The Ford Barn

pastpresents · 01-04-2026, 06:26 PM

Hello folks,

I'm a scale model builder with an interest in old time garages and gas stations. As such I am in constant search for references relating to auto repair, auto parts, general petroliana such as signage, gas pumps, lubsters, service equipment etc. I just discovered the Ford Barn Forum and am hoping this will help to appease my appetite for all things relating to auto repair and service.

Please see photos of my current model building project.

henry's 31 · 01-04-2026, 06:34 PM

these are wonderful,

henry 31

mcgarrett · 01-04-2026, 08:17 PM

Beautiful workmanship - well done! Check out this website for more ideas for future scale model projects...

https://theoldmotor.com/?s=gas+stations

mcgarrett · 01-04-2026, 08:32 PM

A friend of mine made several of vintage gas station-themed birdhouses and I got this one from him for my mom several years ago. Everyone who sees it is amazed and the work and detail he put into it. You have definitely taken this art form to the next level. Keep up the good work.

Vern · 01-04-2026, 10:03 PM

Beautiful workmanship.
Also check out Oldgas.com. In the Showcase and Stories forum there are thousands of photos of old gas stations in Great Old Pics.

pastpresents · 01-04-2026, 10:33 PM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Vern, thanks for the info.

pastpresents · 01-04-2026, 10:38 PM

Thanks mcgarrett and Vern for the additional info. Appreciate it!

Fullraceflathead · 01-05-2026, 05:08 AM

Very artistic and beautiful craftsmanship!!!

nkaminar · 01-05-2026, 08:04 AM

This is the last Shell gas station that looks like a shell. It was built in 1930. It is now privately owned. It is in Winston-Salem, about an hour from where I live. The Model A in the photo is mine. More info at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_...North_Carolina). You have to click on the "Did you mean:" link. There are links to other interesting service stations in the Wikipedia article.

nkaminar · 01-05-2026, 08:21 AM

Here is a link to a model train layout that has many interesting scale models. It is now closed permanently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPHASpKgRtQ. Find the Model A's.

Gene F · 01-05-2026, 08:24 AM

12 1/2 cents....who would think we would ever see the day that we would quit stamping pennys...at any cost.

My late grandparents made and decorated doll houses. It started off as a fun thing for them to just try, then it became a full time job. When they started to get too old to do it any more I guess it took about a year to get through all the orders they had. They took one of their first ones to a doll show, and were mobbed. LOL

Dave in Petaluma · 01-05-2026, 02:04 PM

Beautiful work! What is the scale?

nkaminar · 01-05-2026, 03:14 PM

If you are asking about the model railroad, I don't know. Must be larger than HO. Maybe G scale.

Dave in Petaluma · 01-05-2026, 03:21 PM

My question is to the OP. The work is outstanding.

pastpresents · 01-05-2026, 03:53 PM

This is 1/12th scale or 1" =1'.

pastpresents · 01-06-2026, 12:05 AM

nkaminar,

Thanks for sharing the video link of the model railroad layout. Fabulous scenery and model work. Sorry, didn't count the Model A's. And I'm thinking this might be an O (1/4") scale layout judging from the few real humans in the video.

Model A Canuck · 01-06-2026, 08:04 PM

Beautiful workmanship

Model A Canuck · 01-06-2026, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nkaminar

This is the last Shell gas station that looks like a shell. It was built in 1930. It is now privately owned. It is in Winston-Salem, about an hour from where I live. The Model A in the photo is mine. More info at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_...North_Carolina). You have to click on the "Did you mean:" link. There are links to other interesting service stations in the Wikipedia article.

https://wstoday.6amcity.com/city/she...nston-salem-nc

pastpresents · 01-07-2026, 05:53 PM

Garage interior.jpg

Here is a photo of the interior of my garage. As you can see there are a number of empty shelves I need to fill with typical auto shop repair items. Things like auto batteries, boxes of inner tubes, spark pugs, brake pads, fan belts, cans of oil and grease, tools, cast off old auto parts, some repair manuals etc. etc. I've been looking for a model A engine block to throw in there somewhere under the work bench but haven't been able to find something appropriate in 1/12th scale. If anyone out there knows where I can find additional garage junk to add to the mix I would appreciate any leads.

nkaminar · 01-07-2026, 07:27 PM

Search eBay, but you will probably end up making a lot of the stuff from scratch. 3D printing works pretty good. Also try to search for 1/12 scale plastic car models that you can take the parts out of.

