Any Others Start Off At A Gas Station?

[Red Crow]

Just curious.
My first job was was working at a Texaco station as a lube tech in 1976. I remember those old cardboard cans of Havoline very well. I'd leave school with the owners son in a 1968 Pontiac Firebird, stop by the house to change clothes, then work at the station until 7 PM. Just reminiscing.

 

[c502cid]

Oh yeah..... started in 1977 though.... "Full service" Shell, Texaco, Chevron, Sinclair over the years. Put myself through college that way too. The best was the Sinclair, we were the last to have leaded premium in the area. We saw everything cool within a 50 mile radius!

 

[Red Crow]

Oh yeah..... started in 1977 though.... "Full service" Shell, Texaco, Chevron, Sinclair over the years. Put myself through college that way too. The best was the Sinclair, we were the last to have leaded premium in the area. We saw everything cool within a 50 mile radius!

I worked there through 1981. The station was operational as a full service all the way through 2005, although they switched to Conoco branding some time in the mid 90's. The station is one of the few relics left standing from a bygone era. If I had the money, I'd love to restore the place. Sadly it's gone downhill fast over the Last 15 years.

 

[Barkleymut]

First job was cutting grass and light maintenance at an apartment complex. My best friend and I did it for 1 summer. We got fired because we kept on leaving an hour or two early....there was no more grass to cut and we were 16 years old. I didn't have a car so my friends dad let us use his 77 Ford Courier, man that thing was tough. Still smile when I think about that summer.

 

[Chris142]

No. By the time I was old enough to work all the gas stations had turned into quickie marts.

 

[KGMtech]

Started at the local Chevron station when I was 16, pumping gas, oil changes, tires, headlights, wipers. Fond memories, the place was key to my party network after work.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Started Changing oil and pumping gas at a full service CITGO around the corner from a house my parents were renting in North Andover. Back in the mid 70's. Told the owner I could do brakes and tunes ups ( I learned by fixing up my first car a 65 buick). I Was going to college nights in Lowell for Mechanical Engineering. Then I worked for a few years at a ARCO station in Chelmsford as a mechanic. Did everything except auto trans rebuilds. Did a LOT of timing chains and water pumps on cars with 80-110K miles on them. Had some good air tools back then and got my first air ratchet. That really speed up WP jobs. Then I went back to school fulltime to complete my degree and then got a job with Western Electric designing automated assembly equipment - some with robotic integration( Seiko Air Hydraulic with 8080A control). Then worked at Bell Labs designing manufacturing processes and equipment for Hybrid integrated circuit assembly.
All stated in the early 70's with reading Chiltons manuals on how to tune up GM V8. I would to go to the book store in the Mall and read and take notes. Couldnt afford to buy the book at the time. - Ken

 

[ARCOgraphite]

Just curious.
My first job was was working at a Texaco station as a lube tech in 1976. I remember those old cardboard cans of Havoline very well. ...

I can still hear that unique sound of the spout piercing the can ...

 

[4wd]

Yes … Exxon full service in High School days … we maintained fleet trucks for phone and electric companies
(Saturday was the busiest day) …

 

[marc1]

Not a gas station per se but a mechanical repair / tire shop. I did tires, batteries, lube jobs and parts for the mechanics etc. That was high school and I made enough money there to buy my first 2 muscle cars and operate them. From there I went to a speed shop selling high performance aftermarket equipment for cars and trucks, that job paid for all my University, full time working in the summer, part-time while in school. I graduated into a recession so I stayed at the speed shop job for about a year after graduation as a team manager, still selling camshafts, intakes, headers etc. but dealing more with store operation tasks (scheduling, inventory, training etc.). Many of the friendships I made at those jobs, nearly 40 years ago, I still have. Except for the poor wage (starting at $3.25 / hr), I have nothing but fond memories of those times.

