scar Offline OP
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I've recently purchased a Fry Mae West 117 and I was
wondering if someone knew how to decipher what year it
was made from its serial number?
The original plate's serial # says 107776
Thanks
Dave


I found a Fry Mae West 117!
Now I need orig. parts!
Base doors, cyl. rods, skin & base bolts,
reg. fingers, conduit pipe, light arms & shades, & more
Please use For Sale forums to sell

Please - NO offers to Buy or Sell in this forum category

Statements such as, "I'm thinking about selling this." are considered an offer to sell.
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Possibly you know me, I am the author of the Gas Pump ID books (both first and second editions). While writing the 3rd edition I also taken it upon myself to accumulate all the info on the Guarantee Measure (Fry) pumps that I could. When they did this and when they did that. Many of the great guys here on OG have sent me info that will eventually answer all these questions.
The biggest problem is that there are some out there that have information, but do not choose to make it public.
This is the same problem I have with writing the 3rd Edition of my book. I know of a lot of gas pump literature collectors who have information about gas pumps that I have not been able to find. This same is about the Fry, they have info that I have not been able to find, but they choose not to make it available to all of us. In the past I have asked him (them) to join me in my books and we write the greatest gas pump book ever, but sadly, they declined.

Some of the info you requested is not dearly available, what I have been asking is that if you have a Guarantee Liquid Measure (Fry) pump and it has a ID tag, please send me the all the info that is on the ID tag. Possibly, I or someone can use all this info, alone with everything about this great pump to explain all the changes there in this pump.

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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Hi Jack,
I don't personally know you, but I've heard several people
talk about you and your books. I believe someone told me to
contact you a few years ago because I have what I believe
is an American 6 sided visible gas pump that no one has been
able to correctly identify. Every other one that I've seen has
the "hooks" at each corner/point on the cylinder base.
Mine does not have them. It has a drain back about
middle way up the skin. You pull it out and it drains the gas.
I will be happy to send you a picture of the tag that is on the Fry pump.
It's the original tag, but it has very basic info on it.
It has the serial number and the model 117 stamped
on it.
If you want to send me your email. I'll email you a picture
or if you have Facebook, I can send it to you there.
Thanks,
David


I found a Fry Mae West 117!
Now I need orig. parts!
Base doors, cyl. rods, skin & base bolts,
reg. fingers, conduit pipe, light arms & shades, & more
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Scar,

Understand, 25 years ago I started buying and collecting gas pump, air meter and general petroliana literature. None of this this literature made me an expert on any one pump. To answer any questions I had to refer to the literature I had. If I didn't have any literature pertaining to a pump, I could not answer the question. My money went into literature, guys like Kevin's money went into pumps, so actually he was more knowledgeable about a certain pump than I would ever be.

I wish it was possible to go back to all the information that Dick Bennett supplied us with. He really knew more about gas pumps than I would ever know.

DB told us that many of the gas pumps companies worked together, meaning that one company purchased parts from another company. So, if you have a pump that has something that doesn't match any piece of literature, possibly it is because the item you are referring to was made by another company.

Always keep in mind, new pumps went to the large oil companies who used them in their large stations in large towns or cities. After a few years the oil companies would decide to purchase new pumps for all the stations (lets say in St. Louis, MO.). These pumps would be sent to the local equipment dealer who was under contract to install all these pumps. Part of the contract stated that the installer would purchase the old existing pumps. Now these pumps became "used pumps." Small companies in almost any city became re builders of old pumps. They would purchase pumps from the equipment dealer/installer and rebuild them. The installer would also rebuild these pumps and offer them to the smaller oil companies. Mom and Pop station owners could not afford new pump and most went to the used/rebuilt market to purchase a pump.

Wayne even went into the rebuilding market, ads show that they were offering the Model 80s as being rebuilt.
A.O. Smith even went all out in their rebuilding program. They rebuilt Tokheims, Waynes, and Bennett pumps. They went so far as to have the I.D. tag, and the new porcelain faces read "A.O. Smith."
In Indiana was a company called "Partee" who rebuilt many pumps. I was privileged to have visited their location and talk to the owner.
Rebuilding was not limited to gas pumps. A Hartford Connecticut company (I can't recall their name) rebuilt ECO and Gilbarco Air Meters and Veeder-Root computers. Again I visited this company because they wanted me to take everything that they didn't want.

Why all this? Why does your exterior sight glass look like one that is used on a Bennett pump? It is because this little company could not afford to do a lot of casting and it was cheaper to purchase the sight glass from Bennett than to make their own. Again, "Why all this." Never assume anything about a gas pump, if your pump does not look the same as another one it is probably because the parts were purchased from a different company.

Your Fry pump. Just tell me anything you can about the pump and just give me the info that is stamped in the ID tag.

Thanks to all who have sent me your email address for the next book.

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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Jack,
Are you actually seeking info on our Frys ? I thought that you were just talking to that one individual. Where do you want the info sent ? Do you have a form detailing specifics about the pump ? I have always taken closeups of the tags and of the pumps.
Sincerely,
Dave
PS This reminds me of the Wurlitzer Jukebox Co. which did the same thing for their model 1015 which came out in 1946. In 1996( 50 year anniversary) They sent everyone a poster of the machine that sent in the serial number of their box. I'll donate to you a stack of Fry 117 parts diagrams(large) printed on glossy card stock or send it to you in pdf format if you would like to do something similar. You will need to purchase a quantity of tubes to mail the posters, but you could pass it(cost of tube plus shipping) on to those that participate.Something to think about. Would love to help you out. Dave


Dave Jones
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scar Offline OP
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Hi Jack,
Here is a description of the pump I have.
Mine has a serial number of 107776.
It has an original blue cylinder. The markings on
the cylinder read:
Hyatt Glass Co.
WATER CLEAR
Poteau, OKLA.
On a second marking, it says H Hy-Grade E and Poteau, OKLA.
down below it.
It looks as if it never had the regulator fingers. It has a bracket at the
top that locks the tube in place and you can tell it's been
like that for a very long time. There aren't any rusty marks on
the tube that would normally hold the fingers. It also has a
drain back installed. They cut the base door's top corner out
to put it in. I hope to find a nice original uncut replacement door.
Mine has two internal gallon marker sets. They are aluminum
and remind me of the ones that Wayne used. I believe they are Fry though.
At one time, it had dual light arms on it. I have the rotted ones.
The pump handle has some sort of plug on the end
that sticks out about 3/4 of an inch and has a rod
running through it. I've noticed a slotted screw in the bottom
where the handle slides onto the pump shaft. I can't tell
if the screw is holding the end plug in place or not.
It didn't have a hose or nozzle with it so I don't know
what kind of nozzle it should have.
The drain back tube in the cylinder is brass. That's
the only brass on it. The cylinder rods are steel.
That's pretty much everything I can tell you about it.
I hope this helps you out somewhat in gathering info on Frys.
If you need pictures, I can send you whatever you need.
Thanks,
David


I found a Fry Mae West 117!
Now I need orig. parts!
Base doors, cyl. rods, skin & base bolts,
reg. fingers, conduit pipe, light arms & shades, & more

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