I'm an old man. I remember the day a man could work at a fillin' station and make enough that his wife didn't have to work, he could pay for a nice Jim Walters home, raise his kids, have two cars in the garage, and a boat, and all the bills got paid. That was in the mid 50s when going downtown in any big city was a safe, peaceful experience.
BLAME DEMOCRATS. The mass riots of the summer of 1967 opened the door for Mass Immigration and for The Great Society, which has ruined America. Part 2 of the ruination started with the Marxist-supported race riots all summer long in 2020. Now even more freedoms are gone, unrest everywhere tearing the country apart, and now MASSIVE inflation is going to make the prices of the 1960s sound like a fair tale. It also makes you realize todays prices are due to taking America off the gold standard in the early 1970s and being placed on fiat money. This allows the Federal Govt to "print" money, which increases the cost of living, and it increases all costs and prices.
@@dezznutz3743 After the 2020 election - legally won by President Biden - egged on by former President Trump and some of his loyalists, their cry became “Look what the far-left media and its allies in Big Tech did to us!” All this has been heaped upon their constant complaints about the “disgraceful far-left bias in the media, academia, entertainment” and, of late, “science and medicine.” Since before I entered the Reagan White House in 1987, I have been listening to such incessant whining. “Poor us,” they cry, “We Americans who believe in God, the rule of law, sovereign and protected borders, a strong military, smaller government, lower taxes and personal accountability. What are we to do in the face of such unfairness?” What they generally do is howl at the moon. If Republicans, conservatives and people of traditional faith truly believe the left has come to dominate the media, entertainment, academia, science and medicine, then they should take steps to change that. Almost a quarter-century ago, I sat down with my old boss, former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, to discuss this reality and the political and power-balancing enigma. Back then, long before tech giants Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and UA-cam came to dominate society, Dole - the former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential and vice presidential nominee - was honestly astounded that more ultrawealthy Republicans and conservatives were not getting into the media and entertainment fields. What we were told then was that those fields either did not fit their “business models” or that they might adversely affect their “bottom lines.” As Dole and I discussed, common sense and pragmatism dictate that not having a voice in the largest megaphones of our nation - the media, entertainment and academia - is a losing strategy destined to create negative consequences for those trying to advance conservative or faith-based thought or arguments. It can most certainly be argued that, for the past few decades, the left has come to dominate these fields, as well as science and medicine. And in some ways, liberals should be congratulated for achieving such dominance. That said, none of it happened in a vacuum or in the dead of night. It was all done with everyone’s eyes wide open - including people who later morphed into complainers about the “unfairness of it all” but who voluntarily chose to do nothing at the time. For whatever reason, they looked away while those on the left went about their business creating amazing high-tech achievements such as Google, Amazon and social media platforms. Now, some on the right want to scream, “How dare those liberal entrepreneurs espouse the political or ideological thoughts they believe in, on sites they created, while blocking some they disagree with!” Ah, but isn’t it basic human nature to exercise control over a private company in which one has invested his or her blood, sweat and tears to create? The last time I checked, there were thousands of Republican, conservative, libertarian and traditional faith-based millionaires, multimillionaires and billionaires who have amassed collective wealth exceeding $1 trillion. Surely that’s enough money to invest in a few newspapers, fund television networks, start a few universities or create some Big Tech sites of their own. It’s time for the right to stop playing victim and put their money where they swear their values lie. If not, those who are complaining should put a cork in it.
I worked at a full service Standard Oil Station while I was a high school student in the mid 1970's. I pumped gas, checked motor oil, cleaned the windshield etc. A customer brought in a tire that was flat and needed to be repaired. He had his 16 year old daughter with him. She said it was love at first sight. We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in July.
I was a "pump jockey" just like this in 1973. The station had 2 bays with lifts and the owner was also the mechanic. When I wasn't pumping gas and checking tires I was supposed to be in the garage helping the owner out. Learned a ton about working on cars from that guy. It was an amazing time back then. Looking around today it's hard believe this is still the same country.
I'm a boomer. These educational and public service films make me nostalgic. ALso wistful... for a time when you got actual SERVICE at a service station: Somebody pumped gas FOR you, checked your tires, oil, and even cleaned your windshield. Not to mention less than a dollar a gallon.
Now you do it all yourself (next they will be asking us to drive the tanker) and the guy on duty has neck and face tattoos, is wearing a vest and is listening to Death Metal on a portable speaker. Welcome to the 2020s
I’m 20 and I love watching documentary footage from the 40s-50s. There’s something about the music and the voice of the narrator that brings a sense of peacefulness to everyone that watches older films and documentaries
It’s up to your generation, Gen Z, to pull your heads out of your a**es and get some class. Gen Z is the most narcissistic, materialistic, trashy, classless, heathenistic, hypocritical, and weak generation to ever be born. Drop the social media clout chasing, obsession with being the biggest victim, and greed.
@@PrimetimeNut its ok man i agree with u too meany people are snowflakes, they changed my school mascot from an indian to an A they could of just kept it and changed the name but no they wana spend thousands of dollars on a mascot change i guess
The best part about the past is that everything was so clean and showed how much dignity and respect was held by the common man not only for his surroundings, but for each other.
meh. Image was everything back then. People did gossip and stab each other in the back. Church and society was a lot more demanding and freedom wasn't really a thing in that sense. You just conformed. That has some advantages, but the overall disadvantage was much bigger. A lot of abuse happened and people simply refused to talk about it. Shame was much more of a thing. And entire groups of people would shun you if you did not comply to the rules of a certain group. Racism was another thingie that got shoved under the carpet for a long, long time, like many rights of other minorities (gays, women, etc.). White wealthy man decided what was good. Talking back to upper classes was another thing that just wasn't done (a lot of injustice used to find its root there). My point being: you are very selective. It's sort of like saying that the best part of nazism was that most people got along fine. It was a straightjacket that made it so...
My grandpa ran a Texaco station in the 60s/70s and we found a picture of him and my dad sitting on some tires there drinking a Coke. I think it was one of the best Christmas gifts my dad ever received to relive that memory
Notice the guy made change outta a bill in his head ? I worked at Dominos pizza 20 yrs ago part time and had high school kids that couldn't make change of a charge of $8.49 out of $10 bill . They use calculators too much at school that they never use their brains .
@@aussies_are_white0057 kids back then looked for a job , todays kids either have a parent get a job for them or let them stay at home till they are 35
@@aussies_are_white0057 kids today might be more book smart but as far As practical knowledge to have some self sufficiency they have almost no knowledge of anything useful
My grandfather went from a pump boy all the way to owning the station. He named it "Bill's self service gas station" in North Prairie, Wisconsin. He was also a volunteer fireman. He lived not 1 block away from the station. Viewable from his driveway and it was on the corner. He would walk to the station in the morning and bring whoever was visiting fresh doughtnuts from the station. He passed away some time now, but every person in the small town knew of him. Never smoke or drank. Just worked his ass off. I can only hope to be a fraction of the man he was.
Now there’s a role model to look up to and emulate Jeff, your grandfather was a man’s man of honor, ethics and integrity, things that society is devoid of these days.
I love the fact that there are so many folks from the older generation, telling their stories about the old times. Much love to everyone out there and stay healthy in these troubling times
@@camlee2341 way to make it about race and please tell me what is fine for a “white person” because I have 0 privileges I have no more than the any other race before me or after me we are all gonna die in life and nobody not a single person gives a shit about you or me
For some reason I really enjoyed watching this. It never ceases to amaze me how time has changed the way we go about our day and interact with one another. In those days service really meant service, today you're lucky to get a thank you or have a nice day..
I know you're joking, but my grandfather got into the Model T hobby back in the '50's. He also ran a full service gas station/tire shop. They did the Glidden Tour from St. Louis to Detroit and one driving to the AACA National meet at Hershey in a 1916 T.
My daddy was four years old when this was made. He told me he would ride his Shetland pony to the local gas station to get a soda pop and some candy, when he lived in McKinney , Texas . He passed last year . I was thinking of what good mechanic he was all those years. Rest easy daddy 💓
I recently revealed the genders of my two girlfriends. It got a lot of hate and now has 30 times more dislikes than likes. I am really sad that people can be so mean. Sorry for using your comment to talk about my problems, dear pi
Isn't the cooling system supposed to be a sealed system . . . or is that just a newfangled idea where coolant doesn't actively escape . . .? AND I bet tap water did wonders for the life of that radiator . . . SMH
I worked in a station in the 60's and we did that often. The trick was to squeeze the upper radiator hose first, if it was hard then you knew there was enough pressure that you shouldn't open it, otherwise it was safe.
