The 1979 energy crisis led to gas shortages and rationing across the U.S.
Where were you in '79?
I remember scraping 95 cents together to put gas in my 8-cylinder, gas-guzzling, 'Sundance Orange' Pontiac LeMans so I could get to work at SouthPark Cinemas.
What did you drive then? Was it economical, or a gas hog that you loved anyway? LOL!
'Nikki Hoffman filled up at a USA gas station on South Boulevard Saturday night in preparation for a dry Sunday.' Jeep Hunter/Staff
'When a station's gasoline prices are a few cents below its competitors' rates, motorists find out and line up for the bargain. Cotswold Exxon Car Care Center on Randolph Road has had waiting lines for its three hours of sales Monday through Saturday.' Mark Fortenberry/Staff
'Fritz, a Doberman Pinscher, Protects Gas Station ....
Larry Vestal hasn't been robbed with him around.' Staff
No info on where this station was. Anyone know?
'No, it's not Californians lining up to get hard-to-find gasoline. It's Charlotteans who lined up this morning to buy gas for 25 cents a gallon at the Texaco station at Fairview and Sharon Roads. It was part of a promotion by radio station WAYS. The station arranged for 1,000 gallons of gas at the station. Station spokesman said the response was 'fantastic.'' Tom Franklin/Staff
'With most Charlotte service stations closed Saturday night, motorists were hard pressed to find gasoline. And when they did they had to wait. At U-Save-Automatic Self-Serve gasoline station on South Boulevard, one of the few stations open around town, lines six or seven cars long crowded each of the station's four pump areas throughout most of the day.' Staff.
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8 comments:
In 1979 I was a junior in high school and I drove a 1972 Toyota Corona. It was very good on gas I could fill up my car for $13.00.
Anon: $13! Boy were you lucky! Tx for the comment. Maria
Boy do I remember! I was also in high school. I got scared and traded my 1968 Chevelle SS396 for a 1972 VW Beetle. And I gave boot!
Still regretting that move....
That 68 395SS is worth some serious money today. Saw one at a car show this summer for 78,000 dollars.
Actually the 1st gas crisis was in fall '73 when big oil manufactured the original crunch to bump gas prices. i.e. 30 cts a gal at Crown at Cotswold to 50-60 cts. They used the '73 Arab Israeli war excuse.
'73 & '79 (Iran hostage) doomed big luxury gas guzzlers like Olds 98, Cadillac and Chrysler products as the first govt auto maker bail out for Lee "lead follow or get the hell out of the way Iacocca. It failed.
The mid 70s introduced the first small Jap cars trucks Toy and Nis and others who demolished Detroit and the Big Three. German VW was already a top seller.
Freehold Highway 9 Springsteen's arrival & 1st biggie Born To Run and Hollywood's American Graffiti both in '75 were about the death of Muscle Car gas hogs.
We know now it was all the Chicago futures market speculator oil hustlers that fabricated these gas crisis's that are still at it non stop.
I was born in 1970, so I was little when these gas crises were present. It's interesting to look at old pics and notice how things change over time. I notice how the gas stations in the '70s had to put "SELF SERVE" in big letters. The 3 classifications were regular, premium and unleaded. Also, I was just noticing in all these pictures that the vast majority of these cars were not only a block and a half long, they were also mostly 2-door. I remember my family's Pontiac Grand Am that I thought was long enough to play a football game on. And of course it was 2-door.
Two things about those times. My dad had a gas station, me and my three brothers all worked there. During the gas crisis we would put gas in cans, bring our cars into the bays and add the gas to cars one can at a time. If we dared to pull up to pump and fill up our car, the place would get attacked by traffic. Odd/even days and the like. Very long lines, really a panic. Seems people would wait an hour with their car running in line to top off their tanks with a few gallons. Idiots. Spawned locking gas caps. Don't see locking gas caps now. Wonder why, gas is north of $3/gallon. People are too wussified to siphon gas I guess. Second thing. Remember when gas prices inched up past $1 a gallon? Well, if your pumps were mechanical (most/all were) and of regular or older vintage then the price dials only went up to $0.999. So what we had to do was to lower the dial down to 1/2 the price per gallon and pump 1/2 the amount requested or if a fill up, double the price on the pump. That was the only way we could calibrate the pumps when prices went above $1 a gallon. Crazy times.
I was on an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean, so I missed all the fun.
Bummer?
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