1960s shell station

[bgarrett]

I see you've been a member here longer than I have. So why the first post now?

Once upon a time there was a little boy. He never spoke a word. Even as he got older he never spoke a word. The Doctor said there was nothing wrong with the little boy but he never spoke a word.

Until one morning.

At breakfast he started cussing real bad about his toast being burned. His mama was so happy to hear him speak that she didnt say anything about his bad language, she just asked, "Why havent you ever said anything til now?"

The little boy said, "Up til now, everythings been ok."

 

[oilcaddy]

I can picture what it looked like back in the day and all of the old muscle cars that got oil changes there. I see the remnants of an old wheel alignment sign in the back.

Any idea what happened in 1980 when it closed?

The man that owned it said he was not making money.He went to work for a tractor repair shop. He just retired. That is who i bought it from. He just left it sit all that time.Not much sign left. I am going to reuse tire racks.

 

[oilcaddy]

Where is this building? Looks like your first customer is already waiting in line by the right garage door

In Kentucky about 60 miles south of louisville

 

[oilcaddy]

After looking at the pics I understand the title - its just a shell of a station!

I think a lot of us would love to do this - take an old 2 bay gas station and make it into their shop. I tired to do it but the local taxes on the property were stupid expensive - $11K/year

Hope this works out - what sort of roof will you build?

Thats outrageous taxes. Here something little funny i gave same for the building this year as it cost to be built in 1960

 

[oilcaddy]

This is going to be a great build for sure. But please....get a couple of 6x6's and shore up those blocks. I'd hate to see the build come to a sudden halt because someone walked under there and a few blocks decide to let loose.

Other than that......make sure you keep the thread updated. I'm anxious to see this thing from start to finish and I'm subscribed to see it through. I see the station still has the old tire rack in it. What about the restrooms? Any old fixtures in there or have they went by the wayside? Do you plan on refurbing the restrooms back into the design or maybe use one for a compressor room and one back into a restroom? So many questions, so little time

We have looked at those blocks.I have even tried to dislodge them they are in there tight. not sure if moving wall or closing in. Bathrooms are a mess.
going to complete remodel baths make one customer one mine. compressor going in storage room on back of shop

 

[mayhemtex]

This is the kind of place I would have loved to have found!

 

[don long]

This is a great project that I will be checking on.
I hate to see those windows go. I would love to have them. I would find a way to incorporate them into my garage.

What type of work will you be doing in your new shop?

 

[SLYDIT]

id love to go nuts on that place with a huge waterblaster or sand blaster

 

[95riosnake]

Man, that a great old building! I love that it found its way into the right hands. I've seen so many great old service stations knocked down for mattress stores and strip malls here, it's depressing. One is still around, but they walled off the garage door and turned it into a tobacco/cigarette store... makes me angry every time I drive past it.

Can't wait to follow the renovation of this gem!

 

[Jagmandave]

So, oil caddy....is this a one man fix up job or are you going to hire a crew and git er done?

I agree about getting a pressure washer/sand blaster in there and getting everything cleaned up first.

What happened to the old roof? Is that it lying against the building , outside those windows? And if so why did they take it off?

What's your timetable to be in there and wrenchin on cars?

Is this in a residential area? It looks like there are houses next door?

Where is it in regards to the town square? or the big school on the south end of town?

 

[oilcaddy]

This is a great project that I will be checking on.
I hate to see those windows go. I would love to have them. I would find a way to incorporate them into my garage.

What type of work will you be doing in your new shop?

Those Windows i plan on keeping(new glass)also new glass in front of building

 

[oilcaddy]

id love to go nuts on that place with a huge waterblaster or sand blaster

Come on down. Ihave cut down trees around it and have started pressure washing. That is going to take awhile

 

[metalhead140]

Great project, will be a lot of work! Keep us updated.

 

[oilcaddy]

So, oil caddy....is this a one man fix up job or are you going to hire a crew and git er done?

I agree about getting a pressure washer/sand blaster in there and getting everything cleaned up first.

What happened to the old roof? Is that it lying against the building , outside those windows? And if so why did they take it off?

What's your timetable to be in there and wrenchin on cars?

Is this in a residential area? It looks like there are houses next door?

Where is it in regards to the town square? or the big school on the south end of town?

No crews,My best friend is a carpenter my father n law is a painter, brother n law an electrician,one can do anything,gonna use up all my buddy favors,
I have a great wife n 2 wonderful boys. I guess that is my crew.

I would love to be in it by spring . Alot will depend on how quick I sell one of my rental houses. Located in small town corner lot .Across the streetfrom old grade school that they turned into a resturant call decades.

 

[oilcaddy]

Man, that a great old building! I love that it found its way into the right hands. I've seen so many great old service stations knocked down for mattress stores and strip malls here, it's depressing. One is still around, but they walled off the garage door and turned it into a tobacco/cigarette store... makes me angry every time I drive past it.

Can't wait to follow the renovation of this gem!

yeah ,hate to see them close in the garage doors.There is a building about 5 miles away looks just like this one they made a candy shop

 

[oilcaddy]

This is my current shop. I built it in 2001 with help from some friends. Sorry about the mess, been busy.


http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=472618&stc=1&d=1440646069

 

[rsnip988]

I'm excited to see the progress on this build/restoration! My grandpa used to have his own shop similar to that!

 

[MPOWERD]

I wanted to do this and turn it into a car club garage... There is an old station on the corner, that I used to live down the street from, that was turned into a sort of real estate office. They filled the grease pit in with dirt and put carpet over the flooring in the two drive thru garages and the front of the building is glassed in similar to this one, but they wanted insane money for it so I had to pass. I hope your project goes smoothly! Cant wait to see progress!

