Back in the day, what was your dad's go to oil?
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Since my father was not into car work, although he was pretty good at fixing the household plumbing, drains and electrics, the cars got whatever the garage used.
Since then as now cars often leaked or used oil, we always had a few quarts on hand, originally in metal cans.
Brand was just a matter of whatever current API spec oil the local discount store had.
At the time, we had Uncle Bill's, so whatever Uncle Bill's had cheaply is what we used.
Oil then was incredibly cheap by current standards. Of course, fuel was as well. I remember my mother thinking that it was awful when fuel hit fifty cents a gallon.
.29/qt was a typical sale price with no MIR needed and you could buy Citgo for that on sale at Kmart on a regular basis as late as the early eighties.
Since then as now cars often leaked or used oil, we always had a few quarts on hand, originally in metal cans.
Brand was just a matter of whatever current API spec oil the local discount store had.
At the time, we had Uncle Bill's, so whatever Uncle Bill's had cheaply is what we used.
Oil then was incredibly cheap by current standards. Of course, fuel was as well. I remember my mother thinking that it was awful when fuel hit fifty cents a gallon.
.29/qt was a typical sale price with no MIR needed and you could buy Citgo for that on sale at Kmart on a regular basis as late as the early eighties.
The oil I first remember is Quaker State Deluxe 10W-40. My brother still has a few dusty cans of it. Not sure exactly when tho, as the first vehicle of my Dad's I remember was his 1939 Plymouth. That car was followed by a 1955 Plymouth, and I've no idea what oil was even available for those in the 50's. He may have begun using the Quaker State in the early 60's. He used it in that 55 Plymouth up until he sold it , then in the last several cars he owned before he passed.
I still remember tho walking with him into a local Pep Boys, with the hard wood floor and the cans of Kendall stacked right as you walked in.
I still remember tho walking with him into a local Pep Boys, with the hard wood floor and the cans of Kendall stacked right as you walked in.
His oil choice has been and will always be Castrol GTX.
Originally Posted By: Chris142
Pennzoil 10w40 and usually a Fram filter. He never had any problems using those. His 70 bug went 120+k before he tore it apart to restore it and never did. Was running fine at that milage. 74 Super beetle was crashed @ 145K and his 68 Valant did start to burn oil @154k. From what I hear 150k was a long engine life back then.
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Thanks for the memories Chris. My father had a 68 beetle which was given to my sister in 73 with over 100000 miles. H e then bought 73 super beetle. In both he used castrol gtx Dino oil. He crashed the 73 in 86 with over 200000 miles.
Pennzoil 10w40 and usually a Fram filter. He never had any problems using those. His 70 bug went 120+k before he tore it apart to restore it and never did. Was running fine at that milage. 74 Super beetle was crashed @ 145K and his 68 Valant did start to burn oil @154k. From what I hear 150k was a long engine life back then.
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Thanks for the memories Chris. My father had a 68 beetle which was given to my sister in 73 with over 100000 miles. H e then bought 73 super beetle. In both he used castrol gtx Dino oil. He crashed the 73 in 86 with over 200000 miles.
QS for most PCMO purposes, Esso XD-3 for diesels, and the odd can of Rotella hanging around.
Absolutely no idea...my dad wasn't into car maintenance when it came to oil and engine stuff - he did do lots of bodywork, however.
He was a huge fan of Canadian Tire the whole time he was in Canada, so my best guess is the got service done while he shopped for tools and household stuff. His first car in Canada was a used 1967 Mustang he had until 1978; so it would have got Motomaster 'Supreme' or perhaps 'Superoyl'. He put 18k a year on it, so I'm assuming it had this done fairly often, as it ran to about 150k hard miles.
Later on, I know he took his 1989 Tercel to the dealership for oil changes, because once they left the plug loose and it dumped the sump on our driveway. It burned a lot of oil after that, and there was always a bottle of 'Toyota 10W-30' on the shelf above the car!
He was a huge fan of Canadian Tire the whole time he was in Canada, so my best guess is the got service done while he shopped for tools and household stuff. His first car in Canada was a used 1967 Mustang he had until 1978; so it would have got Motomaster 'Supreme' or perhaps 'Superoyl'. He put 18k a year on it, so I'm assuming it had this done fairly often, as it ran to about 150k hard miles.
Later on, I know he took his 1989 Tercel to the dealership for oil changes, because once they left the plug loose and it dumped the sump on our driveway. It burned a lot of oil after that, and there was always a bottle of 'Toyota 10W-30' on the shelf above the car!
Lots & lots of Havoline, with the occasional sale cases of Pennzoil & Quaker State. We still had some of the original round white plastic QS bottles in addition to the familiar cardboard cans the plastic bottles had just begun to replace when he passed away in 1986.
Link to original QS plastic Bottle image
Link to original QS plastic Bottle image
Always Sears Spectrum for my Dad.
Whatever was on sale by the case because he changed it every 3000-3500 miles, but that '84 Ford Tempo ran for over 350,000 miles so it must have worked.
When I was growing up, dad used QSGB, now he uses that if he can't get ST Conventional
Havoline 10w40. If not available, then Shell Fire & Ice 10w40
or
GL
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GL
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Quaker State Deluxe Blend in his cars that got oil changes once a year, if that. Yes, there was sludge. I saw the valve covers off as a kid and thinking wow, that's gross.
Now as a adult, I know how gross.
His big truck got a more Religious oil change with Pennzoil with Z7 although he never believed in changing rear ends or transmission fluid/ oil. He was terriable on maintenance.
Now as a adult, I know how gross.
His big truck got a more Religious oil change with Pennzoil with Z7 although he never believed in changing rear ends or transmission fluid/ oil. He was terriable on maintenance.
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