Worked at Shorty Long's Esso just up Cambie from City Hall in the fall of '68, and before that in a Phillips 66 station on Lombard in SF. Had plenty of occasion to use that item. Interestingly, Lombard St. station was at the corner of Scott St. and so not far from the Presidio, so lots of off-duty army personnel employed there to earn a few extra bucks. There were some really interesting conversations around the shop through the fall of '67 and into the winter of '68, including the Tet offensive.Sadly, some of the same conversations are still on the table. Life has never been dull and, per your continued and dire warnings, doesn't seem likely to settle down any time soon.
Interesting, Danneau. How did you manage to avoid Selective Service while in SF? I did my undergrad in the States while that damned war was still on but I had a NATO service exemption/deferment so I didn't have to worry. I'd sure give a buck and a half to get to relive the 60s and 70s. Those times, like that motor oil funnel, aren't coming back.
You had me fooled; I thought is was something old! I grew up working the gas pumps in the UK. first order of the day was filling one quart glass bottles with either BP or Shell motor oil. When those new fangled metal one quart cans came along I had to crush them with a medieval devise, at the end of the shift, that splattered remnants of the oil cans on to my shoes and bluejeans .
Took me a second. Never seen a lime green one before. After you used it to top up the customer's engine oil you stacked the empty can in a rack which allowed it to drain into a container. On a good day you could salvage a couple of quarts - more if you were quick with the ad oil and the customer was anxious to get away. That would be after school and weekends circa '55 & '56.
The bottom part has me confused for a second but the spout part is unmistakeable. I remember my grandpa buying his oil in the old tin cans and watching him do many changes on his old Dodge dart. On a side note do you remember when a can of oil was a couple dollars then when oil went up to 130+ a barrel they jacked it up to $6 and its never come down since even though the price of oil tanked down as far 1/3 the cost. Yup no competition to see here.
@ Jason. I do remember regular gas at 50 cents an Imperial gallon. I can't recall oil prices at that time but I assume they must have been commensurately cheap.
The only reason I knew that this was an Oil Can spigot (or whatever they're called) was because I cleaned out my Grandfather's basement and garage years ago and he had been a mechanic his entire life. Never seen one outside of a flea market or garage sale, though. I'm 36 and I guess they were ahead of my time.
@ Uncommoner - I don't think there are too many your age that will remember these. You might have been a toddler when the plastic bottles took over from the oil cans.
I also recall my dad pulling into the B/A station and 4 guys dressed in uniforms would run out to fill the tank, check the tires, check the oil and clean the windshield.
BA, there's a blast from the past. That green and red, stylized yin/yang sign. That's been a while. We had a neighbour who drove a jet fuel truck for BA.
I had an uncle who was a salesman for Supertest, another name from the past. Through him I got a chance to spend some time around the Miss Supertest, possibly the most beautiful unlimited hydroplane racer of its time.
our Alzheimer test the other day involved finding a centennial nickel with the rabbit on it for full marks i.d. the animals on the other denominations ................. we bought gas @ 28 cents/gallon in Calgary and oil was 25 cents a quart (bring your own jug) lungta
Animals on other coins? The Beaver certainly, the Loon, that Caribou or Reindeer (the one with the antlers). That's about all I can come up with off the top.
I think its a spout for an old style oil can
ReplyDeleteIm 46 but i live in BC so i feel 70.
Yes, Jason. Very good. Did you recognize it right off or did it take a few seconds?
ReplyDeleteoil change thingie to punch hole in oil cans before it all came in plastic bottles with screw caps
ReplyDeletePS - I'm 66, knew right away because I used to have one
ReplyDeleteYes, exactly, RWW. You and I have used the things more than once. Now, can you recall when they disappeared? 20 years ago, 30?
ReplyDeleteWell usually when I remember something happened 10 years ago it was actually 20 years ago so I dare not hazard a guess.