Because back then, cars ran the cooling system at 4 PSI, not the modern 14 PSI. Pre-war they were mostly unpressurized. Post-war was 4 PSI, going up to 7 shortly after this, then 14 PSI by the 70's. The lower system pressure is why they could get away with leaky head gaskets and casting porosity; that's one reason why they're regularly adding water.
Paul Neron- I worked at a full service EXXON Station from 1975 to 1977. I was 16 years old when I started working there and and stayed till I was 18 years old and I am now 64 years old….
Paul, In 1976 I was 11 years old. I remember when my dad or mom got gas the gas station man would fill up the car with gas. While he was doing this he would wipe the windows too and check under the hood if car needs more water. They do not do all of this anymore. All the best.
I remember taking my 1957 Pontiac Starchief in for its regular tuneup in stations like these. It was a luxury car I bought for $247.00 and it only had 42,000 miles on it. I had attendants fill it with premium for .28 a gallon. Everything was done for you and often the young attendants thought it was the most beautiful car, and it was after waxing and polishing. It was in perfect condition. No rust. These were the good old days. McDonalds was new back then and I could pull in with my Pontiac and get a full meal for less then a dollar. This was 1969.
Pretty crazy considering what the used car market is like now. 247 bucks then is roughly just under 2,000$. In 2021, we don’t have Pontiac to compare to, but a common GM luxury sedan, a 2009 Cadillac CTS with 43,000 miles which is far below the avg, would be about 17,000$.
@@DayoftheJakeL In 1965 a Brand Corvette could be had for about $4000 and that was a luxury sports car in that era. A Mustang in 1965 could be had for about $2500. A 1960s Ford car was on a par with BMW cars yet was a car that every American could afford.
I have never understood why these kinds of educational films were made, but I'm glad they were. It's nice to have little time capsules to remember the past.
Did that in the 50’s. Wore a bow tie & belt with no buckle, checked tire press, washed windows (all of them) plus all the normal checks. This was Standard Oil in LA
Back in my teen years, my first real job, was at a local station that did all these things. It was a small station, two pumps, two bays. We came out and asked the customer what they needed because it wasn't always gasoline. If they needed gas, we began pumping, but in the meantime, we cleaned their windows, checked the oil, checked the air pressure in the tires and so on. In our two bays, we changed oil and fixed exhaust and changed tires (mounting and balancing them of course). I remember, no matter what you were doing, when you heard the bell ding, which meant a customer was out front, you checked first to see if anyone was already out there, if not, you stopped what you were doing and took care of it yourself. I am thankful I got to be a part of this, I enjoyed it very much. I use to ride the school bus to work after school. It dropped me off, I changed clothes and worked until quit time. I also worked 3 Saturdays out of the month from 7am till 7pm. We each rotated Saturdays, so we could have at least one Saturday off.
@@BFP2021 Top comment is lying, if that is what you are asking. I mean....Why would you have 2 cars, even if it was normal back then. (Which it was not 🤣) People fall for the dumbest sh*t these days. But great video to see how far we have come, and I do love the stories being told here
Know that your history isn’t going completely unnoticed by younger generations. I love watching these videos and hearing stories from old timers, there’s a lot to learn from history.
This sounds like the films they showed us in elementary school when I was a little boy in the early 60s. The enunciation is very clear and they use simple words, explaining everything.
I grew up in my Dad's Standard Oil "service station." Before I was 10, I was an "attendant," and by the time I was 14 I could overhaul a V-8 engine. I was a small kid, so could fit in the engine compartment to pull parts and clean off old gaskets. I was also in charge of filling the "Coke" machines, washing cars, changing tires, lube jobs, rebuilding carbs, whatever. I remember working on a lot of high-school buddies cars, most of which were purchased used for under $100. $1 worth of gas could keep a kid cruising the main drag all weekend. It was these skills that helped me stay self-sufficient throughout my life.
You're right. When I was in school in the 1950s, hearing this narrator's first few words was a signal that we were going to be shown a boring movie. You youngsters have no idea how boring the 50s could be. On the other hand, the movies that were made during the Depression in the 1930s were often very good.
The narrator, Henry F. "Hank" Simms, was a veteran radio/TV announcer whose voice was heard in many commercials, the opening titles of Quinn Martin's TV productions of the 1970's, and during the Academy Awards ceremonies in the 1960's and '70s.
I worked at a Phillips 66 station in 1969 that sold bulk bottled oil. Had a built in spout and was then refilled by the station. Saved a TON of waste. So much for saving anything...
Then they switched to those awful cardboard cans that always leaked because of those stupid spouts you had to shove in.. too hard and the can crushed.. not hard enough and it ran out of the side....
Believe it or not, I used to work at a full-service gas station back in 2006. I’d do gas, oil, fill the tires with air, wash the windshield, just like what they showed in this clip. I got lots of tips that way. Most the time it was just gas and windshield but would ask everyone about oil and if they needed air or if we just saw the tire was low we would just tell him we’re doing it. I had a really cool manager and people I worked with were really cool too. It’s probably the best job I’ve ever had. I only left because I went on a 2 year church mission.
I grew up in the 50's and I remember those Service stations. My first paying job was in a Service station. That only last a few months, because the following year I started working for the Forest Service fighting fires and clean up. Great times for me as a kid.
Back then, the kids learned early what hard work was.
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@@davidgagliardo3258 I started working part time when I was 10, after school at the gas station. Then on weekends I had two p/t gigs, A paper route and then on to the gas station. I was using a tire machine and fixing flats at 10 years old!! Kids these days would get there hand caught because they were too busy on their phone and then sue the station owner. Sad times these days.
My late dad bought a Standard station in my hometown Cedar Falls, Iowa in late 1983. The Grand Opening was February 1984. I spent time as a kid helping out after school and most weekends. It became an Amoco in 1985. After graduating High School in 1991, I worked there full time until dad sold it in August 1995. Ohhh the memories! Dad also had a Shell station in my hometown a little before my time somewhere between 1968-71 (I'm a 1972 baby)
Yeah, 1957! The year I was born. Mostly on Saturdays, I accompanied my father in our beetle to the service station not far away from our home. Two men on a mission! This was in the sixties. Loved the smell of the gasoline. And so much to see! And the people there knew the cars! A rattle here, a rattle there? Those guys had a solution.
I've noticed that's part n parcel for friggin American cars. 1 Challenger (2009) and a Sable (2008). Both have rattles. The former also had 2 recalls (Takata air bags and drive belt). Had to go back. They didn't have parts for both front air bags. Honda Accord? 15 years. Nothing. No rust, either!
Working in a gas station after school and on weekends taught me basic auto maint. 50yrs later, I've done the oil change and tire rotations myself on every vehicle I've ever owned. Gulf Service station, Buffalo Speedway & Fuqua Dr., Houston, TX. 72/73
If you were a high school kid in the mid 1970's, your favorite teacher had plenty of these 16 mm films to fill up the entire hour while you drifted blissfully into a nice long nap. 😎
I was a high school kid from 1974 to 1977..I remember my Drivers Education / Health classes..we saw lots of car death bloody movies & health movies about diseases & social personal hygiene practices
@@jomon723 It was the same way, even in the early 80's. As kids, we laughed at most of the old films - we were idiots. But, they had their fears too. Fear of being nuked by Russia, commies around every corner. Still, if only we could go back and experience it just for one day.
In the 1960s some service stations gave away little premiums if you spent a certain amount for gas. I was a little kid then, but I remember once or twice my mother stopped at one of those stations, told the attendant, “Fill ‘er up,” and I got a little toy car out of the deal! Another time we got from the 76 Station a bright orange “76” styrofoam ball that you stuck on the end of the car’s radio antenna. As I recall, those were a bit bigger than a ping-pong ball. New tires for sale were wrapped in bright blue reflective cellophane, and they were placed outside, either right in front of the station itself or by the gas pumps. It was also common then to see colorful streamers and pennants strung up everywhere outside stations to attract the eye of passing motorists. Man, it looked like a carnival!
