Tedd Thompson

Service stations of the 30's- 40's- 50's.... Tedd

http://hipspics.freewebspace.com/gas/gas.html

CRUZN 66

Sure do... Nice array of old time service stations... Definitely remember when you could buy 3 gallons of gas for $1 and have your windshield cleaned...

RandyS

My very first job was at a Standard Station when I was 17 yrs. old.

47 Convertible

The first one pictured was in the Portland Oregon suburb of Milwaukie. I used to buy gas there once in a while. Its gone now and no idea of what happened to the B-17 Bomber. I imagine some restoration outfit got it for parts.

A little further down is Covey's Little America. Its still called Little America but isn't Covey's anymore. It is in Western Wyoming alongside Interstate 80. Lots of gas pumps and a pretty good restaurant for being in the middle of the Wyoming desert. I go through that area every couple of years and always make it a point to stop there.

While in high school I worked evenings and weekends in service stations in the late 1950s pumping gas and doing lubes, oil changes and minor repairs plus tire service. When a customer came in for gas We were trained to always check everything under the hood, the pressure in the tires and offer to "whisk broom" out the car mats if the driver agreed. It wasn't just good service, everything checked was an opportunity to sell what we called TBA (tires,batteries and accessories). We even checked the service sticker on the inside of the A pillar to see if it was time for a lube and oil change. Yes, great service kept the customer coming back and it kept the service station more profitable. A win for both.
Jerry

Fun71

I worked at a Mobil station during college. Full service pumps with a vacuum that would suck dirt from the floorboard through the carpet.
We also had two mechanics bays and one lube bay, a tire machine where we fixed flats, and a cooler with the coldest beer in town.

Gascoop

Yep me too, when I was 16-17 (back in '63/'64) I worked at "Joe's Shell" station in Bell, Cal. Joe was a young good looking Italian guy who really liked the ladies.....and they really liked him. When the back office door was locked that meant he was "entertaining". Anyway, there was always 3 of us on duty ..... do the windows, check coolant and oil which no one ever believed they were a quart or two low when you told them. They would just look at you and say "Yea, right", even when you showed them the dip stick. These were all regular customers so I always told Joe (when he emerged from the back office) that so-in-so was way low on oil in case the guy seized his engine and tried to blame it on us. Had a helluva lot of fun working there for $1.15 an hour plus I could fill up my '56 Bel Aire 2 door hard top for $3.50.

m371961

The employment these places provided for high school and those just out of school was great, teaching customer service and starting a trade. Real shame it stopped.
Neat collection of pics.

35tac

Have you ever thought about how many of these startup jobs that taught young people a work ethic have been deleted? Millions and the result is digusting.
Thanks
Wayne

WHIPOLDS

Of all the jobs I ever had, the most favorite was working at a full service Amoco station on Rt 40 at junction of Baltimore Beltway. I worked there from 1963 - 1968. So many muscle cars came in for the white gas. I just read a book that was being shared on Garage Journal called Beltsville Shell by Cary Thomas. The book had the same type stories that I experienced during that time period. Any one that worked at a gas station would enjoy the book.
Rick

edzolz

How about the sign about the prices reduced? I worked at a Gulf while in high school and another station down the block would start a gas war. At that time dealers paid for the gas as it was put into storage tanks. The dealer would get the price down, fill his storage at the cheap price then close down his station and go fishing until the price came back up. I saw Gulftane (the cheapest Gulf sold) selling for 13.9 cents. All the farmers were bringing their 55 gallon barrels and filling them to run in their tractors.

tru-blue 442

Looks like a cool read.

rustyroger

[QUOTE=CRUZN 66;1093378]Sure do... Nice array of old time service stations... Definitely remember when you could buy 3 gallons of gas for $1 and have your windshield cleaned...[/QUOTE

The first shop I worked at, I manned the pumps on Thursdays and Sundays. Petrol ( what we call gas ) was 34 pence per gallon, or three gallons for £1.
I quickly found I could make nearly another weeks wages in tips by being polite to the customers when I checked their oil water & tires.

Roger.

oldcutlass

Our family owned a gas station growing up, in fact my parents told me stories that they gave me baths in the tire dip tank. I learned a lot (including that was not the business I wanted to be in as a career) working there in my early youth until it was sold in the 70's. It was a 2 bay with a full service body and paint shop in the back.

RandyS

I know, right? My fingernails and knuckles were always greasy looking, no matter how much I scrubbed them. But, it was nice to have a lift to put my car up on once in a while.......
And remember when the good looking blonde with the short skirt would come in for a fill-up? Her windows got REALLY clean........

redoldsman

I worked at a Phillips 66 station when I was 16 in the summer of my junior year. I was working to get enough money to get my 40 Ford running. I worked 6 days a week and made $35/week which comes out to $0.73/hour. There were certain female customers who really had clean windshields.

edzolz

Same here. One particular time just after I started working, a real nice 64 T-bird came in with custom paint and interior. I said to the other guys how nice the upholstery was and they nearly broke their necks to get out to wash the windshield. I did not know the statement meant a good looking woman was driving.

