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Originally Posted by Silver Ghia
Just to note that windscreen washers were a luxury back then, not many cars had them. And I always wondered how much muck was in those oil bottles sitting in the sun, rain or hail, in a stand next to the petrol pumps. Also how much dirt was on the rag hanging out of the pocket of the attendant, which he used to wipe the oil dipstick with.
The other service you got at these service stations, was that they always had a workshop attached, so your car could be serviced there rather than these days at the dealers.
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Yes thats it.
leaving them to the elements ( no lids on them readers-in case you are wondering what we are discussing!).
And they would never clean those oil bottles. Even the glass at the top was stained brown through glitch.
About 10 year ago I was passing through the small Central West NSW township of Coonabarabran and indeed I did spy some of the old bottles. I knew it was authentic because there was a stack of them only half full. So I poured a dash in. Glug glug glug, remember that sound? And the nasty chinkahh when you hit the bottle on the engine!
Alas, I do the basics myself and get my mechanic to do the harder yards (he once left my oil filter on display on the workbench to use as an example to his customers of how not to treat a car-true story).
Even as an avid backyardee, I know my limits, besides, mechanics are modern day sages and most of them, deserve a good living.
I saw my dealer on the weekend, the car was only a few months old and here he is, trying to sell me another:-
Think of a face wth the biggest smile on record ( nice shiny teeth):
"G'day mate, how the ....are you? Look weve got some nice Fords in and...."
He just couldn't help himself and after all the financial love Ive given him and his family too.
I guess for the most part, having a car was a big deal and there was a significant amount of romance and adventure attached. Car parking fees and tolls (except for the Sydney Harbour bridge) were unheard of.
And when we drove around, it was a lot more of social enterprise, people were more relaxed and kindly. They let you in because they cared. Now most people whiz past. If someone broke down, it would be rare not to see at least two people trying to help. And by help, I mean getting their mits dirty and grubby.
You consider yourself lucky these days if the guy who stops to help you doesn't try to rob you- and theres been a lot of accidents lately from people who speed up close to the lane when they see someone broken down.
I gotta couple of beautiful kids, I deeply regret they wont see too much goodness in society. I guess our era has been lucky.
Dad had a Cortina before they became slick. I wasn't allowed to touch it. I could look only. Not because he was mean, but because he thought Id wreck it somehow. And dad was right. I meant well, but in those days, cars were precious. The average Ford car in say 1965 cost a whole years salary. Thats big money.
It never broke down, never even looked like it was going to break down. And grandma had a valiant regal torque flite. Bush button automatic in two tone.
As a small child, I found it breathtaking. I couldn't get my ahead around it at all. Id spend two days on it with a chamois. We didn't have polish and wax in those days. That was for the furniture.
We had "elbow grease!!" Thats as sophisticated as we got.
I forgot to mention, when you went to a hospital you got seen to straight away. I mean immediately, a few seconds after you walked in.
Back in the day!