Inter-Action Enterprises 1950's Gas Station - Gulf Tom Schrawz Build Challenge

[ACL1504]

Tom - Finally caught up with your build. Looks like you're usual great craftsmanship. I need to find that kit as it would fit into my New Haven freelance layout I remember the Gulf stations from yore. There is actually one in Charlottesville VA.  Anyway I will try to keep up particularly interested in the interior. Jim

Jim,

Thank you for the very kind and generous compliment on the build. This is the best 1950's era gas station I've seen, period.

Darryl also offers this kit in the Sinclair Gas as well. I love the little dragon and sign on the awning of that one.

I'll will be adding interior but need to get a few more details first.

Tom

[ACL1504]

Truly superb build. I would of thought you would make a Pepsi machine?

Curt,

Very much appreciate the compliment kind sir. In days of old, the Pepsi machine would have been the one. See you Saturday.

Tom

[ACL1504]

I finished the gas pumps this morning.

I used .020" diameter brass wire for making the pump cranks. They look bigger in the photo due to the photo enlargement.



I also drilled a third (on the bottom) hole for the hose.



More in a few.

[ACL1504]

I dipped one end of the crank in glue and let dry. This serves as the crank knob.

The pump nozzles were painted silver and glued in place.



I painted the cranks silver and glued them into the side of the pump.

I used two pieces of .020" solder for the pump hoses. One end of the solder was glued into the third hole, twisted and the other end glued to the nozzles.

The solder was painted with Tamiya Black.



Continued -

[ACL1504]

[rslaserkits]

pumps came out fantastic
rich

[ACL1504]

pumps came out fantastic
rich

Rich,

Thank you for the kind compliment and for following along.

Tom

[ACL1504]

I painted all the parts for the gas pump canopy as shown below.



When the parts were dry, they were removed from the carrier sheet and the edges were all painted in the orange or white colors.

When they were all dry, assembly of the awning was started per the instructions.



More in a few.

[ACL1504]

Testing the LEDs prior to glueing on the part that covers the LEDs.



Once all the layered parts were glued in place, I used weights to hold them as the glue dried.



Continued -

[ACL1504]

The rest of the pump awning was built following the instructions.





Continued -

[ACL1504]

Water break, back in a few.

[ACL1504]

The large Gulf sign support pole was built next.

I used a 1/16" brass rod and bent it to a 90 degree angle.

I used .020 brass wire and made two sign hanger brackets. The brass wire was bent around the 1/16" brass rod, cut and the loop soldered as shown in the photo below.



In the next photo, the Gulf sign is laying on the brass bracket. Once I determined how much below the pole arm I wanted the sign to hang, the wire was cut and glued into the top of the sign. Two holes were drilled in the top equal distance from the center.



More in a few.

[ACL1504]

I then cut a piece of 3/32" brass tube one inch long. I slid the 1/16" brass rod into the 3/32" tube and soldered it. I then cut a piece of 1/8 brass tubing 1/2" long and slid the 3/32 section into it. It was then soldered as well.

Here is how it looked prior to painting. The portion extending from the bottom is for planting it on the layout.



Notice in the above photo the end of the arm has been filed down. This was done so a glass bead could fit on the end.



Continued -

[ACL1504]

The red bead was glued in place and the sign pole and brackets were painted with Floquil Old Silver.



Here is a photo of both the gas bumps and Gulf sign. I drilled holes in a small piece of 1 X 4 to hold the sub assemblies until they are placed on the layout.

The large Gulf sign swings on the pole arm and will be moved to the center when added to the layout. I made the sign so it could swing in the wind. We do get some hurricane winds in Tahope.



Continued in a few.

[ACL1504]

Two sump vents were added to the side of the station per the instructions.



The only items left to add are the interior details. I have them all made put I'm also waiting on some others to add later.