It's indescribable; how does one explain aroma with expectation of anyone understanding? I don't remember it smelling anything like today's new cars of course. Awhile back, some company put out a product in a spray can that was supposed to imitate the 'new car smell' from years ago - it didn't even come close. I guess ya had to be there. . .
Around 1950, I was eight, I remember going into Harry's War Surplus and staring at the real deal human shrunken heads, he always had five for sale for $5.00 each. Harry also had a large assortment of switch blade knives! I always wanted one of each, at least, so bad but never had more than 25 cents my Mom gave me to go to the movies and have popcorn or a candy bar.
I remember the "new car smell" and how it faded away over time. Then occasionally after the car had sat in the sun closed up you could get a whiff. I haven't thought of that for a long time, thanks.
Just gotta say, I love this thread. I'm only 18 but I love reading all of these stories and details about days gone by Posted using the Full Custom H.A.M.B. App!
I remember working at my Fathers service station in the 60's. Pumping gas, washing windshields, ( mini skirts, those windshields got a good wash) and checking oil. Seems like every other car was a muscle car. After the person would pay for gas, we would put the money in our shirt pockets. Try that today and you would be robbed in a second. I rememb
"Taste that beats the others cold Pepsi pours it on!" "From the land of sky blue water, refreshing Hamms Beer!"
Yeah, but I also remember working my butt off in a filling station for 60-cents per hour, scrubbing floors, changing mufflers, waiting on customers, pumping gas and checking oil and washing windshields. 2-1/2-hours work to buy that model. I also remember regular gas at 18-cents per gallon. Now THAT was a bargain!! JG
We carried a wad of money in our shirt pocket that would choke a mule and we always carried one of the change makers that hooked on your belt. I was 16 at the time and would close the station at 11 pm, throw the money bag on the seat of my motorcycle and sit on it on the way home. Early the next morning I would drop off the money bag to the station manager. Wonder how long you would get away with that today? Probably not past the first night. __________________ Drew
Lead foil tinsil for Christmas trees - that hung properly and didn't fly into the atmosphere every time somebody walked past it. And it was reusable for years. Just don't let the little tykes or the cat get hold of it!
Remember raising the lid on the Coke box at the gas station and reaching in the ice water to get your Coke.
I still use lead foil tinsel, I got it off of the internet. Got no kids around or animals and I love that it doesn't fly away. And I hang it one strand at a time. BB
I remember Oklahoma in the 1980s with salvage yards and back roads full of cheap and unloved tin.......
Back in '64 or '65 a gas station chain gave out tiger tails when you bought gas there. You'd hang it from the rearview mirror or from the antenna. The other craze back then was racing stripes. The racing stripe would start at the front of the hood, go over the roof, and back down the trunk lid.
Yep.Exxon I do believe."Tony the Tiger".A"tiger in your tank".You were supposed to hang it so that the gas filler door held it in place. Do you guys and gals remember what kind of bee hung around a gas station? It was an "Esso Bee",of course. Good luck.Have fun.Be safe. Leo
those were the days change is good but I think we have gone to far ! and by that I mean technology is it really making things better? Kids don't play outside they sit at a desk and play video games, kids don't talk to each other they text and there just sitting across from each other when there doing it! I however do like that you can carry a 50 inch tv by yourself were I needed two people to help me get rid of my old tv set. So I guess some advances are good!
Kids Riding in the back of a Valiant station wagon that had the back seat permanently down- we used to all jump in there, and the adults would sit in front, 3 or 4 across, no seat belts. We also had "cracker night" (Guy Fawkes night ) where you would save your money up, buy a huge bag of fireworks (they were only on sale for a couple of weeks per year), and let em all off on one night.
I remember growing up my Mother would order my school clothes from the sears catalog. I had a couple of pair of school clothes, church clothes and play clothes.When you hit the door from school you had better be pulling off the school clothes. Pants were bought long enough to last all year. You could see " growth rings" on my pants. I remember when color TV made it's appearance. We sat in front of the TV and looked at the Big Chief Indian with full head dress, in color. We had color TV but no station carried it yet. Mom saved S&H green stamps and we would get to go to Odessa[big city] every now and then and cash them in for goodies. My dad worked the oilfield his whole life after WW11. He would pick up a piece of copper wire no matter how long it was and bring home and throw in a 55 gallon drum. Around Christmas we would empty the drum and burn plastic coating off and sell coopper copper as #1. It brought a premium. I also miss "Drip" gasoline. You would turn your car off and it'd still run. Had to put in gear to kill it. It was FREE though. Everything around our house was painted Orange or Blue. Dad worked for Gulf. I remember going to the Fina station and working after school and on weekeneds. I miss the smell of Jack Daniels as soon as I hit the door. Jim would be so drunk by the time I got there I had the run of the place. I miss a couple of the Older girls coming in to get gas. I would certainly Always wash the windshield. One of the girls decided to show me the "canoe" one day and I fell off my milk carton I had to stand on to get the middle of the windshield clean. She was still laughing when she left. I have seen 11 cent gasoline in the Gas wars that would hit town. Gas was generally around 32-35 cents. I miss RC cola and Moon pies also. Hell I miss it all I guess. I'm sure my Dad was struggling and I thought it was great ! I miss friday night football games at the school. I was raised in the west Texas area where football was King. Made lots of business deals at the ball game. It was a place to socialize. I remember if you needed groceries and you had no money, you would charge it and pay when you got a check. People trusted each other. Most of all I miss NOT having a cell phone.
The Jalopy Journal