Remember "Put a Tiger in your Tank"? They used to give away a plush Tiger Tail free with a fill-up that hooked onto your gas cap and hung out of the gas filler door. "Put a Tiger in your Tank" was the Humble Oil Company's ongoing ad campaign, (although the tiger tails we're just available for a while.) Their stations were Esso stations in parts of the country and Enco stations in other parts as well as other names domestically and internationally. That is the company that became Exxon, (now Exxon Mobil.)
If a gas station went retro and started doing this today with a well dressed well mannered attendant with a smile people would line up for the experience.
This film brings several service station experiences to mind from the mid 1960s to mid 1970s, which was the last decade of true "service" stations. First, "premium gifts" that customers received for their patronage in order to generate customer loyalty -- stickers, placemats, sets of glassware that could be collected, and even toy cars and trucks (after a certain amount of fill-ups.) Second, on long road trips, you would have to drive around a town at night in order to find a service station that was open, as many closed after a certain time of night. I remember my dad getting stressed out about finding a place to fill up at night on cross country trips. Third, the attendants draining oil cans into a collection barrel after topping off the oil in your engine. My dad always commented that the attendants would not quite empty the can into the engine, so that they could keep a little bit of the oil to collect in their oil tanks, which salvaged oil they "sold back to the oil companies." Fourth, cleaning windshields (front and back), checking the oil, the radiator, and the tire pressure was considered the bare minimum service. If you bought nothing but one gallon of gas, the attendant would do all these things without asking. Fifth, tipping the attendant was the norm, even if the tip was only a quarter ( which was the price of one gallon of gas.) Sixth, ROAD MAPS!!! Before the internet you had to use road maps for cross country travel, and you acquired them at service stations. Often they were free, if you bought a tank of gas at a big brand service station, they would give you a nice road map that only showed their service stations as places where you could find gasoline. Seventh, cigarette machines! Before I was old enough to drive (about 14 years old), we would go to the service station to buy cigarettes from the machine (when the attendant wasn't looking), because that was the only place where underage kids could get cigarettes without being questioned about their age. The machines charged 45 cents a pack, while stores charged 30 cents a pack. But stores wouldn't sell to children, so the extra 15 cents was worth it!
Sounds like a greater time to be alive than now. I'm 32 and heck even my childhood memories are just as good, especially in comparison to what my kids will grow up with. Take care.
Watching these old documentaries is such an emotional rollercoaster. I always keep thinking, where this guy or the lady in the car would be today? What was her/his life like? may be one day we can just travel back in time and meet them while the film was being shot etc.
The golden age of the Automobile, Would have loved to have been there. I like how oil came in cans, and you had that little spout you would pop into it.
We need more videos like these. My mom was a high school senior when this was made. She used to tell me so many stories about the 1950s. It must’ve been a glorious era to be alive. A kinder, gentler, simpler time. I was born in 1962, but don’t have tons of memories of service stations like these, just a couple.
I just watched a short 1955 film on my home city, London, and wanted to cry on seeing how clean and beautiful it was and how well-mannered its inhabitants were compared to now.
Park's Texaco in So. Cal. He had about 20 stations throughout the area. My first drawing an actual paycheck job, $1.62hr. I thought I was rich. Worked after high school 2-10pm. Lived just down the street so I walked to work till I got a car. Was working there when the first gas shortage hit. I remember walking past the line of cars that was all the way down past where I lived. Odd and even days, remember them, I'm sure some of you do. Gas went from .35 cents to .50 cents a gallon. The neat thing about Park's was they gave away a Cadillac every year plus other prizes, stoves and the like, we used to give out tickets to customers according to how much gas they bought or how much we liked them. We had so much fun working there. Wish I could somehow go back.
I LOVE this. This video has more practical training on car maintenance than most people know today. And don't you love how they say that the attendant does all of that for free? Those were the days. I like how the woman just sits there like a zombie.
Which is a terrible business motto perhaps. Would you want extra shit t work with no pay? This must be why there are so many successful service stations aro-.......
My first full time job was at a Texaco station in Vermont in the mid 70s.After high school I would go and work 3:00 - 10:00.We would perform all these services and do minor repairs.It was a great time in my life.
I am an old romantic! When I see videos like that it brings tear to my eyes! Every body knew and learned to appreciate their service station. The best place to go combined with the village general store to know what is going on in town. You could often go and borrow a tool you could not afford in a service station. Those were the days where every body took pleasure to help each other. That was a way of living. ❤️❤️❤️ The car industry always had many positive side associate to it. It is so unfortunate as it is seen as one of the culprit of the earth warming by the people sitting on the back sit. It is so easy to complain when you are not the driver.
I remember in Lubbock Texas a service station would give us kids a sucker with a little paper handle . Cherry, grape or orange. Man those were the best tasting suckers. This was like in early 70’s. Called GO Gas. Flashy Neon Lights.
It is amazing in how much has so much changed, the little things that have not changed at all. For example, the air pump at the "convenience store" You swipe a debit card to turn the pump on, but the hose and tire pressure gauge and valve are pretty much nearly the same.
This must've been produced for children. Which means it was probably intended for projection in schools. I love the self-satisfied incidental music, and commentry suggesting perfection has now been achieved!
Holy smoke, I had forgotten about the oil cans in the round cardboard containers with the metal lids--haven't seen or thought of those in ages. They really did have the metal spigots which they'd punch into the top then pour...I remember. How I miss civilization!
Nice! Neat video! I remember similar films from Driver’s Ed class in high school! Wow, full service and $.34 for a gallon of gas! Those really were the good old days!
Best job I ever has was working at a full service, gas station. 1975, this was just prior to the self service era. Wash windshield, check water level in battery, check oil & tire pressure.
My Dad opened a new Chevron 3 bay gas station in 1969 when I was 10 yrs old, I loved hanging out there, unfortunately he decided to sell it in 1971, much to my chagrin. To this day I wish he had kept it, I grew up to be a certified Master auto technician
I know the 50s were much harder than these films make it seem but my grandma may as well have been my mother, in fact for a while as a young child i thought she was. I have always loved hearing her stories of the 50s... and i can say with utmost certainty if time travel is invented but its only a one way ticket, id go to the 50s and never regret it. Sure some things were tough, but it was the kind of tough where you actually achieve things. Family life was encouraged unlike today, community meant something, and come on... 50s music is the best era of music. And the movies and tv shows were great too.
My home town had one station that continued full service into the eighties and nineties to take care of all of the little old ladies, and a few elderly gentlemen, who didn't want to pump their own gas.
I worked at Baldwin’s Arco in 1970. Graveyard shift. Did many a grease job at 3AM. Pump gas, check tires and cleaned windshields in very cold weather. Garage never got warmer than 55 degrees. What wonderful times they were.
Dad ran a service station '57-'66 and I think about him pumping gas for his customers when winter temps regularly dipped below zero. He would say there was no money pumping gas at $.35 cents/gallon. He made his money with a honest, hard working reputation selling service, tires, flat repairs, car washes, belts, batteries, parts, etc.
The reason there's no money in pumping gas is because you're not allowed to make a profit on the gas. The extra that you get to add to the price of a gallon, if you get to do that, is barely enough to cover the cost of pumping it. That's why service stations and gas stations have always had to rely on other things for the bulk of their income. I always felt like it was wrong, and that the oil companies should not be allowed to do that. But then I don't know if it's the oil company's responsibility that it happens or if it's the government's.
This reminds me of going to my Grandpas farm in the 70's. They had a gas station in town with an attendant. Guy wore white overalls and a hat. pumped gas, checked your oil, washed the windshield. He would also get you pop and candy which make it even cooler.
Truly the good old days of America. I was able to experience the waning days of it as a kid in the 70s. Bittersweet memories considering what we’ve lost as a country through the decades.
People really don’t know this, but any gas station now can become full service if requested. The attendant can assist pumping gas and if the attendant is knowledgeable enough on full service, they’ll do it for you! You have to request it now!
There's one in Chicago. Checked tire pressure (you have to do it by winter, it changes) and all 4 tires were different. 2 at 40psi. One at 30. And one at the correct 32psi. So much for utopia. I could have kept the 5 bucks and screwed it up myself! Lol Oh, and it was over 5:30 a gallon. I bought just over 11 gal. 53.00.
