Fill it up... with Ethyl

[mk378]

In 1926 two companies (GM and Standard Oil) held the key patents for leaded gas. They formed Ethyl Corp. with each holding 50% of the new company so one company had the patents and could make the lead additive for gas. They licensed the technology to DuPont to actually make the chemicals. The TEL plants had a serious problem with worker illnesses and deaths.

After the patents ran out leaded gas became a generic commodity but Ethyl still dominated the business.

 

[y_p_w]

In 1926 two companies (GM and Standard Oil) held the key patents for leaded gas. They formed Ethyl Corp. with each holding 50% of the new company so one company had the patents and could make the lead additive for gas. They licensed the technology to DuPont to actually make the chemicals. The TEL plants had a serious problem with worker illnesses and deaths.

After the patents ran out leaded gas became a generic commodity but Ethyl still dominated the business.

The brand was strong enough that competing oil companies advertised that they had it. Some of these are reproductions but some are actual vintage signs. And this selection doesn't even come close to all the brands that had the Ethyl Gasoline Corporation logo on their signs/pumps.

 

[Shel_B]

Amoco was the first major brand to become all "lead free" in 1986.

Amoco was selling unleaded gasoline at least in the late '60s, early '70s. and maybe even a bit earlier in the Northeast. I remember it being sold in the late '50s and early '60s. Standard Oil sold unleaded fuel in some parts of the midwest as early as the mid 1920s, and, IIRC, Sunoco was selling unleaded "high test" in the late 1940s

 

[y_p_w]

Amoco was selling unleaded gasoline at least in the late '60s, early '70s. and maybe even a bit earlier in the Northeast. I remember it being sold in the late '50s and early '60s. Standard Oil sold unleaded fuel in some parts of the midwest as early as the mid 1920s, and, IIRC, Sunoco was selling unleaded "high test" in the late 1940s

All gasoline was "unleaded" before leaded gasoline. My understanding was that lead was removed from gasoline for a few years in the 1920s because of safety concerns.

I've seen a Model A club at an event. I don't think they needed leaded fuel for performance, and in any case a car that old will have had all of its fuel system hoses and seals replaced with materials that are compatible with modern fuels.

 

[kschachn]

I've seen a Model A club at an event. I don't think they needed leaded fuel for performance, and in any case a car that old will have had all of its fuel system hoses and seals replaced with materials that are compatible with modern fuels.

The presence or absence of TEL in the fuel has nothing to do with hoses and seals and compatibility.

 

[y_p_w]

The presence or absence of TEL in the fuel has nothing to do with hoses and seals and compatibility.

That was a separate thought more or less relating to compatibility with modern fuels. But overall the anti-knock requirements for a Model A engine would be easily met by the cheapest regular unleaded. The biggest problem would be oxygenates since they don't have sealed fuel systems.

 

[Rmay635703]

The average yearly income in 1960 was around $3-6000.00

In upper Michigan $80/wk was considered “really good wages” in the early 60’s

My 14yr old father was harassed by grown men for making too much money because he earned a buck an hour but worked 80 hours (straight time no ot)

Most up there made a tad more than half that unless they were part time which was common as things were pretty weak in those years.

My father bought a brand new 4 cylinder car with a pickup bed for ~$800ish. Was extremely underpowered but was new to him.

 

[JHZR2]

That's interesting. Maybe the lead free Amoco premium was an east coast thing. That went way back. Leaded premium had dropped to 96 PO in Pa. by the mid-late '70's. Sunoco still had 97.5 PO 260 into the 1980's somewhere. Last gasp leaded was the low-lead 0.1 gram/gal. 89 regular up to 1992. Not sure when the original Amoco was shut down. The trade name was sold to someone (West Coast?) . Used to see some BP stations that branded their gas as Amoco, but they're all long gone here.

I remember in the 90s, hearing that Amoco ultimate was crystal clear and piped separately from other fuels (implied different pipeline though that’s likely not accurate…

 

[Leo99]

I stumbled across this short clip on YT that is relevant to this thread.