Thread: Ampol coming back

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

Every one I remember was four gallons. You moved a quadrant on the front of the pump to 1,2,3, or 4 then pumped the fuel up into the bowl using a hand lever on the side.

I remember those. Back in the days when petrol was around 9 pence per gallon, 1 pound would fill your car, add oil, change your fanbelt and give you change for fish and chips, and gauge accuracy wouldn't break the bank. I was 13 when decimal currency came in, but my first car ( FC Holden ) could be filled for way less than $2. Those old glass bowl pumps were relegated to kero by that time though.

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

Finding a glass bowl for a restoration could be a challenge.

I have a skeleton clock that is over 200 years old. In my father's day the glass dome got broken. A glass blower replicated it. Maybe that skill still exists. Could cost more than what you get back though...

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

3/6d for standard and 3/9d for super per gallon. Late 1950's. In decimal currency 7.71 c/litre and 8.26 c/litre.

In 1972 my wife bought an Escort and my Mum bought a Torana. Neither could hold $5 of fuel from empty.

I recall, as a poverty stricken apprentice, running out of fuel at the Crown in Lutwyche on a night before payday. I put in twenty cents of fuel, from the coin pump, then drove to New Farm. The following morning I drove to Eagle Farm then fueled at Virginia. Try that today, 20 cents wouldn't fill the carby bowl.

Originally Posted by V8Ian

I recall, as a poverty stricken apprentice, running out of fuel at the Crown in Lutwyche on a night before payday. I put in twenty cents of fuel, from the coin pump, then drove to New Farm. The following morning I drove to Eagle Farm then fueled at Virginia. Try that today, 20 cents wouldn't fill the carby bowl.

Were apprentices paid enough in your job to be able to go to pubs? Even a low class blood house like The Crown.

Originally Posted by superquag

And now for something more modern...

- You know that you're OLD, when you remember filling up at this price... per Imp. Gallon, or 4.546 litres... less than 10 cents per litre.Attachment 156598Attachment 156599

I can remember when the pumps pictured had a sticker applied effectively moving the decimal point because petrol went over 99 cents a gallon. Was rectified by the conversion to metric as litres were smaller.

Regards,
Tote

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

3/6d for standard and 3/9d for super per gallon. Late 1950's. In decimal currency 7.71 c/litre and 8.26 c/litre.

In 1972 my wife bought an Escort and my Mum bought a Torana. Neither could hold $5 of fuel from empty.

In the Spring of 1972 I had only just been created, however I wouldn’t enter the world until the following year

Originally Posted by Bigbjorn

Were apprentices paid enough in your job to be able to go to pubs? Even a low class blood house like The Crown.

I was only passing, 'twas after closing time.

I remember mum and dad being absolutely horrified at having to pay $1.04/gallon at Cocklebiddy in 1976.
A full tank went in the Jeep plus a couple of jerry cans on the roof.
I think it cost around a 1/4 of that back home.

Dad said it was a bit rich to the Scotsman that ran the place, his reply was "all I can see are all those golden eagles rolling in"