01-04-2026, 06:34 PM	#2
henry's 31 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Columbus(Cataula) Georgia Posts: 934	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station these are wonderful, henry 31 __________________ Henry' s 31

01-04-2026, 08:17 PM	#3
mcgarrett Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Corsicana, Texas Posts: 1,551	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Beautiful workmanship - well done! Check out this website for more ideas for future scale model projects... https://theoldmotor.com/?s=gas+stations

01-04-2026, 10:03 PM	#5
Vern Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Spring Valley Calif. Posts: 641	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Beautiful workmanship. Also check out Oldgas.com. In the Showcase and Stories forum there are thousands of photos of old gas stations in Great Old Pics.

01-04-2026, 10:33 PM	#6
pastpresents Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2026 Location: Lehi, Utah Posts: 6	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Vern, thanks for the info. Last edited by pastpresents; 01-04-2026 at 10:57 PM. Reason: duplicate post

01-04-2026, 10:38 PM	#7
pastpresents Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2026 Location: Lehi, Utah Posts: 6	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Thanks mcgarrett and Vern for the additional info. Appreciate it!

01-05-2026, 05:08 AM	#8
Fullraceflathead Senior Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: Chillicothe, Missouri Posts: 1,851	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Very artistic and beautiful craftsmanship!!! __________________ "If I asked people what they wanted they would have said faster horses." -Henry Ford "Primitive technology is not a design flaw" 1928 Ford Model A Roadster Pickup 1930 Gordon Smith Air Compressor 1941 Willy's Pickup 1960 Thunderbird-For Sale 1964 Buick Riviera 2x4 425 1965 Pontiac GTO, 455 Super Duty 2004 Dodge Ram SRT-10, V-10 Viper 1977 Charger Jet Boat,460 Ford,Jacuzzi Jet Front Engine Nostalgia Dragster,Supercharged 296 "Fullrace Flathead" Ford Engine Build up on DVD ask

01-05-2026, 08:21 AM	#10
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 6,847	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Here is a link to a model train layout that has many interesting scale models. It is now closed permanently. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPHASpKgRtQ. Find the Model A's. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. Last edited by nkaminar; 01-05-2026 at 08:28 AM.

01-05-2026, 08:24 AM	#11
Gene F Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,689	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station 12 1/2 cents....who would think we would ever see the day that we would quit stamping pennys...at any cost. My late grandparents made and decorated doll houses. It started off as a fun thing for them to just try, then it became a full time job. When they started to get too old to do it any more I guess it took about a year to get through all the orders they had. They took one of their first ones to a doll show, and were mobbed. LOL

01-05-2026, 02:04 PM	#12
Dave in Petaluma Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 79	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Beautiful work! What is the scale?

01-05-2026, 03:14 PM	#13
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 6,847	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station If you are asking about the model railroad, I don't know. Must be larger than HO. Maybe G scale. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past. Last edited by nkaminar; 01-06-2026 at 07:54 AM.

01-05-2026, 03:21 PM	#14
Dave in Petaluma Member Join Date: May 2010 Posts: 79	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station My question is to the OP. The work is outstanding.

01-05-2026, 03:53 PM	#15
pastpresents Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2026 Location: Lehi, Utah Posts: 6	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station This is 1/12th scale or 1" =1'.

01-06-2026, 12:05 AM	#16
pastpresents Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2026 Location: Lehi, Utah Posts: 6	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station nkaminar, Thanks for sharing the video link of the model railroad layout. Fabulous scenery and model work. Sorry, didn't count the Model A's. And I'm thinking this might be an O (1/4") scale layout judging from the few real humans in the video. Last edited by pastpresents; 01-06-2026 at 12:11 AM.

01-06-2026, 08:04 PM	#17
Model A Canuck Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2022 Location: Milton,Ontario,Canada Posts: 327	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Beautiful workmanship

01-07-2026, 05:53 PM	#19
pastpresents Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2026 Location: Lehi, Utah Posts: 6	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Garage interior.jpg Here is a photo of the interior of my garage. As you can see there are a number of empty shelves I need to fill with typical auto shop repair items. Things like auto batteries, boxes of inner tubes, spark pugs, brake pads, fan belts, cans of oil and grease, tools, cast off old auto parts, some repair manuals etc. etc. I've been looking for a model A engine block to throw in there somewhere under the work bench but haven't been able to find something appropriate in 1/12th scale. If anyone out there knows where I can find additional garage junk to add to the mix I would appreciate any leads.

01-07-2026, 07:27 PM	#20
nkaminar Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Western North Carolina Posts: 6,847	Re: Luke's Garage & Gas Station Search eBay, but you will probably end up making a lot of the stuff from scratch. 3D printing works pretty good. Also try to search for 1/12 scale plastic car models that you can take the parts out of. __________________ A is for apple, green as the sky. Step on the gas, for tomorrow I die. Forget the brakes, they really don't work. The clutch always sticks, and starts with a jerk. My car grows red hair, and flies through the air. Driving's a blast, a blast from the past.