Hey junior, I'm 73 years and I can attest to the fact that it was often done that way. People felt assured and knew you weren't getting that extra 30¢ by slightly overfilling their crankcase.
I was a teen in the sixties. I had went to work at 16 andd at 19 i bought a 69 Dodege Coronet 440 rt. I remember pulling up to the pump at Sunoco and paying just 31 cents a gallon for the highest octane you could buy back then. It isn't sold at the pump anymore since it was basically racing fuel. The guy would come out, pump my gas, clean my windshield, check my oil and even check tire pressure all for free and all with a smile. I miss those days.
I pumped gas at an airport back in the middle 60s. Really interesting but exacting job. Dipsticks and fuel caps had to be locked on! no exceptions. Failure to do so and the plane would siphon the fuel out of the tank or the oil out of the crankcase. Still loved it. I serviced everything from Piper cubs to B-17s.
I remember when my dad would pull into the gas station to get gas and hear 2 or 3 bell rings as he rode over the hoses... I also remember some gas stations would sell or give away toy Hess trucks around Christmas time.
I remember a couple of these in my town in the early 1970's. Pulling up to the gas pump you ran over a rubber hose that triggered a bell inside. Got your windshield cleaned and gas without getting out of your car. And gas prices didnt go up 40 cents a gallon overnight in those days.
Brings back some memories. I was a driveway attendant in 1981-82. Standard or Super petrol only (low or high octane). $5 was a regular fuel purchase. Nowadays that wouldn't get your vehicle off the forecourt. The service bays had those single centre post hoists. Would have been difficult to remove an exhaust, or prop shaft. The twin posts are definitely an improvement there. I remember a regular customer had a Studebaker Lark VIII. The service station I worked at is long gone now. Replaced by housing units. The modern one is just a convenience store and refuelling point. The service part is long gone.
Here in Pikeville, Kentucky, we have an old time Full Service Station. It's called "Moser's Service" and is owned by Carl Moser. Mr. Moser is 97 years old and still sits in the Station office nearly every day. An attendant pumps your gas, wipes the windshield and headlights, and checks the oil. Gas is of course more expensive but everybody lines up for Moser's. They have a female attendant too, and, I have to admit, she is what keeps me coming back. Whoa Nelly! Something to watch while she's cleaning the windshield! I'll say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm an old man. I remember the day a man could work at a fillin' station and make enough that his wife didn't have to work, he could pay for a nice Jim Walters home, raise his kids, have two cars in the garage, and a boat, and all the bills got paid. That was in the mid 50s when going downtown in any big city was a safe, peaceful experience.
Not a very safe place if you were a black woman who refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a public bus...
@@angela1984a I don't see public transportation being addressed in this video? Thanks for the comment regardless.
BLAME DEMOCRATS. The mass riots of the summer of 1967 opened the door for Mass Immigration and for The Great Society, which has ruined America. Part 2 of the ruination started with the Marxist-supported race riots all summer long in 2020. Now even more freedoms are gone, unrest everywhere tearing the country apart, and now MASSIVE inflation is going to make the prices of the 1960s sound like a fair tale.
It also makes you realize todays prices are due to taking America off the gold standard in the early 1970s and being placed on fiat money. This allows the Federal Govt to "print" money, which increases the cost of living, and it increases all costs and prices.
@@dezznutz3743 After the 2020 election - legally won by President Biden - egged on by former President Trump and some of his loyalists, their cry became “Look what the far-left media and its allies in Big Tech did to us!” All this has been heaped upon their constant complaints about the “disgraceful far-left bias in the media, academia, entertainment” and, of late, “science and medicine.” Since before I entered the Reagan White House in 1987, I have been listening to such incessant whining. “Poor us,” they cry, “We Americans who believe in God, the rule of law, sovereign and protected borders, a strong military, smaller government, lower taxes and personal accountability. What are we to do in the face of such unfairness?” What they generally do is howl at the moon.
If Republicans, conservatives and people of traditional faith truly believe the left has come to dominate the media, entertainment, academia, science and medicine, then they should take steps to change that. Almost a quarter-century ago, I sat down with my old boss, former Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, to discuss this reality and the political and power-balancing enigma. Back then, long before tech giants Google, Amazon, Facebook, Twitter and UA-cam came to dominate society, Dole - the former Senate majority leader and Republican presidential and vice presidential nominee - was honestly astounded that more ultrawealthy Republicans and conservatives were not getting into the media and entertainment fields. What we were told then was that those fields either did not fit their “business models” or that they might adversely affect their “bottom lines.” As Dole and I discussed, common sense and pragmatism dictate that not having a voice in the largest megaphones of our nation - the media, entertainment and academia - is a losing strategy destined to create negative consequences for those trying to advance conservative or faith-based thought or arguments. It can most certainly be argued that, for the past few decades, the left has come to dominate these fields, as well as science and medicine. And in some ways, liberals should be congratulated for achieving such dominance. That said, none of it happened in a vacuum or in the dead of night. It was all done with everyone’s eyes wide open - including people who later morphed into complainers about the “unfairness of it all” but who voluntarily chose to do nothing at the time. For whatever reason, they looked away while those on the left went about their business creating amazing high-tech achievements such as Google, Amazon and social media platforms. Now, some on the right want to scream, “How dare those liberal entrepreneurs espouse the political or ideological thoughts they believe in, on sites they created, while blocking some they disagree with!” Ah, but isn’t it basic human nature to exercise control over a private company in which one has invested his or her blood, sweat and tears to create?
The last time I checked, there were thousands of Republican, conservative, libertarian and traditional faith-based millionaires, multimillionaires and billionaires who have amassed collective wealth exceeding $1 trillion. Surely that’s enough money to invest in a few newspapers, fund television networks, start a few universities or create some Big Tech sites of their own. It’s time for the right to stop playing victim and put their money where they swear their values lie. If not, those who are complaining should put a cork in it.
@@bedlambikes I was replying to a comment -- not to the video.
I worked at a full service Standard Oil Station while I was a high school student in the mid 1970's. I pumped gas, checked motor oil, cleaned the windshield etc. A customer brought in a tire that was flat and needed to be repaired. He had his 16 year old daughter with him. She said it was love at first sight. We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in July.
Now that's romantic
lol is she was in the same school? because back then you didn't ask her for a phone # so how did you find her again?
Even with the dirty fingernails and oily hands it was LOVE AT 1st site ???
What a great story. Lucky she had such low standards or this story wouldn't be so great.
Why people in comments are mean?
I was a "pump jockey" just like this in 1973. The station had 2 bays with lifts and the owner was also the mechanic. When I wasn't pumping gas and checking tires I was supposed to be in the garage helping the owner out. Learned a ton about working on cars from that guy. It was an amazing time back then. Looking around today it's hard believe this is still the same country.
The words serve and service are no longer part of the American vocabulary. 😢
Ding ding! When you drove in the station
That sounds like a great first job for a kid. Hell, I would mind doing that now!
When you get older the first thing you notice when you reminisce is how different life is nowadays, some call it progress, other don't.
u are lucky guy. i am born in wrong sentury.
I'm a boomer. These educational and public service films make me nostalgic. ALso wistful... for a time when you got actual SERVICE at a service station: Somebody pumped gas FOR you, checked your tires, oil, and even cleaned your windshield. Not to mention less than a dollar a gallon.
Liar.
Now you do it all yourself (next they will be asking us to drive the tanker) and the guy on duty has neck and face tattoos, is wearing a vest and is listening to Death Metal on a portable speaker. Welcome to the 2020s
I’m 20 and I love watching documentary footage from the 40s-50s. There’s something about the music and the voice of the narrator that brings a sense of peacefulness to everyone that watches older films and documentaries
It’s up to your generation, Gen Z, to pull your heads out of your a**es and get some class. Gen Z is the most narcissistic, materialistic, trashy, classless, heathenistic, hypocritical, and weak generation to ever be born. Drop the social media clout chasing, obsession with being the biggest victim, and greed.
@@PrimetimeNut ok boomer...
@@PrimetimeNut You raised us.
Ditto. I feel the same sense of peacefulness and a good old days vibe watching these older films. A good way to locate where stand on a time scale.