 

[AZjeff]

Sure did. Full service ARCO station in the early 70s. It was a father & son family operation, both with cigarettes hanging out of their mouth all day and the mother in the office doing books. Learned that some oil spouts were sharper than others. Can't remember how much they got into engines but don't remember any out on a stand. Gas was 30 or 35 cents a gallon. A carload of kids would come in and buy $3.67 worth of gas and head out for a night of fun.

A few years later I rented a Uhaul truck from the Exxon station across the road and filled it up at the ARCO station before taking it back. Never gave it a thought. My old boss laughed like crazy and the Exxon guy was furious.

 

[Kira]

How could the Exxon guy be furious? Was it "$6/gal." gas for rental returns he was planning to sell you?

 

[nascarnation]

For sure, a Sinclair back in the 60s! And the guy who owned it raced a Ford flathead V8 stock car so when they weren't doing customer stuff they worked on the race car. I learned a lot, it was a great education.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Paper routes and grass cutting was 1st. But working at the Mobil Station in my late teens was one of my favorite jobs ever.
One of the owners, Del, was such a great mechanic. I marveled at his skills.

 

[Dave P.]

Just curious.
My first job was was working at a Texaco station as a lube tech in 1976. I remember those old cardboard cans of Havoline very well. I'd leave school with the owners son in a 1968 Pontiac Firebird, stop by the house to change clothes, then work at the station until 7 PM. Just reminiscing.

I worked at a CROWN station in Plainfield, NJ in the mid 1970's for a summer job. It was gas only, 4 islands, 24 hours, 1 attendant per shift. I was the 7am-3pm shift and the midnight guy never left me enough cash to work with. Told the owner many times but he had a drinking problem so nothing ever got done. A customer came in one early morning and I couldn't make change so I gave him the tank of gas for free. Boss was pissed but he darn sure made sure I had working cash after that.
Another time, a car pulled away while it was still fueling and the nozzle jumped out of the filler neck and I got blasted by Hi-Test in the eyes and mouth! Man. I was blind and puking trying to make my way to the water fountain. Not fun but looking back on those days, it was certainly a good learning experience.

 

[Red Crow]

For sure, a Sinclair back in the 60s! And the guy who owned it raced a Ford flathead V8 stock car so when they weren't doing customer stuff they worked on the race car. I learned a lot, it was a great education.

I dont know why I didn't mention it in OP, but the owner of the station was also a racer. He ran a 69 cutlass short tracker. We stocked Kendall GT1 as well as Havoline, and all his personal stuff got that.

 

[CR94]

I was a farm boy, more interested in the machines than the plants and animals. Spent a lot of hours driving tractors ... Changed their oil, and replaced a broken PTO shaft once or twice.

 

[mobilnissan1991]

One of my best friends owns a full service station (Golden Meadow, LA). He’s the third generation to run it, his dad and grandpaw ran it before him and its been in business since 1968. Non ethanol gas, diesel, someone pumps your fuel, checks your tires and oil. They also do a huge volume of tires, brakes, shocks and repairs. Also alot of road calls. Every morning at 5:30 biscuits and coffee are made, where men anywhere from 25 to 80 sit at the table to start the day and catch up with everyone. Places like this barely exist anymore.

 

[Red Crow]

One of my best friends owns a full service station (Golden Meadow, LA). He’s the third generation to run it, his dad and grandpaw ran it before him and its been in business since 1968. Non ethanol gas, diesel, someone pumps your fuel, checks your tires and oil. They also do a huge volume of tires, brakes, shocks and repairs. Also alot of road calls. Every morning at 5:30 biscuits and coffee are made, where men anywhere from 25 to 80 sit at the table to start the day and catch up with everyone. Places like this barely exist anymore.

Yeah, but the newer generation is seeing the benefit of a business being a community forum rather than a strict corporate machine. I know a couple of guys who run their shops like that. They do good work, but theres always a minute to spare to chit chat with the regulars. It's a lot like the old times.

 

[DallasTexas]

I worked at Texaco Truck stop, had to wash trucks too. Lots of trucks then we're cab over cleaning windshield had to drag ladder, lots of brands have disappeared International, REO, White, Chrysler, GMC, Chevrolet, Ford's.