Because we were a military family, my Dad had a Texaco card. At one time they were one of the very few oil companies who had a presence in all 50 states. My Mom liked Texaco restrooms because they were heated when cold and consistently clean.
Service stations my Dad filled up at..
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In the small town my wife and I live in a new gas station opened n the late 1950’s. The owner held a square dance and free bbq for the grand opening. I saw a photo of the event, and a older gent was leaning on one of the new pumps, watching the square dancing. He was smoking! 
That gas station has long since closed, never blew up as far as I know. A NAPA store is on the site now.
That gas station has long since closed, never blew up as far as I know. A NAPA store is on the site now.
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The model names evoke memories. My uncle had a ‘68 Tempest, my dad a ‘69 Sportwagon (arguably the Vista Cruiser seems to have been more popular [no data to confirm, conjecture]), and 2 decades later I would have a ‘70 LeMans Sport. 250 I6 with a 2 speed auto. All kidding aside. That car was smooth as silk, but leaked oil like a sieve. I wanna say at the time near $1/gal and I would use lead additive. And I had a “Love Your Mother” sticker with the earth logo. Go figure
In the neighbour hood of the small city I grew up in, there was one gas station, a Petro-Canada, not far from where we lived.
By then, our ‘78 Malibu wagon had a rusted -out gas tank seam, so you couldn’t fill it more than half way or it leaked.
Every few days, dad would have to put $5(?) or so of gas in, and around the time of the olympics (1988, I’m guessing) they gave away glasses with purchases - I seem to remember we had a lot of those glasses!
By then, our ‘78 Malibu wagon had a rusted -out gas tank seam, so you couldn’t fill it more than half way or it leaked.
Every few days, dad would have to put $5(?) or so of gas in, and around the time of the olympics (1988, I’m guessing) they gave away glasses with purchases - I seem to remember we had a lot of those glasses!
I pumped .25/gal. gas at the Esso station in '72 in Linden NJ, not too far from the Esso refinery in Elizabeth NJ. Handed out the Plaid stamps also. Sucked doing that on rainy days. Was working there on the Exxon changeover at that time also. Many a customer would want a buck's worth of gas. $2 was the common purchase.
Also learned about spray can mechanics there also. In those years loose GM alternator belts where common and those old 40-amp alternators would barely charge the battery with lights and heaters running with a tight belt. Silver spray paint on the old alternator, new belt and charge the battery and out the door the happy customer went. I was only the pump jockey and the occasional wrecker guy so what went on in the bays was none of my business. Sometimes it would be a starter instead of an alternator. That was my incentive to learn to work on my own cars.
$2 per hour under the table, minimum wage then was $2.05. I was living large driving my '64 Jetstar 88.
Also learned about spray can mechanics there also. In those years loose GM alternator belts where common and those old 40-amp alternators would barely charge the battery with lights and heaters running with a tight belt. Silver spray paint on the old alternator, new belt and charge the battery and out the door the happy customer went. I was only the pump jockey and the occasional wrecker guy so what went on in the bays was none of my business. Sometimes it would be a starter instead of an alternator. That was my incentive to learn to work on my own cars.
$2 per hour under the table, minimum wage then was $2.05. I was living large driving my '64 Jetstar 88.
My pal was looking south and saw that Linden tank blow-up from PARAMUS. That was '71 or '72.
Were you there then?
Were you there then?
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While the attendant checked the oil with a cigarette dangling from his lipsLoved the gas aroma as we would pull into a gas station.
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I found a steak knife in my drawer that I thought my mom likely gave me in the mid 80s, prolly 10 yo at the time. Believing they were from shell, I started to google…they are these
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I used to see 19.9 per gallon of regular on the San Francisco Peninsula when I was a teen.
I found a steak knife in my drawer that I thought my mom likely gave me in the mid 80s, prolly 10 yo at the time. Believing they were from shell, I started to google…they are these
new Vintage 6 Quikut Steak Knives Stainless Steel Quikkle Brown Handle faux wood | eBay
Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for new Vintage 6 Quikut Steak Knives Stainless Steel Quikkle Brown Handle faux wood at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!www.ebay.com
I have a couple of those.
when I was a teenager I worked at 2 different Sunoco stations... they still had the Custom Blending Gas Pumps with 260 down to 190 leaded gas and the beginning phase of unleaded gas. We were Full Serve but the competition was going the other way.. long time ago.
I remember the ding, used to have to roll up the hose when we closed at night
I remember the ding, used to have to roll up the hose when we closed at night
I only paid attention to the price of gas once I started driving. I remember gas being $1.19/gal and a $20 bill would fill up my car.
One thing I remember gas stations selling was paper road maps. I haven’t seen a gas station selling paper maps in quite some time.
One thing I remember gas stations selling was paper road maps. I haven’t seen a gas station selling paper maps in quite some time.
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Don't forget the restroom key attached to a hubcap.
I was working at a Esso station in the Elmora section of Elizabeth. Ony about 2-3 miles as the crow flies from the refinery. It was '71. Was about 11 pm and we were just closing up when it went off, orange color as light as day out and blew out half the bay door windows and a couple waiting room ones. Thought it was a nuclear attack it was so bright and loud. Wasn't a tank it was at the refinery itself.
That I'll never forget.
My pal was working at the movie theater at the Bergen Mall. He stepped outside for an air break. He heard the wham and saw the flash.
I recall the photos in the paper showing glass doors at the refinery reading "Humble".
I recall the photos in the paper showing glass doors at the refinery reading "Humble".
My dad was very brand loyal. Texaco was the mainstay and on the paper maps that Texaco sold they would mark station locations so on longer trips he knew when to stop and fill up. Shell was a secondary stop.
Lots of service stations near our house. Douglas, Phillips 66, Hancock, Richfield, Maxwell, to name a few.
I seem to remember the folks getting a Christmas album at the Texaco we went to. One of those assorted artists types.
Lots of service stations near our house. Douglas, Phillips 66, Hancock, Richfield, Maxwell, to name a few.
I seem to remember the folks getting a Christmas album at the Texaco we went to. One of those assorted artists types.
I remember when most if not all stations GAVE AWAY FREE road maps. I began driving in the mid '70's and never remember having to buy a road map.
Yep, metal map rack right in the waiting room with maps for the connecting states around you.
Now the map holder's ability to read that map was another thing LOL. Service stations were the original information center.
When I was a kid, my father used to put "blue Sunoco" in his 1951 Buick. They sold one grade of gas then, sort of a mid grade between regular and premium, at a discounted price. One day, my father pulled the head off the straight 8 engine, and the combustion chambers were all blue from the dye in the fuel. He stopped using Sunoco after that.
As a kid, I loved road maps, and the best ones were from Esso (now ExxonMobil) They were free at the gas stations.
I can remember the last time I paid 25 cents a gallon. It was at a no name station in northern New Jersey in 1972,
As a kid, I loved road maps, and the best ones were from Esso (now ExxonMobil) They were free at the gas stations.
I can remember the last time I paid 25 cents a gallon. It was at a no name station in northern New Jersey in 1972,
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