Ever buy your oil in paper cans?

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xjwmx

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I saw an old style oil can spout at a yard sale today. Oil used to come in quart-sized cardboard cans with metal ends. You'd spear the spout down onto the end of the can, or if you didn't have a spout, jam a screwdriver in the end to make a hole. What a strange way to package oil. I seem to remember Mobil 1 was the first oil in plastic bottle, as part of the advertising campaign for it.

Reminds me that tobacco used to be transported in what was called hogsheads, giant barrels, it was actually illegal to bail it, I remember being told. Now it's just bailed. On those rare farms where it's still grown. Old traditions in packaging that outlived the logic behind them for a little while.
 
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Guilty of the oil in paper cans. That was before plastic packaging. I also remeber the glass quart bottle with a metal funnel top, you would pour the oil from the 2 1/2 gallon can into the quart bottle and then pour a quart at a time into the engine. Never bought a hogshead of terbacky though...... Had an uncle used to farm tobacco though. The barn had the side boards on hinges so they could be propped up to dry the leave that was hung on poles. up here it was mainly cigar wrapper IIRC.
 
Oh yeah many times. Worked at a full service gas station back then. I'm talkin about pumping the gas, washing the windows, checking oil and belts, air pressure if asked, and even vacuuming out the car!! Never happen today.
 
^I remember those as a little kid. My dad would always say "A couple dollars of high-test and check the oil." When the quy washed the windows my mom would invariably point and say you missed a spot. lol. Not to be mean to him but just her way of participating.

One that I remember from my childhood in particular is still there, but as a long time abandoned building. Very strange.
 
A couple of dollars worth of high test back in the 1950s would get you about six gallons of gas. A dollar's worth of gas would fill up my motorcycle tank.

My dad always put new tires on the front of his car and re-treads on the back....never could figure his logic in that one.
 
Service Station days! I remember the bell on the island ringing while in the service bay either changing a tire, lubing a vehicle or whatever. I'd wipe my hands, run out to pump gas, etc. As with all work involving the public, it allows for some interesting interactions. Had more than one drive-off because gas was too expensive - 34.9 cents per gallon at that time! And I still have one cardboard container of Exxon Aviation Oil set aside. That's the stuff I use in the '46 Chief.............Wesley
 
I remember racks of glass jars with screw on spouts sitting by the pumps. They were re-filled from a drum. "Bulk-oil" was cheaper than what came in the cans, and the cans were metal then, not cardboard.

John
 
hamamatsu said:
A couple of dollars worth of high test back in the 1950s would get you about six gallons of gas. A dollar's worth of gas would fill up my motorcycle tank.

My dad always put new tires on the front of his car and re-treads on the back....never could figure his logic in that one.
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retreads would blow off from time to time, thats why they was on the back :D still got a set of 8 ply 15x 7 mud and snow on a trailer. yep about 30 yrs old, that why we just use it around the farm:wink2:
 
hooktool said:
I remember racks of glass jars with screw on spouts sitting by the pumps. They were re-filled from a drum. "Bulk-oil" was cheaper than what came in the cans, and the cans were metal then, not cardboard.

John
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or when you could take you own jug and get it.... damn showing my age:eek:
 
If I had a dime for each can I used to put a spout into,CACHING!! We also used to save those cans. Turn then opem side down into a large funnel that dripped down into gallon jugs. Got every last drop of 10w,20w,30w,40w, 10w40,atf, it didn't matter, all mixed together. When that jug was full a farmer would buy it for their old beater farm pickup. Extra pocket cash!
 
hamamatsu said:
A couple of dollars worth of high test back in the 1950s would get you about six gallons of gas. A dollar's worth of gas would fill up my motorcycle tank.

My dad always put new tires on the front of his car and re-treads on the back....never could figure his logic in that one.
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Maybe he knew you would be out doing "backoffs" burning up his good tires?
 
Fullservice gas stations sure bring back memories. The pretty girls in skirts allways had their windshields polished extra clean:devil: I never took my sunglasses off. I would have been smacked:cool:
 
racerdave said:
The pretty girls in skirts allways had their windshields polished extra clean:devil:
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One time I was trying to get the attention of an attendant and he had his eyes fixed on a chick getting back into her car, to see if he could see something, He said "Wait a minute, she's more important than you." :D

That wasn't exactly a full service station though, it was the type you still see now and there where you pump your own gas but there are a couple of bays and mechanics. A hybrid.
 
I was a full service attendant. Came out when the bell rang and pumped the gas, wiped the windshield, checked the oil etc. My first job. Made $20 for 8 hours
 
racerdave.....actually I think he did suspect I was doing "backoffs" burning up his tires.

He wasn't wrong.
:D
 
I was sooo glad when they started putting oil in plasic bottles...hated those spouts and how if the gasket was worn or too swollen, the oil would leak all over the where...lol
 
Oh yes I remember those spouts. Yes they leaked. Sometimes you'd go to stab the can and the cardboard would crush, talk about a mess.

Gas prices: in 1973/74 I remember putting 50 cents of gas in my SL70 on Saturday morning and riding it all weekend long. I think I wore that poor little bike out.
 
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