<VV> Oil again - no Corvair

[James Davis]

The glass display bottles with the tin spouts were for service 
station customers that need a quart of oil when they were getting 
gas.   When a vehicle pulled up to the pump, the pump attendant would 
ask the driver how much and using the handle on the side of the pump 
and fill the glass on the pump to the correct level.  None of that 
fancy electrical stuff as my boss just knew gasoline would explode if 
it came near electricity. The attendant would then dispense the 
contents of the pump into the vehicle.  He would clean the windshield 
and ask if he was to check fluids under the hood.  If the vehicle dip 
stick was at or below the add oil mark, he would show it to the 
driver and ask if he was to add a quart.  The display bottles were 
beside the pump, usually marked 30, 50, and 70 weight.   After adding 
a quart he would replace the empty bottle into its place in the 
rack.   The last thing before closing the bottles were refilled with 
the correct grade.

If the car was in for an oil change, there was a gallon galvanized 
pitcher with a movable spout on the side.  On the pitcher's handle 
was a push lever to control the flow of oil out of the spout.  The 
pitcher was filled at the same drum as the bottles.  You didn't use 
the glass bottles in the bays or out back.   All the oil was 
delivered in 30 or 55 gallon drums.  We had special dispensing barrel 
pumps for the bottles.  There was a spring loaded arm that caught the 
drips from the pump spout and returned the oil to the drum.  It was 
just the right height so the glass bottle and spout would fit under 
the dispensing drum's spout when you pushed the collection arm out of 
the way.  I never saw a metal can until after WWII.   Esso was the 
first in our area to switch to metal cans.  First were the gallon 
cans and later the quarts.

Collecting of old gas station stuff is big business around 
here.  There is a full working Pure Oil station circa 1920 in 
Coldwater. (You would think it would be Ashland, wouldn't you.)  The 
owner has it setup as a tourist trap but everything works.  He buys 
and sells gas station stuff.  He can not sell gas as the does not 
meet current safety and KY commerce regulations.
Jim Davis

At 08:55 PM 8/27/2008, Dennis PLEAU wrote:
>Was the metal can before or after the glass bottle with the rigid 
>spout.  Filled with the same pump.
>
>dp
>
>
>
> > From: r.gault at sbcglobal.net> To: virtualvairs at corvair.org> Date: 
> Wed, 27 Aug 2008 20:49:51 -0500> Subject: Re: <VV> Oil again> > 
> Well, gee. I must be ancient. I remember pumping oil out of a 55 
> gallon> drum into a sort of pitcher looking metal can with a 
> flexible metal spout> coming out the bottom. You turned the crank 
> all the way CCW, and then all> the way CW, and like magic, you had 
> one quart in the pitcher.> > ;-)> Roger