To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!

1935 Gas Station Resurrection

B

Bib Overalls

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 4, 2006
Messages
3,318
Location
Jonesboro, Arkansas
FD FLHX, You are a man with vision. I see two gas pumps, a sign, and a deed with still wet ink on it. You see a restored gas station and a working shop. You have been through this before so I know you can do it. I just want to tag along this time and see how you do it. Very cool. Subscribed.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
OP
H

HD FLHX

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
1,100
Location
Central Iowa
Bib Overalls said:
HD FLHX, You are a man with vision. I see two gas pumps, a sign, and a deed with still wet ink on it. You see a restored gas station and a working shop. You have been through this before so I know you can do it. I just want to tag along this time and see how you do it. Very cool. Subscribed.
Click to expand...

That has got to be the best compliment I've ever received on this board :beer:

and thanks to everyone that has shown interest in this project.

I came across this pic on Facebook today and its a good inspiration for what I hope to accomplish with my building. Some may recognize it from American Pickers, the owner has done some work for Mike Wolfe on a couple old hot rods. It is located on the Illinois side of the MIssissippi across from Clinton Iowa. He had a few pics of the original gas station on his website.





 
OP
H

HD FLHX

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
1,100
Location
Central Iowa
Well the time has come and I took possession of the building earlier this week so this thread will become a little more active. First some history on the property. According to the deed the land was purchased in January of 1933 by Perry Oil Company. It looks to me like it operated as a service station for over 30 years till the mid 60s. At that point Montgomery Ward leased the building for its auto service center. They had the building for about 5 years. After that it passed through many hands housing a variety of small businesses from antique shops, shoe repair to a flower shop etc.



The building is built on a slight downward slope so the interior floors step down to follow the slope. From the front to back it steps down 5 times. Because of this the interior is broken up into sections rather than being completely open. Here is a quick layout drawing of the sections that will hopefully make the interior pics make more sense.



This is the very front and the original gas station building. Part of this area will be used for the recreated 1950's gas station office area.





The next area was the original single shop bay. Only changes planned for this area will be reinstalling the 10x8 overhead door, removing the carpet and some new paint. It will be the area I can store a couple vehicles in and display some of my automotive sign collection.

This view is standing in the very front looking into that area. Where the door and window are is where the overhead door will be installed and a new man door will be installed to the left of the current door.




Going into the next room you enter the shop addition that was built probably after the war. It is 25x60. The first room is 20 feet wide and will more than likely become my main work bay. This room is getting totally gutted, dropped ceilings removed and replaced with white metal walls and ceiling. Ceiling height will be 12ft.




Now your looking down into the last section. The wall with the a/c in it will be removed opening it up to the current 1 stall garage space on the other side. The room to the right will be removed (red walls). The restroom is also in this area. With the wall removed it will put this section pretty close to 40ft with 3 overhead doors.





The brown door is the restroom door




Garage area on the other side of the wall that will be removed



Some hidden treasures found in the attic space above the original gas station section.



On the backside of the shoe repair sign is a Dodge dealer sign



While its still warm out I'm going to be concentrating on getting a few outside repairs done first. Pulled a few of the old bushes out tonight before I ran out of daylight. I gave the concrete basket to the city. They are going to place it in one of the flower gardens at the city welcome center a couple blocks away to the west. They stopped by last Friday and dug all the dirt out of its center so hopefully within the next week or so it disappears.




Next on the agenda is to get that display thing off the wall
 
Last edited:
9

95riosnake

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 26, 2013
Messages
394
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Great to see things are moving forward! This building has such an interesting layout and history, very cool.

Also good to hear that you gave the "basket" thing to the city, since it seems some people are pretty attached to it. Wouldn't be enough reason for me to keep it where it is either, so giving it away is the next best option for sure lol.
 
S

shortykorte

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 1, 2014
Messages
8,039
Location
Tallahassee, Fl
First off, congratulations!!!! This is awesome. As Hugo said, you're living our dream. Nice score on the Dodge sign. Really looking forward to what is in store for your place.
 
OP
H

HD FLHX

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
1,100
Location
Central Iowa
MichaelBikel said:
I may have missed this, but you are installing a working service station?
Click to expand...

