100% Better Times

[baddog]

All cars look real similar today. Back then you could name the car instantly. Too bad these times are gone forever.

 

[Ty Cobb]

Those cars were built better than today’s. Real American steel. Today’s vehicles are soft and full of computer chips. 

[mat]

48 cent gas

[baddog]

30 minutes ago, mat said:

48 cent gas

1973, I was attending Lamar and TexGas and Shamrock would have gas wars on Lucas St. in Beaumont…….17 cents. Could fill up my friend’s VW and get change.

[baddog]

Get change from $2.00. ^^^^^
 

Had the best burgers back then too. Mr. Burger on Lucas, Village burger on Lucas, Better Burger on Concord (my favorite), and later on, Bonus Burger on Lucas.

[tvc184]

On 6/20/2026 at 7:01 PM, baddog said:

1973, I was attending Lamar and TexGas and Shamrock would have gas wars on Lucas St. in Beaumont…….17 cents. Could fill up my friend’s VW and get change.

Yeah. In 1973 I was was making $1.70 an hour.

By January 1974 it was around 46¢ a gallon and I was making $2.00. 

[baddog]

10 minutes ago, tvc184 said:

Yeah. In 1973 I was was making $1.70 an hour.

By January 1974 it was around 46¢ a gallon and I was making $2.00. 

I can remember back in the 60s, regular was 10 cents and ethyl was 12 cents….and that was full serve. No such thing as self serve. They’d check the oil, battery, wipe the front windshield, and pump the gas. I’m sure you remember as well. Good times.

[Separation Scientist]

I am not old enough to know about 70's culture, but late 80's and 90's I miss the way women looked. Almost none of them were tatted and pierced or had dyed blue hair. I saw a woman in a club this week. She had gigantic tatted wings covering up her back, and multiple tatts everywhere else. Fugly.     

[rupert3]

My uncle had a Crowflite station on Yale in Houston.  One time during a gass war gas was 6.9 cent with full service in 58.  When I got outa school in 62 gas was 19.9 in Leggett and my first job was in Camden at the ESSO station gas was 23.9.  Was making 75 cent an hour.  Had enough money to keep the 39 Pontiac full, run around and pay Mama some every week.  Miss those days except when I went into the Army. 

[rupert3]

Five or more girls would fit in the back of that car😛

[baddog]

21 minutes ago, rupert3 said:

My uncle had a Crowflite station on Yale in Houston.  One time during a gass war gas was 6.9 cent with full service in 58.  When I got outa school in 62 gas was 19.9 in Leggett and my first job was in Camden at the ESSO station gas was 23.9.  Was making 75 cent an hour.  Had enough money to keep the 39 Pontiac full, run around and pay Mama some every week.  Miss those days except when I went into the Army. 

Lots of people never heard of Enco and Esso. Lol. How about Sinclair? ‘39 Pontiac. Now that’s a car!

[rupert3]

Or Citi Services or Crow Flite.  TexGas

Silver Streak

[thetragichippy]

On 6/20/2026 at 6:11 PM, Ty Cobb said:

Those cars were built better than today’s. Real American steel. Today’s vehicles are soft and full of computer chips. 

That is easy to say, but I'm not sure more perception than reality. Trust me, my Dad built me a 65 Mustang from the ground up and gave to me for my 16th birthday in 1982, custom paint job and all.....so I know where you're going, but....

My work Truck is a 2011 Ford F150 Lariat 5.0 Coyote engine......When I parked her at work today, her milage was 309800.  She has original engine and transmission. I don't recall 1960's or 1970's vehicles getting that kind of milage out of original engine. The only things that don't work are key fob....cause my ex-wife washed it...SMH - and the rearview camera (cause I don't wanna fix it) 

I don't drive her any further than I want to toe her home......but she makes he drive from Port Arthur to Vidor 5 days a week, plus around town on the weekends.

[baddog]

1 hour ago, thetragichippy said:

That is easy to say, but I'm not sure more perception than reality. Trust me, my Dad built me a 65 Mustang from the ground up and gave to me for my 16th birthday in 1982, custom paint job and all.....so I know where you're going, but....

My work Truck is a 2011 Ford F150 Lariat 5.0 Coyote engine......When I parked her at work today, her milage was 309800.  She has original engine and transmission. I don't recall 1960's or 1970's vehicles getting that kind of milage out of original engine. The only things that don't work are key fob....cause my ex-wife washed it...SMH - and the rearview camera (cause I don't wanna fix it) 

I don't drive her any further than I want to toe her home......but she makes he drive from Port Arthur to Vidor 5 days a week, plus around town on the weekends.

Tighter tolerances due to the Toyota invasion and synthetic oils have definitely extended engine life. I think Ty Cobb might have been referring to the fact that those old cars could take a dent and be repaired. Nowadays they react like a crashmobile and total out easier. Lol

The cars back then had great lines. So much so, that Dodge reintroduced the Challenger, Charger, and Demon. The Charger is nowhere near the original size. Other manufacturers are bringing back some oldies too because, like I mentioned earlier, they all look alike. 
Thought you had a Tundra.

[thetragichippy]

14 hours ago, baddog said:

Tighter tolerances due to the Toyota invasion and synthetic oils have definitely extended engine life. I think Ty Cobb might have been referring to the fact that those old cars could take a dent and be repaired. Nowadays they react like a crashmobile and total out easier. Lol

The cars back then had great lines. So much so, that Dodge reintroduced the Challenger, Charger, and Demon. The Charger is nowhere near the original size. Other manufacturers are bringing back some oldies too because, like I mentioned earlier, they all look alike. 
Thought you had a Tundra.

I did and should of kept it, but traded it in for a 2012 Ford F150 Ecoboost - biggest piece of junk I have ever purchased new. I had to replace timing chain at 94K. The 2011 I’m referring to I bought my son in high school. I paid 15,500 drive out and it had 100k miles on it. When he went to college, I took his truck and traded in my 2012 piece of crap and got him a new car because he was going to Texas State. I wanted to make sure he had something dependable since I would be about five hours away.

[baddog]

My first car was a ‘66 Nova, 283 w/ 4 barrel, and Powerglide transmission. Paid $600 and had to get a loan co-signed. Wish I still had that one.

[rupert3]

While in Nam I ordered a 66 malibu classic through the PX to pick up at Seattle when I got back.  Paid 500 down and was to do a bank draft when I picked it up 1100+ bucks.  Well bank refused.  First wife had spent it all on a car for her boyfriend.  That car and her was all I dreamed about.  Enough said.  Bye bye car and wife. Grrrrrr.  Lost the 500 btw

[outanup]

19 hours ago, baddog said:

Tighter tolerances due to the Toyota invasion and synthetic oils have definitely extended engine life. I think Ty Cobb might have been referring to the fact that those old cars could take a dent and be repaired. Nowadays they react like a crashmobile and total out easier. Lol

The cars back then had great lines. So much so, that Dodge reintroduced the Challenger, Charger, and Demon. The Charger is nowhere near the original size. Other manufacturers are bringing back some oldies too because, like I mentioned earlier, they all look alike. 
Thought you had a Tundra.

Overdrive transmissions have also extended engine life...

[baddog]

24 minutes ago, outanup said:

Overdrive transmissions have also extended engine life...

Had a 10 speed automatic in my last truck. lol