Rocketowner

Tedd,there is an old '30's Gulf Station in Tazewell Tn. that was closed down in the '60's,and in 2001 the city purchased it and restored it ,and now it is open for tours, photo shoots ect.
How many towns would even think of preserving a piece of history?tt

Fun71

That was the genius of the vacuum cleaner that the owner installed for the full service pumps. Not only would we clean the windshield, but we would offer to vacuum the front carpet if she would step out for a minute.

RandyS

Brilliant!!

1969w3155

Still have an old one in use, about 10 miles from me. Note that this is a pic that i took about 3-4 years ago, as evidenced by the cost of the gas.

Tedd Thompson

Not that much higher than what I paid yesterday. Gas is on the rise again in California... Tedd

blakes7

I'd have loved a job like that as a teen. I wish I could step into some of those pictures.

Gerald Nickels

I was lucky to have two cars with odd and even plates, so I parked one car there over night to fill the next day when it opened and was in line first back during the gas shortage ???? not sure there was a shortage. California
Gerald

Olds64

Very cool pics!

I noticed a sign in one of the pics mentioned:

There are two pre war cars at the gas station. I didn't know ethanol gasoline had been in use that long.

Aren't there a few states that currently require gas station attendants by law? I know in Germany you aren't allowed to pump your own gas. You don't get full service though. I think full service is a thing of the past.

redoldsman

I believe it was New Jersey I was in a few years ago that required attendants. I could be wrong and that has been several years so it could have changed. I know we have a number of residents of NJ on here so I am sure somebody will speak up.

Koda

New Jersey does. I was there in 2013 with a rental. I refuse to let people do things to my cars, so I would not want to drive mine through there.

rustyroger

But it wasn't your car!.

Roger.

Tedd Thompson

I believe All through the state of Oregon they require a attendant to pump your gas. Most of the time they ask me to do it on the Mistress which I would rather do anyway. Never on the Miata for some reason.... Tedd

My442

Worked at a full service Mobil station from 1969 to 1971.

S&H Green Stamps, free drinking glasses, free silverware.....

Fun times!

oldsconv

Correct on NJ - Full service only. For supposed safety reasons.

Went to Germany 3 years ago. They have self service but it was not pay at the pump. You filled your car, walked inside to pay and left your car by the pump, preventing the next guy from filling until you came back. Not very efficient.

Olds64

The last time I was in Germany was a few years ago. I tried to put gas in my rental car outside of the Stuttgart airport and the attendant was cross with me. I suppose it varies between states in Germany as well.

oldcutlass

Yes, New Jersey and most of Oregon still require a gas attendant to pump gas. The only 2 states in the country.

oldsconv

Yes. I think Germany is like US. Some self service and some full service. I remember going 25 years ago and having to pay $10 Euro to have washer fluid "installed". You couldn't buy a jug at any local stores, only at a gas station. I am sure that has changed now also

rustyroger

That's pretty much still how it works in the UK. Most gas stations have pay at the pump facilities if you are paying by card.
Also recently some stations have introduced pumps where you can preset the amount you want, in multiples of £10.

When I visit the USA, mostly Texas and the surrounding states, I had to park by the pump, go and pay for the gas, then come out and fill up. If i wanted to fill the tank, as I often did because we would be on a long trip somewhere, I would pay more than the price of a tank, then have to go back in and collect the change. Pity the guy behind me thinking I wouldn't take long to fill the tank on my little rental car.

Roger.

Koda

Yes, I let them do it.

Olds64

Anyone living in NJ or OR that can comment on the "full service" required by law? I suppose it's just a pump attendant that pumps the gas for you. They don't check your oil, air pressure in your tires, washer fluid, etc.?

oldcutlass

When I left NJ 39 years ago, it was full service. Check all fluids, wash windshield, and air up tires while pumping gas. I would assume that at a lot of stations that's still the case.

There were some articles that Oregon was going to stop the requirement and let self service in rural areas. Someone posted it on facebook, reading the comments from people who did not like it, you'd think it was the end of all humanity the way they complained. Most had no clue on how to fill their own car and sure as hell didn't want the opportunity to learn.

Fun71

Yep, this came up just yesterday with one of my co-workers. He and the wife were in Oregon recently and said the law had been changed.

oldsconv

On NJ, yes, full service is just a person pumping your gas. They don't check oil or washer fluid or anything else.

Olds64

That's lousy. If I lived in NJ or OR I think I would have to get the attendant to fill a jerry can and then I would fill my Olds myself. OF course, they probably wouldn't pump gas in my jerry can because it's one of the old style ones that actually holds and pours gas without swelling up and spilling everywhere.