I do automotive restoration/build HotRods. My current shop is getting cramped for space so I purchased this building as an expansion. It will have original Sinclair signage and restored pumps out front, but it will be for display purposes only.
 
OP
H

HD FLHX

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
1,100
Location
Central Iowa
Some progress made in the first week of ownership. 2 truck loads of bushes ripped out, wall display thing removed and replaced/rebuilt the fascia and soffit on the front of the building.







All the front wood is sanded, caulked and ready to prime. Hopefully if the rain holds off this weekend I'll be able to get it painted. It will be white/green again just the green will be a little darker Sinclair green,

After ripping out the overgrown bushes between the front doors I found a concrete pad hiding underneath. I am seriously considering placing a gas pump on it.




I thought this was pretty cool. Found an old receipt book from Perry Oil Company that had fallen into the soffit from the attic.



2 restored 10" barn lights I picked up to put above each front door. I'm going to mount them pretty high up by the roof peak

 
N

NUTTSGT

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
50,922
Location
Northern Central Ohio
You're getting a good start I'd say, little by little.

Looking through the interior pics, it appears the interior was done a little by each former tenant to become somewhat of a cobbled mess.
 
J

Jo Diesel

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 26, 2015
Messages
402
Location
St. Johns MI
Looks like I found this just in time before the real fun begins !

That concrete pad would be a perfect spot for the Sinclair dinosaur
 
Last edited:
C

C_F

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Jan 21, 2005
Messages
9,675
Location
Utah...SNOW BLOWS!
Looks great so far! I wonder how many more cool items you will find as you begin gutting the interior.

Those lights are going to look very nice over the front doors.
 
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
M

Mr. Tool

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 26, 2013
Messages
1,868
I applaud you sir for your vision and determination. :rocker:

I like reading stories such as yours, on restorations on places, buildings, etc. and really look forward to reading and watching the progress take place! :D

Good Luck on your new project! :3gears:
 
T

timbitca

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 7, 2012
Messages
966
Location
Moncton, NB, Canada
Can't wait to see what you are going to do with this. Also a dream of mine to have an old service station.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk
 
OP
H

HD FLHX

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
1,100
Location
Central Iowa
Cut out of work yesterday afternoon a couple hours early so I could get the front trim primed and as I rounded the corner to the building the first thing I notice is the basket has left the premises :thumbup:

 
OP
H

HD FLHX

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
1,100
Location
Central Iowa
Taking advantage of some 70* mid-October days and getting some paint work done. Was able to get the front trim primed and painted this weekend. I had the green color matched to a Sinclair sign I have.



Also got all the roots from the bushes removed and the beds cleaned out ready for some landscaping gravel. The whole corner inside the brick is concrete not just the pad as I first thought.

 
Last edited:
9

95riosnake

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 26, 2013
Messages
394
Location
Pittsburgh, PA
Looks great with the trim all painted! What's the plan for the doors, repaint white?

I definitely like the idea of a gas pump on the pad between the doors. That spot just seems too perfect for a pump to not put one there. Plus, you'll have a view of it through those two windows. Maybe a couple hidden landscaping lights pointing up to showcase it at night too.
 
OP
H

HD FLHX

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 10, 2011
Messages
1,100
Location
Central Iowa
95riosnake said:
Looks great with the trim all painted! What's the plan for the doors, repaint white? .
Click to expand...

The doors will be stripped and repainted, but will probably have to wait till spring. One will need some repair work on the bottom, the other appears to be solid. They will either be green or white..haven't made that decision yet.
 
E

E.rodz

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 11, 2009
Messages
2,434
Location
st.paul MN.
super cool! glad you found this historical property. hope to see it in it's new found glory soon! keep up the great work ethic!:rocker:
 
T

TimeWarpF100

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 21, 2010
Messages
6,784
Location
not here
This is going to be Spectacular when done! Simply knowing how you go about doing everything you do tells me that. Will be keeping an eye on this one.

My dad had a Sinclair service station in the early 50's. Growing up we had a Sinclair pump at the house. Dad had a in ground 300 gallon tank. Go Karts, Scooters etc we always had a working pump at home. I think the highest the pump went was .30 per gallon.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
To avoid these ads, REGISTER NOW!
Top Bottom