 

[dlcwent]

Keep updating. You've got a following.

 

[ed_v]

This is awesome! I can't wait to follow along.

I am in Hodgenville once in a while. I work in Elizabethtown.

Ed

 

[ed_v]

Those Windows i plan on keeping(new glass)also new glass in front of building

I have been looking for years for windows like those!

Ed

 

[captain14]

Ever get customers to the Auto Service garage you were not expecting?

 

[oilcaddy]

I worked at local ford dealer in Elizabethtown for 15 years. spent much of my young day growing up in northern Illinois , little town called Sycamore

 

[ed_v]

I worked at local ford dealer in Elizabethtown for 15 years. spent much of my young day growing up in northern Illinois , little town called Sycamore

That's Crazy... I grew up in Elgin, Illinois! I spent lots of time as a kid at the Sycamore Speedway.

I was born in Elizabethtown, but moved to the Chicago suburbs at age 10. Spent the next 35 years there. My wife and I moved back down here 3 years ago. One of my best friends growing up now lives in Sycamore.

Ed

 

[Jagmandave]

No crews,My best friend is a carpenter my father n law is a painter, brother n law an electrician,one can do anything,gonna use up all my buddy favors,
I have a great wife n 2 wonderful boys. I guess that is my crew.

I would love to be in it by spring . Alot will depend on how quick I sell one of my rental houses. Located in small town corner lot .Across the streetfrom old grade school that they turned into a resturant call decades.

Sounds like you have a great crew! All you need to do is get them all organized.....

We'll be watching for updates as you go along.

What will you use the building for once it's done?

I also would love to have one of these to hold occasional car club get togethers in.....

Found it on the map, looks like a great location, plenty of room for parking when you have get-togethers or for storage for your projects. Perfect!

 

[Gidge]

Subscribed !

 

[oilcaddy]

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=473483&stc=1&d=1440904526

Well got trees cut down need to get rid of one large trunk

 

[rubberrodder]

Just finished these first 4 pages and am SO friggin' jealous! What happened to the roof? Did it just rot away?
I started my automotive lifes journey in gas stations like that one. PLEASE post lots of progress pics.

 

[1949 caddyman]

My Ist job on my way to a GM tech was at a Shell station. Would be cool to be playing in one again.

 

[bazzateer]

Great place! Lots of work but should be worth it.
It's looking so much better all ready and all you've really done is tidy it up, just imagine how good it'll look once finished!

Subscribed!

 

[rmmiller]

I would love to do what you are doing! I found a building just like the station my grandfather had, just the mirror image of his anyway. It's about 25 miles south of town and empty, I wish I had a place to put it and make a shop out of it.

I think a lot of us would love to do this - take an old 2 bay gas station and make it into their shop.

Oh so true! As a kid, my grandfather had a Union 76 station but he sold it off in 77 when he saw all the electronics that were coming to the automotive world.

I wonder why it closed? A gas station/service center circa 1980 (especially Shell) was still a good bet back then. Only later on in the 1990s or so did many stations go from gas/full service/everything to just gas and a convenience store.

Same thing happened here, quicky marts killer the service stations.

 

[Mr. Fixer Upper]

Have you received formal declaration that the land is free of pollution, buried tanks or other environmental concerns that you could late be on the hook for?

Are you buying this personally or with some kind of LLC to protect yourself?

 

[oilcaddy]

We were there often, ever July 4th

 

[oilcaddy]

That's Crazy... I grew up in Elgin, Illinois! I spent lots of time as a kid at the Sycamore Speedway.

I was born in Elizabethtown, but moved to the Chicago suburbs at age 10. Spent the next 35 years there. My wife and I moved back down here 3 years ago. One of my best friends growing up now lives in Sycamore.

Ed

We were there often,every July 4th We called it Bob Jo's then

 

[Ponchoguy]

No crews,My best friend is a carpenter my father n law is a painter, brother n law an electrician,one can do anything,gonna use up all my buddy favors,
I have a great wife n 2 wonderful boys. I guess that is my crew.

I would love to be in it by spring . Alot will depend on how quick I sell one of my rental houses. Located in small town corner lot .Across the streetfrom old grade school that they turned into a resturant call decades.

You're doing it the best way----a family project. My parents bought a 1941 Plymouth Deluxe back in 1978 for $550 that we cleaned up and fixed up over time. We used to enjoy it a lot. My grandfather and father did the interior over with a Witney kit, we had it painted and cleaned up and we did some upgrades to it as time went on. In '88 after my father passed away, his older brother (my uncle) in Texas got the car and enjoyed it for years until he gave it to my cousin in NC, who also enjoyed it. It's now with an older couple who is still enjoying it.

My point is this, "The family that tinkers together stays together". It's all about the good times and doing things together.

 

[loveall13]

I'm so happy to see your fixing that up, I've stopped by there on my way home from Lexington or Louisville several times (I know it's not the short way to Auburn but, I never go anywhere the short way). Next time I pass through there I'm going to have to stop by and meet you.

Jeremy

 

[Hangar Pilot]

Do you have any pictures of what it looked like back in the day?

 

[oilcaddy]

I'm so happy to see your fixing that up, I've stopped by there on my way home from Lexington or Louisville several times (I know it's not the short way to Auburn but, I never go anywhere the short way). Next time I pass through there I'm going to have to stop by and meet you.

Jeremy

Hey , That would be great, when you come through next time hope I'am there

 

[oilcaddy]

Do you have any pictures of what it looked like back in the day?

Working on getting some

 

[ed_v]

any updates?