RIP Leaded Gasoline

[Shropshire Slasher]

Remember the days when they sold both leaded and unleaded and unleaded was 5 cents more expensive per gallon?

 

[HanSenSE]

Survivors include his wife, Ethyl.

 

[Baron Scicluna]

This should be the lede story in all the papers tomorrow.

 

[User 149557]

Between the impossibility of finding leaded gas and all the ethanol they now put in our gas, I’m trying to convince my dad to convert the engine on his ‘57 Chevy to a modern one. He’s had to continually rebuild the carburetor on it.

 

[Vombatus]

Between the impossibility of finding leaded gas and all the ethanol they now put in our gas, I’m trying to convince my dad to convert the engine on his ‘57 Chevy to a modern one. He’s had to continually rebuild the carburetor on it.

Wouldn’t that lessen the resale value of it?

 

[User 149557]

Wouldn’t that lessen the resale value of it?

Perhaps. But it isn’t a Bel-Air, so it’s never going to be worth a ton. It’ll be a moot question soon. Original parts for 50’s cars are becoming impossible to find. Not like the 1980s when car clubs and aftermarkets catered to 1955-1957 Chevys. It’s all about 1970s muscle cars now.

If I inherit it, I’ll probably do pretty extensive modifications on it. My dad likes it original, but it’s in pretty pristine condition and still under 30,000 miles and original paint, so a good base to build upon.

 

[garrow]

You know, back in the old days you could get leaded gasoline. Remember that? Leaded gasoline. Not any more. Why? America just doesn't lead today. Not today. Not today. Maybe some day.

 

[The Big Ragu]

When I drive through NJ. ... they still have the stupidity where you need somone else to fill your tank; you can't do it yourself.

For some reason unknown to anyone, including me, I always say, "Fill her up with regular unleaded, please."

I don't think even this news can break the habit, unfortunately.

 

[Starman]

When I was a kid, I always liked the smell of leaded gas.

A decade later at Happy Jack's Natco, we still sold the regular stuff, along with unleaded mid grade and premium.

From 1978-80, the management staff at Happy Jack's was me, Dave, Ryan and Morton, all aged between 19-23 at the time. I'm the last one alive. Ryan and Morton, the day shift dudes, both died about 10 years ago of various cancers. Dave drove a pickup truck into the ditch a couple years ago.

 

[Brooklyn Bridge]

When I drive through NJ. ... they still have the stupidity where you need somone else to fill your tank; you can't do it yourself.

For some reason unknown to anyone, including me, I always say, "Fill her up with regular unleaded, please."

I don't think even this news can break the habit, unfortunately.

What’s crazy is that full-service is codified into law. You can’t get out and pump your own.

It was recently voted on to keep the current setup, like within the past few years IIRC.

 

[goalmouth]

Hey, don't knock leaded gas!

 

[The Big Ragu]

What’s crazy is that full-service is codified into law. You can’t get out and pump your own.

It was recently voted on to keep the current setup, like within the past few years IIRC.

The origin was the 1930s or 1940s, I believe. There were no self-service gas stations. One guy had the idea to offer self service and charged less for the gas and it was really popular. So the rival station owners did the most America thing they could think of. Why compete, when you can pay off state lawmakers to outlaw self serve?

Nowadays, I am not sure what the rationale is. It must be that people in New Jersey are mentally incapable of pumping gas. The only time I actually mind it is when I drive up to the pump and there are a couple of other cars and there is only one attendant and he is moving in slow motion.

 

[Vombatus]

I remember the days of pulling into a station and asking for “a dollar’s worth”.

I also remember the old service station man in town who, during one of the 70s gas crises and huge price hikes, started muttering at us: “A dollar’s worth? A dollar’s worth?!!!”

 

[Dyno]

“Fill it up with Hi-Test.” Does anyone under the age of 50 know what that means?

 

[playthrough]

Isn't Oregon also full-service? I thought it was NJ and one other state.

 

[maumann]

I remember taking my anger out on a poor minimum-wage pump attendant in the summer of 1977 when regular went from .50 to .55 cents one night. I was having to put $2 in the car before my paper route every morning and that 10 percent increase was an outrage!

It eventually hit $1 by the time I got back to college that fall.

 

[FileNotFound]

“Fill it up with Hi-Test.” Does anyone under the age of 50 know what that means?

I’m 53 and the only person I ever heard actually say “Hi-Test” was my grandfather, who was saying it 20 years after it actually was a thing.

 

[TigerVols]

My daddy went to his grave calling Exxon Esso.

 

[TigerVols]

I was cruising through Montecito the other day ('cause that's how the wife and I roll, hahaha!) when I stopped for gas here...I'm kicking myself that I didn't pull into the full-service pump like the little Mini did shortly after I started pumping my own gas. The attendant even checked their air pressure.

Google Maps

 

[Spartan Squad]

I remember the days of pulling into a station and asking for “a dollar’s worth”.

I also remember the old service station man in town who, during one of the 70s gas crises and huge price hikes, started muttering at us: “A dollar’s worth? A dollar’s worth?!!!”

A dollar's worth? F'ing boomer.
When I started driving, I threw down a $20 and was excited when I got change back. That feels like an eternity ago.