@@PrimetimeNut its ok man i agree with u too meany people are snowflakes, they changed my school mascot from an indian to an A they could of just kept it and changed the name but no they wana spend thousands of dollars on a mascot change i guess
I want this announcer, accompanied by this music, to explain everything to me in life.
I think Hank Simms is dead.
@@ApartmentKing66 Damnit, Jim
He did so many information films, he probably did, over the years!
That would be v pog
so my young fella, this is cocaine, like snow but happy
I’m 69 years old and whenever I get depressed with this new world I watch these clips. They give me peace.
They make me sad.
Era un mundo mas ordenado y la gente se atenia a las reglas
The best part about the past is that everything was so clean and showed how much dignity and respect was held by the common man not only for his surroundings, but for each other.
I totally agree with you, and you put it so nicely together.
meh. Image was everything back then. People did gossip and stab each other in the back. Church and society was a lot more demanding and freedom wasn't really a thing in that sense. You just conformed. That has some advantages, but the overall disadvantage was much bigger. A lot of abuse happened and people simply refused to talk about it. Shame was much more of a thing. And entire groups of people would shun you if you did not comply to the rules of a certain group. Racism was another thingie that got shoved under the carpet for a long, long time, like many rights of other minorities (gays, women, etc.). White wealthy man decided what was good.
Talking back to upper classes was another thing that just wasn't done (a lot of injustice used to find its root there).
My point being: you are very selective. It's sort of like saying that the best part of nazism was that most people got along fine. It was a straightjacket that made it so...
and it's nostalgia, romance that makes you see the world of back then in such a lovely way. It's what people do. 'back in my day'...
Cleaned for the show! Now you see reality. Workers don't stay spotless like on phony old videos.
Because Republicans ruled. Nowadays, Democrats are working for the Devil.
My grandpa ran a Texaco station in the 60s/70s and we found a picture of him and my dad sitting on some tires there drinking a Coke. I think it was one of the best Christmas gifts my dad ever received to relive that memory
Notice the guy made change outta a bill in his head ? I worked at Dominos pizza 20 yrs ago part time and had high school kids that couldn't make change of a charge of $8.49 out of $10 bill . They use calculators too much at school that they never use their brains .
@@speedracer1945 kids today are way smarter than the oldies in the clip
@@aussies_are_white0057 kids back then looked for a job , todays kids either have a parent get a job for them or let them stay at home till they are 35
@@aussies_are_white0057 not at all
@@aussies_are_white0057 kids today might be more book smart but as far
As practical knowledge to have some self sufficiency they have almost no knowledge of anything useful
My grandfather went from a pump boy all the way to owning the station. He named it "Bill's self service gas station" in North Prairie, Wisconsin. He was also a volunteer fireman. He lived not 1 block away from the station. Viewable from his driveway and it was on the corner. He would walk to the station in the morning and bring whoever was visiting fresh doughtnuts from the station. He passed away some time now, but every person in the small town knew of him. Never smoke or drank. Just worked his ass off. I can only hope to be a fraction of the man he was.
respect from Romania!
Thanks for sharing. That generation had real work ethics and family values, unlike today's society.
You have a good chance to be like your grandfather - you will work your ass off and have no time/occasion to deink or smoke ;)
He is a real man and appreciate his hustle. You were blessed to have someone in your life like that. Take his teachings and carry it on 💯
Now there’s a role model to look up to and emulate Jeff, your grandfather was a man’s man of honor, ethics and integrity, things that society is devoid of these days.
I love the fact that there are so many folks from the older generation, telling their stories about the old times.
Much love to everyone out there and stay healthy in these troubling times
These times are fine. Live ya life and don’t watch the news.
Stormsolid - If we were in a pandemic, we wouldn't have to constantly be reminded we are in one.
@@billyshead1339 fine for white people...for minority not so much
@@billyshead1339 these times are NOT fine
@@camlee2341 way to make it about race and please tell me what is fine for a “white person” because I have 0 privileges I have no more than the any other race before me or after me we are all gonna die in life and nobody not a single person gives a shit about you or me
For some reason I really enjoyed watching this. It never ceases to amaze me how time has changed the way we go about our day and interact with one another. In those days service really meant service, today you're lucky to get a thank you or have a nice day..
Sad but true.
Wow, people were really into their classic cars in those days, everybody had one.
Funny bloke!
I know you're joking, but my grandfather got into the Model T hobby back in the '50's. He also ran a full service gas station/tire shop. They did the Glidden Tour from St. Louis to Detroit and one driving to the AACA National meet at Hershey in a 1916 T.
Wow, a comedian.
Dean PD they weren’t classic then they were late model cars.
They weren't CLASSICS Yet (20 to 25 years to be Classics) They were LATE MODEL CARS
My daddy was four years old when this was made. He told me he would ride his Shetland pony to the local gas station to get a soda pop and some candy, when he lived in McKinney , Texas . He passed last year . I was thinking of what good mechanic he was all those years. Rest easy daddy 💓
You're a good kid
I recently revealed the genders of my two girlfriends. It got a lot of hate and now has 30 times more dislikes than likes. I am really sad that people can be so mean. Sorry for using your comment to talk about my problems, dear pi
Wow, McKinney is now a booming town, such a small world!
We used to ride our horses into town too. What a different world
@@AxxLAfriku wtf is this lol
My man just took the cap off the radiator of a hot engine. Legend.
Isn't the cooling system supposed to be a sealed system . . . or is that just a newfangled idea where coolant doesn't actively escape . . .? AND I bet tap water did wonders for the life of that radiator . . . SMH
Without gloves too
I worked in a station in the 60's and we did that often. The trick was to squeeze the upper radiator hose first, if it was hard then you knew there was enough pressure that you shouldn't open it, otherwise it was safe.
Some radiator caps have a vent lever but that one doesn't seem to have one.
Because back then, cars ran the cooling system at 4 PSI, not the modern 14 PSI. Pre-war they were mostly unpressurized. Post-war was 4 PSI, going up to 7 shortly after this, then 14 PSI by the 70's. The lower system pressure is why they could get away with leaky head gaskets and casting porosity; that's one reason why they're regularly adding water.
I'm 64 years old, and so glad to have worked at a full service Moble station in 1976. Literally 4 years later, everybody had to pump their own gas.
Paul Neron- I worked at a full service EXXON Station from 1975 to 1977. I was 16 years old when I started working there and and stayed till I was 18 years old and I am now 64 years old….
Paul, In 1976 I was 11 years old. I remember when my dad or mom got gas the gas station man would fill up the car with gas. While he was doing this he would wipe the windows too and check under the hood if car needs more water. They do not do all of this anymore. All the best.
Not in New Jersey - it is still full service and you can't opt out.
@@enuajsifoto Haha, I am from New Jersey. I know that full well. NJ and Oregon are only U.S states that have full attendants for gas.
@@SonnyCorleone-tg1ik Hello - didn't know about Oregon - thank you:)
I use to work at a full-service gas station back in the 1970's. Worked for a great guy. This video sure brought back some fond memories.
My grandfather owned/operated a Texaco station in Ringling, OK, for 65 years. I loved that place.
This video is a gem. Films like this are the closest we’ll get to time travel most likely.
Virtual Reality probably. But they need good source material like this to make it work.
I wish we were in the 50s. What an amazing time.
@@cforte0423 That was the peak of western civilization, then diversity was invented and everything was ruined.
@@pukalo Ah yes, blantant racism, sexism and homophobism, truly the peak western civilization lol.
@@AndreasFunnell this but unironically
5:08 - What a beauty. Such a nicer, gentler time.
She has an Ingrid Bergman thing happening
@@ftroop8462 Ah, yes. Very insightful observation. Ingrid is another favorite of mine.
Thanks for this.. I was born in '56, and I remember most of what you showed. Thanks for the memories.
I remember taking my 1957 Pontiac Starchief in for its regular tuneup in stations like these. It was a luxury car I bought for $247.00 and it only had 42,000 miles on it. I had attendants fill it with premium for .28 a gallon. Everything was done for you and often the young attendants thought it was the most beautiful car, and it was after waxing and polishing. It was in perfect condition. No rust. These were the good old days. McDonalds was new back then and I could pull in with my Pontiac and get a full meal for less then a dollar. This was 1969.
