1950s Dual Automatic Parking Meter Build - Fri Mar 29 2013 06:17 AM
I bought this Dual Automatic Parking Meter a while back and it was a mess but seemed to be complete and I figured that I would use it for parts if needed. Once I was able to get into the top of it by taking it to Allied security, downtown Spokane, I found out that it was complete and in decent shape on the inside, no broken glass or missing parts but most of the main parts had come off the mount on the inside. No big deal and I've had the internals working, ticking away on my work bench for months now with a slide of a dime or nickel. Pennies sometimes kick it over 12 minutes but the coin slot has a 'govenor' that makes only dimes work when putting a coin in from the outside.
I still could not get into the bottom because of the lock cly is some sort or circular key that was impossible for the guys at Allied to get open, so, the bottom was still locked down, but I started to look at it and found my self making up a plan. I really enjoy the layout of this Parking Meter and the Lines are visually apealing, and it's not a (no offence) Park O Meter or one of the other more common type that you see everywhere.
I knew that I wanted something unique for a base, something that would really make the Meter stand out and for this and I started to look at table bases, ashtray stands and bases, and ornate posts and, and and... I felt kinda crazy looking for something that would work and look too cool but I was not finding anything inspiring until I went to a local auction house to preview what was comming up and in the parking lot were these.
THAT WAS IT! They used these for gating off their parking lot on the auction nites.
I still had the drive shaft from a 1969 "M" code Mustang (351 Windsor w/ 10.7 to 1 comp. from Ford, 4 barrel and dual exhaust, 290HP ) automatic, that was my first Mustang and I still had the stock 13" (1"+ bigger than stock Mustang GT front Rotors) front rotors from my 96 Ford SVT Mystic Cobra Mustang, that I've sold, because I replaced all rotors on it with drilled and slotted rotors.
So, there was my plan for the base but if I did that, what was I going to do with it for a paint scheme to tie it all together?
I was going thru the BJ auction results and saw the double head Dual Automatics that went thru and that took away all thoughts of painting it the way I was planning to.