Does anyone here collect or restore parking meters? Last year I picked up a Duncan Miller model 50. (I think) It was cheap so why not right? It should make a cool addition to my traffic lights and road signs I'm decorating my new garage with. To free up floor space I think I'll make a wall mount for it. With the research I've done so far, it looks like this style meter was made from the mid 30s to late 50s. I'm thinking this is a 50s model but not sure if there are any date codes anywhere. Someone has definitely been inside of it before me. The rear coin door was glued in place and it looks like someone tried drilling a hole in the top. The two "Time Expired" flags inside look like they've been badly repainted. The exterior was cheaply sprayed with a goldish paint but from the look of the inside, it was originally gray. They even painted over the two clear inspection windows.

The reason for the post is that only one of the internal flags is working. The other one doesn't move and I can't figure out how it is supposed to move. It could very well be that someone assembled it wrong since I'm not the first person to have it apart. There are a few Model 60 restoration videos on Youtube but nothing about the Model 50 that I've seen yet. At least nothing showing the inner workings of the mechanism. I can put a nickel in the slot and the meter works but like I said, only 1 of the "Expired" flags moves. I'd like to see how it's all supposed to work inside.

I figured it was a long shot asking about a parking meter on here but that's ok. I found a Facebook group that looks like it might be helpful. The admin seems to know his stuff, so maybe I can get some accurate info. I really dislike Facebook for technical info. I much prefer websites like this.

My wife and daughter went to a Girl Scout meeting last night so that gave me a chance to play around with the meter a little bit. I think I have a better understanding of how it works now. When you insert a coin into the slot, a lever is pushed out and makes contact with a gear. That gear is connected to the timer mechanism and the warning flags. When you turn the handle, the gear is turned and it winds the timing mechanism. There are only gear teeth on part of the gear. That gear seemed to be out of sink with the flags. After taking it apart and putting it back together a bunch of times I figured out how it was all supposed to work together. At least I think I figured it out.

I see two issues that I'm going to have to work through. The first issue is that the timing mechanism works when the unit is laid down on the bench but when you stand it upright, it stops moving. I'm guessing there is an adjustment for the main spring tension. It doesn't look like the spring is wound very tightly. The second issue is that when you turn the handle with a coin in the slot, the lever locks up at the end of its travel and doesn't return to the neutral position. After years of service, the coin mechanism has some slop in it where it attaches to the handle. This isn't allowing the coin mechanism to turn as far as it should to release the coin and reset itself. The handle and shaft are one piece and the coin mechanism is held onto the shaft with a roll pin. Maybe drilling it out for a slightly larger roll pin will tighten everything back up? If not, there is a mechanical "stop" that I might be able to file on which would allow the handle to be turned a little farther.

I kinda always wanted one since mechanical things like that interest me but never had one.

Have you searched YouTube? Entering 'Duncan Miller Model 50' turned up a few videos, not sure if they'll help.

For example:

Yes, I saw those. Thanks He basically is just showing the outside and posting it for sale on E-bay. He never takes them apart to show how they are put together. I think I have mine figured out. I'm going to work on cleaning up the housings and wet sanding the plastic lenses. Then I'll take the mechanism back apart to clean up the handle and coin slot. I've searched all over the basement and I can't find the rear coin door. I know it's around somewhere. I'm sure I put it in a safe place so I wouldn't lose it.

I finished my parking meter today. I was able to fix the two issues I was having. Someone had been inside the meter before me and had let the main spring wind down. It should be under tension when the mechanism is on it "stop" but mine was unwound. I was able to remove the gear and winding wheel on the back and manually turn the shaft with a wrench to preload the spring. The issue with the handle and coin mechanism was a broken roll pin that holds the two pieces together. There was no wear to the hole in the shaft and a new roll pin fixed the issue.





Once I got it disassembled I blasted the housings and set out to fix the damage that someone made on top. Apparently people like to make lamps out of these. I think that's what someone was trying to do with this one but instead of drilling a hole in the top, they used a chisel to pound out a hole. There was a fairly large area that needed to be rebuilt. I came up with the idea to fill in the area with JB Weld. It was pretty much trial and error but it actually worked. I made a "form" out of popsicle sticks and hot glue. Then I poured the JB Weld into the form. Once it was cured, I sanded it down to form the shape of the top. I'm really happy with how that part turned out.








Someone had painted over two plexiglass windows on the meter. One was the coin window which displays the last coin that was installed into the meter. The other was the hours of opperation window. I wet sanded the paint off those windows and polished them. Then I made a new hours of opperation plaque to replace the original discolored one.


I bought some new stickers for the two flags and one for the time indicator arch. I also bought a new plaque for the front since the original one was too far gone to make look nice. I tried to find a gray paint that matched what I found on the inside but I wasn't able to. I ended up using a medium gray which looks nice I think, Instead of painting the handle, coin slot and Duncan Miller logo, I decided to polish them instead. I think it looks good. Here is the finished product.

Great Job!
I'm guessing it looks better than new.

I agree that is awesome.

Will you put it in front of your wife's or the kids car?

Very impressive!

WOW! That's awsome! Great work!

Designate a parking space for your in-laws and put it there..........

nice work

Awesome!

very, VERY, nice work !
i think the polished handle was a great touch.