Pretty crazy considering what the used car market is like now. 247 bucks then is roughly just under 2,000$. In 2021, we don’t have Pontiac to compare to, but a common GM luxury sedan, a 2009 Cadillac CTS with 43,000 miles which is far below the avg, would be about 17,000$.
just googled that car
what a beaut!!!
@@DayoftheJakeL
In 1965 a Brand Corvette could be had for about $4000 and that was a luxury sports car in that era. A Mustang in 1965 could be had for about $2500.
A 1960s Ford car was on a par with BMW cars yet was a car that every American could afford.
@@DayoftheJakeL 55-57 gen average brand new price was 2600$ back then
Boomer
I have never understood why these kinds of educational films were made, but I'm glad they were. It's nice to have little time capsules to remember the past.
So you can learn what the real world is like while in school.
The college snowflakes these days lack that big time.
Did that in the 50’s. Wore a bow tie & belt with no buckle, checked tire press, washed windows (all of them) plus all the normal checks. This was Standard Oil in LA
Back in my teen years, my first real job, was at a local station that did all these things. It was a small station, two pumps, two bays. We came out and asked the customer what they needed because it wasn't always gasoline. If they needed gas, we began pumping, but in the meantime, we cleaned their windows, checked the oil, checked the air pressure in the tires and so on. In our two bays, we changed oil and fixed exhaust and changed tires (mounting and balancing them of course).
I remember, no matter what you were doing, when you heard the bell ding, which meant a customer was out front, you checked first to see if anyone was already out there, if not, you stopped what you were doing and took care of it yourself.
I am thankful I got to be a part of this, I enjoyed it very much. I use to ride the school bus to work after school. It dropped me off, I changed clothes and worked until quit time. I also worked 3 Saturdays out of the month from 7am till 7pm. We each rotated Saturdays, so we could have at least one Saturday off.
how much were you paid for that?
Good work Pappy.
@@BFP2021 Top comment is lying, if that is what you are asking. I mean....Why would you have 2 cars, even if it was normal back then. (Which it was not 🤣) People fall for the dumbest sh*t these days. But great video to see how far we have come, and I do love the stories being told here
You da man !
Know that your history isn’t going completely unnoticed by younger generations. I love watching these videos and hearing stories from old timers, there’s a lot to learn from history.
This sounds like the films they showed us in elementary school when I was a little boy in the early 60s. The enunciation is very clear and they use simple words, explaining everything.
As a teen in the 70's I work at a gas station -- man those were the days. Really miss them.
Ok boomer
@@sash0047 you're welcome child
You just miss your youth
@@60zeller I do... they were good times
@@evilborg I agree with ya
This was very well photographed and explained. Lots of detailed, close-up shots.
This comment section gives me so much nostalgia from an old days i've never lived, amazing stories, i could read them all day long.
I grew up in my Dad's Standard Oil "service station." Before I was 10, I was an "attendant," and by the time I was 14 I could overhaul a V-8 engine. I was a small kid, so could fit in the engine compartment to pull parts and clean off old gaskets. I was also in charge of filling the "Coke" machines, washing cars, changing tires, lube jobs, rebuilding carbs, whatever. I remember working on a lot of high-school buddies cars, most of which were purchased used for under $100. $1 worth of gas could keep a kid cruising the main drag all weekend. It was these skills that helped me stay self-sufficient throughout my life.
I tell you, this guy did a whole lot of narrations back in the 50s.
You mean, "A long time ago"?
It's Hank Simms
yeah know it just shit know adays
@@bearbear8693 probably because you don't know proper grammar
You're right. When I was in school in the 1950s, hearing this narrator's first few words was a signal that we were going to be shown a boring movie. You youngsters have no idea how boring the 50s could be. On the other hand, the movies that were made during the Depression in the 1930s were often very good.
My Dad was a mechanic and a Sea Bee. This video reminded me of how awesome he was. Miss you Dad.
The narrator, Henry F. "Hank" Simms, was a veteran radio/TV announcer whose voice was heard in many commercials, the opening titles of Quinn Martin's TV productions of the 1970's, and during the Academy Awards ceremonies in the 1960's and '70s.
Thought I recognized that voice.
@@emeyer6963 Even i recognized it. And i´m from Germany and was born in 1981.
Yes, I recognize the voice!
I thought all narrators spoke like that in the 1940, 50's 1960's. So it is one guy with that voice.
Yes, "POLICE SQUAD", too! 😃
I remember the days when oil used to be sold in metal cans, that were opened with regular can openers....
That is one thing in certainly thankful that had changed lol
I worked at a Phillips 66 station in 1969 that sold bulk bottled oil. Had a built in spout and was then refilled by the station. Saved a TON of waste. So much for saving anything...
Then they switched to those awful cardboard cans that always leaked because of those stupid spouts you had to shove in.. too hard and the can crushed.. not hard enough and it ran out of the side....
i still have some Sinclair oil in the can
@@trevorwylie5882 ...good one!
this is strangely relaxing. even though I know all this stuff. It's amazing how simple life was back then...
Believe it or not, I used to work at a full-service gas station back in 2006. I’d do gas, oil, fill the tires with air, wash the windshield, just like what they showed in this clip. I got lots of tips that way. Most the time it was just gas and windshield but would ask everyone about oil and if they needed air or if we just saw the tire was low we would just tell him we’re doing it. I had a really cool manager and people I worked with were really cool too. It’s probably the best job I’ve ever had. I only left because I went on a 2 year church mission.
I loved working at a Gas Station but pay was a Bit over minimum wage
I grew up in the 50's and I remember those Service stations. My first paying job was in a Service station. That only last a few months, because the following year I started working for the Forest Service fighting fires and clean up. Great times for me as a kid.
i love how he says pumping up a tire by hand is hard work and they have the small boy do the pumping
That was what they called , "remote control", back then.
Back then, the kids learned early what hard work was.
@@davidgagliardo3258 I started working part time when I was 10, after school at the gas station. Then on weekends I had two p/t gigs, A paper route and then on to the gas station. I was using a tire machine and fixing flats at 10 years old!! Kids these days would get there hand caught because they were too busy on their phone and then sue the station owner. Sad times these days.
@@davidgagliardo3258 Child labor. Ah, the good old days.
You can still buy a tire changer like in this video at Harbor Freight for under $50 to do tires at home.
My late dad bought a Standard station in my hometown Cedar Falls, Iowa in late 1983.
The Grand Opening was February 1984.
I spent time as a kid helping out after school and most weekends.
It became an Amoco in 1985.
After graduating High School in 1991, I worked there full time until dad sold it in August 1995.
Ohhh the memories!
Dad also had a Shell station in my hometown a little before my time somewhere between 1968-71 (I'm a 1972 baby)
This video even predates my parents and it's so cool to see such glimpses of everyday life and common sense of the past like this!
I had a 65 mustang with a 289. I cold fill it with 76 Supreme for under 5 bucks get an ice cold coke out of the machine for a dime. Oh man.
@@dgd2477 An then the oil crisis showed up.
Yeah, 1957! The year I was born. Mostly on Saturdays, I accompanied my father in our beetle to the service station not far away from our home. Two men on a mission! This was in the sixties. Loved the smell of the gasoline. And so much to see! And the people there knew the cars! A rattle here, a rattle there? Those guys had a solution.
I've noticed that's part n parcel for friggin American cars. 1 Challenger (2009) and a Sable (2008). Both have rattles.
The former also had 2 recalls (Takata air bags and drive belt). Had to go back. They didn't have parts for both front air bags.
Honda Accord? 15 years. Nothing. No rust, either!
Yes, I too loved the smell of gasoline. I used to ride in the bed of my Granddaddy's truck and would stand in the rising fumes as he pumped.
Yeah 1957,me too!!
EXCELLENT video!! need more of these on UA-cam as just pure entertainment!
Hey dumb-asses
Just search there are millions
@@appletree8441 < Must be on his period.
@@melrose9252 Exactly. It's people like Apple Tree who have made the world a much worse place.
@@appletree8441 be kind please, is easy.