ReplyDeleteWorked at Shorty Long's Esso just up Cambie from City Hall in the fall of '68, and before that in a Phillips 66 station on Lombard in SF. Had plenty of occasion to use that item. Interestingly, Lombard St. station was at the corner of Scott St. and so not far from the Presidio, so lots of off-duty army personnel employed there to earn a few extra bucks. There were some really interesting conversations around the shop through the fall of '67 and into the winter of '68, including the Tet offensive.Sadly, some of the same conversations are still on the table. Life has never been dull and, per your continued and dire warnings, doesn't seem likely to settle down any time soon.
ReplyDeleteInteresting, Danneau. How did you manage to avoid Selective Service while in SF? I did my undergrad in the States while that damned war was still on but I had a NATO service exemption/deferment so I didn't have to worry. I'd sure give a buck and a half to get to relive the 60s and 70s. Those times, like that motor oil funnel, aren't coming back.
ReplyDeleteYou had me fooled; I thought is was something old!
ReplyDeleteI grew up working the gas pumps in the UK.
first order of the day was filling one quart glass bottles with either BP or Shell motor oil.
When those new fangled metal one quart cans came along I had to crush them with a medieval devise, at the end of the shift, that splattered remnants of the oil cans on to my shoes and bluejeans .
Trailblazer
Yes, having lived in England a while I remember those bottles.
ReplyDeleteI used to work pumping gas and yuck I will never forget this medieval device
ReplyDeletespout for an oil can. never saw one that colour, however. usually stainless steel.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure I still have one kicking around in the garage. you never know when you might need one, again!
age - 60.
Took me a second. Never seen a lime green one before. After you used it to top up the customer's engine oil you stacked the empty can in a rack which allowed it to drain into a container. On a good day you could salvage a couple of quarts - more if you were quick with the ad oil and the customer was anxious to get away. That would be after school and weekends circa '55 & '56.
ReplyDeleteThe bottom part has me confused for a second but the spout part is unmistakeable. I remember my grandpa buying his oil in the old tin cans and watching him do many changes on his old Dodge dart. On a side note do you remember when a can of oil was a couple dollars then when oil went up to 130+ a barrel they jacked it up to $6 and its never come down since even though the price of oil tanked down as far 1/3 the cost. Yup no competition to see here.
ReplyDelete@ Jason. I do remember regular gas at 50 cents an Imperial gallon. I can't recall oil prices at that time but I assume they must have been commensurately cheap.
ReplyDeleteThe only reason I knew that this was an Oil Can spigot (or whatever they're called) was because I cleaned out my Grandfather's basement and garage years ago and he had been a mechanic his entire life.
ReplyDeleteNever seen one outside of a flea market or garage sale, though. I'm 36 and I guess they were ahead of my time.
@ Uncommoner - I don't think there are too many your age that will remember these. You might have been a toddler when the plastic bottles took over from the oil cans.
ReplyDeleteI remember buying $1 worth of gas.
ReplyDeleteI also recall my dad pulling into the B/A station and 4 guys dressed in uniforms would run out to fill the tank, check the tires, check the oil and clean the windshield.
ReplyDeleteBA, there's a blast from the past. That green and red, stylized yin/yang sign. That's been a while. We had a neighbour who drove a jet fuel truck for BA.
ReplyDeleteI had an uncle who was a salesman for Supertest, another name from the past. Through him I got a chance to spend some time around the Miss Supertest, possibly the most beautiful unlimited hydroplane racer of its time.
That chapter of our history is in the books now.
our Alzheimer test the other day
ReplyDeleteinvolved finding a centennial nickel with the rabbit on it
for full marks
i.d. the animals on the other denominations
.................
we bought gas @ 28 cents/gallon in Calgary
and oil was 25 cents a quart (bring your own jug)
lungta
@ Lungta - 28 cents a gallon? Jeez, when was that?
ReplyDeleterefinery outlet in Calgary...1970
ReplyDeleteno guesses on the coinage animals?
lungta
Animals on other coins? The Beaver certainly, the Loon, that Caribou or Reindeer (the one with the antlers). That's about all I can come up with off the top.
ReplyDelete