Collectible Gas Pumps & Fueling Systems

Stroll Down Automotive History Lane With Collectible Gas Pump Fueling Systems

The first gas for automobiles was sold in five-gallon containers designed to deliver kerosene for home use, but soon gas pumps were invented that would put gas directly into cars. Collecting gas pump fueling systems is a great way to learn about these antique and vintage systems. You can quickly start building your collection of old gas pumps when you shop for vintage gas pumps for sale on eBay.

There are many types of vintage and old gas pumps, including:

• Kerosene - The first gas pumps, called bowsers, had marble valves and a wooden plunger.
• Visible - In the 1920s, many gas pumps pushed the gas to the top where it was visible. One of the earliest of these fluted-column options was the 1923 Wayne 490.
• Pony - These gas pumps were first sold for use by automobile owners at home. To operate them, a person would crank the handle and dispense the gas into a tank on the pump. Then, gravity carried the gas from the tank to the car. Tokheim Dome Oil Pump Outfit was one of the earliest producers.
• Coin-operated - A user would insert coins into these gas tanks that were some of the earliest to have underground tanks attached to them. Starkey Oil and Gas Company produced one of the earliest, and it contained the first silent mercury switch so that the gasoline would not ignite and catch fire.
• Pipe organ - These old gas pumps had pipes inside a visible pump. The pipes would fill up, allowing users to see how much gas they were getting. One of the earliest producers of these gas pumps was Guaranteed Liquid Measure Company.

Many different companies made old and vintage gas pumps, including:

• Wayne Oil Tank & Pump Company - This company made gas pumps starting around 1900. Antique gas pump models include the Wayne Model B, Model 452 Twin Visible, and Wayne 615.
• Bowser - After inventing the first gas pump, this company sold several other models, including Bowser Model 105, Bowser C111, and Bowser 102 Chief Sentry.
• Gibrato - This company made many pumps starting around 1910. You may find their G & B Model T-88, the G & B Model 66 Curbside Pump, and the G & B Model 176 gas pumps for sale.
• Tokheim - This company was one of the first to develop a coin-op pump, which they called the Model 952 Mad. Their Model 650 is one of the earliest clock-face pumps.

Most kerosene-converted gas tanks sat on counters. As manufacturers began developing gas pumps for the automobile, most were about 10 feet tall. In the 1920s, gas pumps became much shorter. When you are looking for old gas pumps for sale, you will find many where retailers added large gas globes to the top, however, so that pumps remained about the same height. Gas globes disappeared in the late 1930s, leaving many gas pumps standing about 5 feet tall. These pumps, however, had many curved edges. If you are looking for 1960 gas pumps for sale, then you will find 5-foot-tall box shapes. See the manufacturer site for details on sizing.