Working in a gas station after school and on weekends taught me basic auto maint. 50yrs later, I've done the oil change and tire rotations myself on every vehicle I've ever owned. Gulf Service station, Buffalo Speedway & Fuqua Dr., Houston, TX. 72/73
If you were a high school kid in the mid 1970's, your favorite teacher had plenty of these 16 mm films to fill up the entire hour while you drifted blissfully into a nice long nap. 😎
Nice to see it set up when you come to class
You'd know me... I was the one with a puddle of drool when I awoke.
I was a high school kid from 1974 to 1977..I remember my Drivers Education / Health classes..we saw lots of car death bloody movies & health movies about diseases & social personal hygiene practices
Loved seeing a Full reel of film on the projector.Teacher'd turn it on & head for the hall to bs all class👍
@@jomon723 It was the same way, even in the early 80's. As kids, we laughed at most of the old films - we were idiots.
But, they had their fears too. Fear of being nuked by Russia, commies around every corner. Still, if only we could go back and experience it just for one day.
I so much missed those old days
When life was a little more calmer, and people had integrity about their job!
Today i keep on asking myself if people also considered life to be calmer which i doubt.
Actually I prefer life in 2024.
@@freeman10000yeah I'm pretty happy with my job. It's plenty calm and modern times are so much better than past times in so many ways.
In the 1960s some service stations gave away little premiums if you spent a certain amount for gas. I was a little kid then, but I remember once or twice my mother stopped at one of those stations, told the attendant, “Fill ‘er up,” and I got a little toy car out of the deal! Another time we got from the 76 Station a bright orange “76” styrofoam ball that you stuck on the end of the car’s radio antenna. As I recall, those were a bit bigger than a ping-pong ball. New tires for sale were wrapped in bright blue reflective cellophane, and they were placed outside, either right in front of the station itself or by the gas pumps. It was also common then to see colorful streamers and pennants strung up everywhere outside stations to attract the eye of passing motorists. Man, it looked like a carnival!
You are so right!!! I used to collect the 76 balls for the anttenae!!!! Wow. You are so cool cuz we both recall that!!
Remember "Put a Tiger in your Tank"?
They used to give away a plush Tiger Tail free with a fill-up that hooked onto your gas cap and hung out of the gas filler door.
"Put a Tiger in your Tank" was the Humble Oil Company's ongoing ad campaign, (although the tiger tails we're just available for a while.) Their stations were Esso stations in parts of the country and Enco stations in other parts as well as other names domestically and internationally. That is the company that became Exxon, (now Exxon Mobil.)
If a gas station went retro and started doing this today with a well dressed well mannered attendant with a smile people would line up for the experience.
Sign me up FIRST SECOND AND THIRD
Sadly, you'd be paying $5/gallon for the privilege though. (Edit, in 2020. Now in 2021, that's just self-serve in some places)
@@RickJohnson you get what you pay for.
Damn right. I wish I had enough money I'd dedicate a town strictly to this time era
Yes, but gas would be 6 bucks a gallon.
I remember that kind of service at a gas station when I was a kid. You also got S&H savings stamps or free dishes or glasses.
Thank you, A/V Geeks for appearing in my recommendations! Don't know why it never occurred to me to search UA-cam for my favorite genre of film!
Oh the memories of simpler times. Love these kind of videos!!!!! Thank you so very much!!!!!!!!!!!!
This film brings several service station experiences to mind from the mid 1960s to mid 1970s, which was the last decade of true "service" stations.
First, "premium gifts" that customers received for their patronage in order to generate customer loyalty -- stickers, placemats, sets of glassware that could be collected, and even toy cars and trucks (after a certain amount of fill-ups.)
Second, on long road trips, you would have to drive around a town at night in order to find a service station that was open, as many closed after a certain time of night. I remember my dad getting stressed out about finding a place to fill up at night on cross country trips.
Third, the attendants draining oil cans into a collection barrel after topping off the oil in your engine. My dad always commented that the attendants would not quite empty the can into the engine, so that they could keep a little bit of the oil to collect in their oil tanks, which salvaged oil they "sold back to the oil companies."
Fourth, cleaning windshields (front and back), checking the oil, the radiator, and the tire pressure was considered the bare minimum service. If you bought nothing but one gallon of gas, the attendant would do all these things without asking.
Fifth, tipping the attendant was the norm, even if the tip was only a quarter ( which was the price of one gallon of gas.)
Sixth, ROAD MAPS!!! Before the internet you had to use road maps for cross country travel, and you acquired them at service stations. Often they were free, if you bought a tank of gas at a big brand service station, they would give you a nice road map that only showed their service stations as places where you could find gasoline.
Seventh, cigarette machines! Before I was old enough to drive (about 14 years old), we would go to the service station to buy cigarettes from the machine (when the attendant wasn't looking), because that was the only place where underage kids could get cigarettes without being questioned about their age. The machines charged 45 cents a pack, while stores charged 30 cents a pack. But stores wouldn't sell to children, so the extra 15 cents was worth it!
Thank you for your story!
Could also get a Payday candy bar for 10 cents, and a Mountain Dew for 15 cents.
Interesting stories, thanks for sharing!
Sounds like a greater time to be alive than now. I'm 32 and heck even my childhood memories are just as good, especially in comparison to what my kids will grow up with. Take care.
Many of the above were true in the late 80's albeit not #2, #5, #6 and #7.
I would love to go back and live in that era. Respect was forefront.
Wow! I remember the whirligigs on the wires (10:19), had forgotten about that!
Thanks for sharing!
Excellent trip to 1957 for all 50's Gasoline station and car fans.
1979 was the last time I saw THAT kind of service !!!
I look forward to these type of videos, they are gems.
This was very informative. I learned a lot and am ready for the test.
Watching these old documentaries is such an emotional rollercoaster. I always keep thinking, where this guy or the lady in the car would be today? What was her/his life like? may be one day we can just travel back in time and meet them while the film was being shot etc.
This is SO COOL! Thanks for posting!
The golden age of the Automobile, Would have loved to have been there. I like how oil came in cans, and you had that little spout you would pop into it.
I dunno. I'm glad to not have to gap spark plugs or set timing...lol
We need more videos like these. My mom was a high school senior when this was made. She used to tell me so many stories about the 1950s. It must’ve been a glorious era to be alive. A kinder, gentler, simpler time. I was born in 1962, but don’t have tons of memories of service stations like these, just a couple.
Maybe for white folks 🥴
@@stillmatic03 black folk had their own separate facilities. If they didn't provide the same service to their own people...well that is on them.
@@BenchPressManiac Facts!
So glorious!
@@BenchPressManiac That sure is an idiotic and racist opinion you’ve got there.
Going to the service station was quite an adventure for the entire family.
I just watched a short 1955 film on my home city, London, and wanted to cry on seeing how clean and beautiful it was and how well-mannered its inhabitants were compared to now.
Now think why it was…then look around …there now you know the answer
@@ugaais those damn apartments
You think they would show the ill mannered people in their movie?
@@tubaraofeio1053 more like the new inhabitants
@@ugaais oh oh I know why! I can't say it on UA-cam though... or anything left wing controlled... which is 90% of media.
Park's Texaco in So. Cal. He had about 20 stations throughout the area. My first drawing an actual paycheck job, $1.62hr. I thought I was rich. Worked after high school 2-10pm. Lived just down the street so I walked to work till I got a car. Was working there when the first gas shortage hit. I remember walking past the line of cars that was all the way down past where I lived. Odd and even days, remember them, I'm sure some of you do. Gas went from .35 cents to .50 cents a gallon. The neat thing about Park's was they gave away a Cadillac every year plus other prizes, stoves and the like, we used to give out tickets to customers according to how much gas they bought or how much we liked them. We had so much fun working there. Wish I could somehow go back.
Thanks for sharing this fun video. It was nice to see how things used to be.
I liked it when the service attendant shows her the “long” rod 😊
I LOVE this. This video has more practical training on car maintenance than most people know today. And don't you love how they say that the attendant does all of that for free? Those were the days. I like how the woman just sits there like a zombie.
Which is a terrible business motto perhaps. Would you want extra shit t work with no pay? This must be why there are so many successful service stations aro-.......
I'm a little disappointed. I was told those were the good ol' days, yet they show a woman driving a car.
I went to a full service gas stations once and I was R@@@@P3D
I'm a college educated kid and learned so much about car maintenance just from this video LOL
Boy I'd like to be seated next to her. What a doll!
