What kind of gas stations...

FriscoCharlie Oct 5, 2015

  1. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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  2. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    424 E California St. in Gainesville, Texas. Sometime in the 1940s.
    umble.jpg
     
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  3. Sumner

    Sumner TrainBoard Member

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    Those were the days when about anyone, with a little training, could fix most common problems a car had at the local gas station. That one looks quite modern for the time. The banners might indicate that it had just opened.

    Are we really better off with our $40,000+ dollar cars that you can't work on anymore and a lot of debt for anyone that wants one. I've owned two new vehicles, a car and a pickup. One was $1800 in the 60's and the other $16,000 (the most expensive vehicle I've owned) in the 90's . Don't think I've spent much more than $40,000 total for all the cars I've owned and I'm quite happy :).

    Sumner
     
    Last edited: Jul 5, 2022
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  4. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    It does look modern. I might guess that you are correct about it opening. The shrubs next to the adjacent building are small, as if not planted there for any length of time. But, having done so myself, you might also see such adornments as those flags after a re-branding.
     
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  5. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    That's something I miss. About all I can do now is change the oil and filter, the air filter, maybe the cab air filter, and spark plugs (if you can reach them).

    My '69 Newport was great to work on. I could literally sit on one front fender (try that with recycled beer can cars :eek: ) and reach just about everything. The voltage regulator was bolted to the firewall, in plain sight (I changed that too). Changing a leaky valve cover gasket was a breeze. The spark plugs were tricky (especially putting them back in) because they were under the exhaust manifold, but once one gets the hang of it, it's easy. Everything was out in the open and done with simple, basic mechanics instead of computerized whizbangs that put more processor power in the ABS brake system than there was in the entire Apollo program...

    But then again, it got about 20-23 mpg on the highway... and about half that in town :confused:

    Fun to drive, nonetheless.
     
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  6. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    The sign on the ground at the right says "Now Open".:)
     
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  7. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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  8. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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  9. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    Charlottetown, Price Edward Island, Canada.
     
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  10. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    That explains why I'd never heard or seen such a name!
     
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  11. Hytec

    Hytec TrainBoard Member

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    I believe we had Jenney stations in New Hampshire when I was young.
     
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  12. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    It would be interesting if you could find a photo!
     
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  13. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    I'm confused. I'd have sworn that was a '53 Meteor, not a Ford, because of the wheel covers. But Meteor didn't build the four door Country Sedan in '53. It only offered the two door Ranch Wagon. I guess the owner stole those discs.

    [​IMG]

    Too bad. Meteor pics are rare and fun.
     
    Last edited: Jul 9, 2022
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  14. r_i_straw

    r_i_straw Mostly N Scale Staff Member

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    I did an image search on Google and it came up with Boston, Massachusetts. North East anyway. The internet can be confusing at times.
     
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  15. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    I looked around on the Interweb too, and found that Jenney Oil Co. was founded in Boston in 1812. They started off by selling coal, kerosene and whale oil locally (one can never do without whale oil...:rolleyes:).

    When cars became a thing, they started producing gasoline for them. Eventually they had gas stations all over New England. I've never heard of them ending up in PEI but you never know. What I see in the photo is that the gas station there sells Sunoco gasoline but offers lube oil of the Jenney brand.

    Jenney was merged into Cities Service in 1965 and that was the end of the Jenney name. Only Citgo thereafter.
     
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  16. RailMix

    RailMix TrainBoard Member

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    Yep. Mopars were infamous for inaccessible spark plugs, although I have a Ford Y-Block with the same issue. All things considered, we didn't understand how really fortunate we were compared to today's totally packed, completely inaccessible engine compartments.
     
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  17. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    I think I know what you're referring to on the Fords - my Dad had a '73 Gran Torino with the 302, and the plugs were diagonally inserted, herringbone-style, pointing backwards. The one on the right rear was a bear to reach (judging by the amount of cussing). The left rear not so much. At least the Mopars went straight in.

    Best access to spark plugs was on my Crown Vics (all three): they were right on top of the engine. Or my Dad's '69 Valiant with the slant six.

    But my 2021 Escape? Start by finding them!:cautious:

    The next one will have no spark plugs anyway. Just a plug. By then I'll have to exchange my mechanic's tools for a multimeter, an oscilloscope and a logic analyzer. And probably a Ph.D too. Anyhoo, by the time I get that one, I'll be nearing 70 on my own odometer... Man, time flies... :eek:

    Bet those Jenney guys never thought we'd be going electric with some newfangled whizbang gadgets called microprocessors... and a doodad called a GPS... whatever that is. Where are the vacuum tubes? Is there anything I can take down to the drug store and test them on their machine?
     
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  18. RailMix

    RailMix TrainBoard Member

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    The Ford engine I was referring to is much older. Barely visible in the linked photo is the left exhaust manifold- very much like those on Chrysler products. I can agree with you about the l.ater Fords, though. I had a '73 Gran Torino with a 400, and, yeah, things were pretty cramped. I think the worst was my girlfried's car- a '73 Maverick with a 302. I'd forgotten just how insane it was.

    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/92/1955_Ford_292.jpg/220px-1955_Ford_292.jpg
    The photo shows a '55 Ford. (Mine is very similar. It originally came from a '56 Mercury) No newfangled gadgetry here other than the dual diaphram distributor that retards just a little further when the 4 barrel is dumped. This engine has a total of 3 vaccuum lines. It would only have 2 if the car had electric wipers.
     
    Last edited: Jul 10, 2022
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  19. RailMix

    RailMix TrainBoard Member

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    Looks like a Ford Country Sedan with a 6 cylinder engine as it lacks the V8 emblem above the trim strip. The full wheel covers were an available option on '53 Fords. Apparently, the owner was more concerned with looks than performance.
     
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  20. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Some neat pictures of the '53 here:

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/50312897@N02/galleries/72157688634835464/
     

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