Cool old GTX can

[NVJ157G]

Thought you might appreciate seeing this, scored it on eBay last week, it even still had some GTX in it which leaked out much to my Postman's disgust :lol:
I have no idea how old it is but seeing as it doesn't specify a grade I presume its from when GTX was only a 20w-50 in the UK? It also has an ally screw cap which they changed to plastic in the late 80's...

 

[ekpolk]

So, there's no vis information at all? How about the specs it meets? Surely that must be on the back, right? Please shoot us one of the rear of the can too! I'll guess it must be around SAE SG or so. Since I'm guessing (again) that the screw top is not sealed in any way, you might also consider pouring off a few ounces for a VOA. Analysis would tell us a lot about what it was in the beginning, and what it has evolved (degraded) into now.

Oh, I also like the "Liquid Engineering" bit on the can. I had mistakenly assumed that this was a newer Castrol advertising slogan. I had totally forgotten that they were using it years ago. My how time flies...

 

[getnpsi]

Motul still sells some oils in the same type of can in the US. It might be newer than we think, just packaging differences.

No printing jargon on the bottom of the can?

 

[NVJ157G]

I know that by at least 1991 Castrol had switched to plastic bottles and no theres no info on it at all, no API rating no grading, nothing.

 

[LS2JSTS]

It has a UPC code on the can so it has to be later than 1974.

Does or did the UK ever use the UPC code system?

 

[NVJ157G]

You might appreciate this early 80's ad too...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxaqFvX649Y

And this one I think I can remember...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMoy8XXp7TI&feature=related

 

[NVJ157G]

Originally Posted By: LS2JSTS
It has a UPC code on the can so it has to be later than 1974.

Does or did the UK ever use the UPC code system?


No idea dude.

 

[cchase]

We have a few unused cardboard cans of GTX in the basement that say nothing of API specs, so who knows.

 

[NVJ157G]

I'm not really worried about the (now long used) oil I just like the can, its probably as old as I am. They aren't so unusual here for new oil either, Castrol themselves have a classic range they sell in one gallon cans.

 

[eljefino]

Maybe they ink-printed the vis on top of the can and it is mostly faded now. IOW the can is generic. Could you imagine walmart reordering but not knowing what weights they were selling since they all had the same UPC?

 

[NVJ157G]

It hasn't faded dude, up until some point in the late 80's GTX was only a 20w50 here. The Haynes manual for my Bug under oil recommendation just says 'Use Castrol GTX' (I have another one that just says 'Use Duckhams Hypergade')
My guess is that they didn't specify the grade until they changed it to a 15w40 and then a 10w40.

 

[Shannow]

I've seen a few of those tins in Oz, in the early 80s.

I don't think Castrol put any specs on GTX back then, as it rested on it's name (and was specced in the manual for just about every car on the road).