My first full time job was at a Texaco station in Vermont in the mid 70s.After high school I would go and work 3:00 - 10:00.We would perform all these services and do minor repairs.It was a great time in my life.
Wow! That air hose actually worked.
I am an old romantic! When I see videos like that it brings tear to my eyes! Every body knew and learned to appreciate their service station. The best place to go combined with the village general store to know what is going on in town. You could often go and borrow a tool you could not afford in a service station. Those were the days where every body took pleasure to help each other. That was a way of living. ❤️❤️❤️
The car industry always had many positive side associate to it. It is so unfortunate as it is seen as one of the culprit of the earth warming by the people sitting on the back sit. It is so easy to complain when you are not the driver.
I remember in Lubbock Texas a service station would give us kids a sucker with a little paper handle . Cherry, grape or orange. Man those were the best tasting suckers. This was like in early 70’s. Called GO Gas. Flashy Neon Lights.
It is amazing in how much has so much changed, the little things that have not changed at all. For example, the air pump at the "convenience store" You swipe a debit card to turn the pump on, but the hose and tire pressure gauge and valve are pretty much nearly the same.
This must've been produced for children. Which means it was probably intended for projection in schools. I love the self-satisfied incidental music, and commentry suggesting perfection has now been achieved!
Holy smoke, I had forgotten about the oil cans in the round cardboard containers with the metal lids--haven't seen or thought of those in ages. They really did have the metal spigots which they'd punch into the top then pour...I remember. How I miss civilization!
Nice! Neat video! I remember similar films from Driver’s Ed class in high school! Wow, full service and $.34 for a gallon of gas! Those really were the good old days!
The good old days when Gas cost $3.67 a gallon (adjusted for inflation) .. seems a lot like today.
It's amazing how much of this technology is still familiar and current.
I had the same thought. A lot has changed, but it surprised me how much is still the same.
This was a great video thank you for whoever uploaded it
Best job I ever has was working at a full service, gas station. 1975, this was just prior to the self service era. Wash windshield, check water level in battery, check oil & tire pressure.
My Dad opened a new Chevron 3 bay gas station in 1969 when I was 10 yrs old, I loved hanging out there, unfortunately he decided to sell it in 1971, much to my chagrin. To this day I wish he had kept it, I grew up to be a certified Master auto technician
I know the 50s were much harder than these films make it seem but my grandma may as well have been my mother, in fact for a while as a young child i thought she was. I have always loved hearing her stories of the 50s... and i can say with utmost certainty if time travel is invented but its only a one way ticket, id go to the 50s and never regret it. Sure some things were tough, but it was the kind of tough where you actually achieve things. Family life was encouraged unlike today, community meant something, and come on... 50s music is the best era of music. And the movies and tv shows were great too.
My home town had one station that continued full service into the eighties and nineties to take care of all of the little old ladies, and a few elderly gentlemen, who didn't want to pump their own gas.
I worked at Baldwin’s Arco in 1970. Graveyard shift. Did many a grease job at 3AM. Pump gas, check tires and cleaned windshields in very cold weather. Garage never got warmer than 55 degrees. What wonderful times they were.
This would be great for a person who was learning about life on earth for the first time.
Dad ran a service station '57-'66 and I think about him pumping gas for his customers when winter temps regularly dipped below zero. He would say there was no money pumping gas at $.35 cents/gallon. He made his money with a honest, hard working reputation selling service, tires, flat repairs, car washes, belts, batteries, parts, etc.
The reason there's no money in pumping gas is because you're not allowed to make a profit on the gas. The extra that you get to add to the price of a gallon, if you get to do that, is barely enough to cover the cost of pumping it. That's why service stations and gas stations have always had to rely on other things for the bulk of their income. I always felt like it was wrong, and that the oil companies should not be allowed to do that. But then I don't know if it's the oil company's responsibility that it happens or if it's the government's.
Yeah upselling was what kept those stations running. Personally, I would get annoyed with that happy crap.
This reminds me of going to my Grandpas farm in the 70's. They had a gas station in town with an attendant. Guy wore white overalls and a hat. pumped gas, checked your oil, washed the windshield. He would also get you pop and candy which make it even cooler.
This old gas station footage is the best. Fundamental but necessary.
Truly the good old days of America. I was able to experience the waning days of it as a kid in the 70s. Bittersweet memories considering what we’ve lost as a country through the decades.
I’m JUST sold enough to have experienced full-service stations as a (very) young man. They were glorious.
There was one until just this year in my town in Colorado. It finally got sold and is something else now. All the elderly folks went there.
does it come with a happy ending
People really don’t know this, but any gas station now can become full service if requested. The attendant can assist pumping gas and if the attendant is knowledgeable enough on full service, they’ll do it for you! You have to request it now!
There's one in Chicago. Checked tire pressure (you have to do it by winter, it changes) and all 4 tires were different. 2 at 40psi. One at 30. And one at the correct 32psi.
So much for utopia. I could have kept the 5 bucks and screwed it up myself! Lol
Oh, and it was over 5:30 a gallon. I bought just over 11 gal. 53.00.
"The attendant pulls out a long rod and shows the driver the measurement, while she nods in approval" LOL
Hey junior, I'm 73 years and I can attest to the fact that it was often done that way. People felt assured and knew you weren't getting that extra 30¢ by slightly overfilling their crankcase.
And smiles with appreciation.
@pete smyth . Now I'm embarrassed. I totally missed that, thanks
She's hottt
Now days you have to keep your long rod in your pants
I have to say, the 50s had a very beautiful aesthetic in the US.
It was great in most countries across the Americas. What the victors did after World War II changed all of that.
I was a teen in the sixties. I had went to work at 16 andd at 19 i bought a 69 Dodege Coronet 440 rt. I remember pulling up to the pump at Sunoco and paying just 31 cents a gallon for the highest octane you could buy back then. It isn't sold at the pump anymore since it was basically racing fuel. The guy would come out, pump my gas, clean my windshield, check my oil and even check tire pressure all for free and all with a smile. I miss those days.
Fascinating. More like this please.
I pumped gas at an airport back in the middle 60s. Really interesting but exacting job. Dipsticks and fuel caps had to be locked on! no exceptions. Failure to do so and the plane would siphon the fuel out of the tank or the oil out of the crankcase. Still loved it. I serviced everything from Piper cubs to B-17s.
I serviced a Piper Perabo once. Giggity.
I remember when my dad would pull into the gas station to get gas and hear 2 or 3 bell rings as he rode over the hoses... I also remember some gas stations would sell or give away toy Hess trucks around Christmas time.
I remember a couple of these in my town in the early 1970's. Pulling up to the gas pump you ran over a rubber hose that triggered a bell inside. Got your windshield cleaned and gas without getting out of your car. And gas prices didnt go up 40 cents a gallon overnight in those days.
I love the non-locking money drawer. Man, things sure were different back then . . .
Yup. And he made change without a computer.
No BLM.
yeah, people were good and honest and could be trusted......
@@PeterLawton There were no calculators then and students had to do the math in their heads. No such thing now.....nothing but idiots.
Not many looters around.
Brings back some memories. I was a driveway attendant in 1981-82. Standard or Super petrol only (low or high octane). $5 was a regular fuel purchase. Nowadays that wouldn't get your vehicle off the forecourt. The service bays had those single centre post hoists. Would have been difficult to remove an exhaust, or prop shaft. The twin posts are definitely an improvement there. I remember a regular customer had a Studebaker Lark VIII. The service station I worked at is long gone now. Replaced by housing units. The modern one is just a convenience store and refuelling point. The service part is long gone.
Looks like another 20 years and gas stations will almost be completely gone
Here in Pikeville, Kentucky, we have an old time Full Service Station. It's called "Moser's Service" and is owned by Carl Moser. Mr. Moser is 97 years old and still sits in the Station office nearly every day. An attendant pumps your gas, wipes the windshield and headlights, and checks the oil. Gas is of course more expensive but everybody lines up for Moser's. They have a female attendant too, and, I have to admit, she is what keeps me coming back. Whoa Nelly! Something to watch while she's cleaning the windshield! I'll say!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So she's helping with the windows while you're looking after her headlights...?
I grew up in my father's Texaco station in Nashville Tn..Brings back some great memories.