Back down memory lane again

[Ed62]

My first car was a 1952 four door Oldsmobile.

My second car was a 1952 98 Olds hardtop. It had power windows and seat. The problem with it was it was hydraulic powered. In the middle of winter, a hydraulic line broke. All the windows went down, and the seat went all the way back . So here we are driving with the windows down when it's snowing like h*ll. It's something I won't easily forget.

Ed

[Martin]

Powerful 3 or 4 transistor car radios?

Do you guys with the cars remember the advertisements for powerful 3 or 4 transistor car radios? later, some of the all transistor car radios didn't last very long, but they were "modern".

The 1 1/2 ton farm trucks had "four on the floor" transmission shifters. Different brand trucks had different shift patterns for reverse.

Truck wheels had clinch rims which would occasionally fly off. The motorcycle riders learned do not ride beside a big truck.

[MilDoc]

OK. So I'm older than dirt. But I already knew that!

Just HAD to remind me, huh?

[Tom Slick]

I "remember" 16 of them but I'm only 1/3 of a century "old". The key words missing are either "new" or "common".
about 6 of them were common (in my area) when I was a kid but most sold/displayed as classic.

packards were well before my time but I've certainly seen them around. Drive-in movie or diner? Both are still around here.

[BobSch]

Remember the old 6-transistor "pocket" radios? I had one that I used on my morning paper route. I could always tell when it was below zero — the radio would fade out until I got back inside and warmed it up!

My first portable radio was a Philco tube job that took two batteries, one 7.5-volt and a 90-volt.

[BerniePA]

My first portable radio was a Philco tube job that took two batteries, one 7.5-volt and a 90-volt.

That wasn't too portable of a radio with a 90 volt battery in it was it? Did you have to carry it around with a hand truck?

[LinuxRandal]

Before I left England, in 1951, I heard about American chewing gum. I took a bus into Southgate and went to the sweet shop with my sixpence. I bought Blackjack Gum. Well, I hated licorice, and still do. One chew and I spit it out. I couldn't see what the Americans saw in it.

Steve

(censored) you Steve! You just up'd me to 20. I had heard the name Black Jack, but until you mentioned it being licorice flavored, I didn't know that was it. Given it twice as a kid, since I liked Red Licorice. Never could stand black (Mike and Ikes are out).

[dbhost]

How many do you remember? FWIW, I remember all of them.

Head lights dimmer switches on the floor.
Nearly every vehicle I owned up until I bought my 2000 Ford Ranger had one. Except for an old Toyota I had in college...
Ignition switches on the dashboard.
Uh. Current Honda S-2000's have that...
Heaters mounted on the inside of the fire wall.
Where else would it be?
Real ice boxes.
The hunting cabin we use has one still
Pant leg clips for bicycles without chain guards..
Seen them at Wal Mart recently...
Soldering irons you heat on a gas burner.
Uh. Nope...
Using hand signals for cars without turn signals.
Nope. Cars have always had turn signals... Seriously. I had a friend with a 1956 Volkswagen that had Semaphore turn signals (little arms that swung out of the side of the car and had a blinking light...)

Older Than Dirt Quiz :


Count all the ones that you remember not the ones you were told about.
Ratings at the bottom.




1. Blackjack chewing gum
2.Wax Coke-shaped bottles with colored sugar water
3. Candy cigarettes
4.. Soda pop machines that dispensed glass bottles
5. Coffee shops or diners with tableside juke boxes
6. Home milk delivery in glass bottles with cardboard stoppers
7. Party lines on the telephone
8.. Newsreels before the movie
9. P.F. Flyers
10. Butch wax
11. TV test patterns that came on at night after the last show and were there until TV shows started again in the morning. (there were only 3 channels [if you were fortunate])
12. Peashooters
13. Howdy Doody
14.. 45 RPM records
15.. S& H greenstamps
16. Hi-fi's
17. Metal ice trays with lever
18. Mimeograph paper
19. Blue flashbulb
20. Packards
21. Roller skate keys
22.. Cork popguns
23. Drive-ins
24. Studebakers
25. Wash tub wringers

If you remembered 0-5 = You're still young
If you remembered 6-10 = You are getting older
If you remembered 11-15 = Don't tell your age,
If you remembered 16-25 = You're older than dirt!

Most of the items I recall I recall them as historical oddities, or niche market items... Like Packards and Studebakers. Both were in the scrap bin of history before my parents decided it was time for me to happen...

[bruce hylton]

Should add Hudson's and Nash's. Fine automobiles sometimes. Oleo is another item that comes to mind. Along with nickel canybars, dime comics and dime novels.

[BobSch]

That wasn't too portable of a radio with a 90 volt battery in it was it? Did you have to carry it around with a hand truck?

Not that bad. It was about 9x6 inches and 2 inches thick. The 90-V battery was about 8X1.5X1" and fit in the bottom of the case. The solid handle was the antenna.

Oh, and AM only, no FM and don't even ask about MP3s.

[L. D. Jeffries]

Yeah, I'am older than old dirt! Remember them all! Tom Slick's post reminded me, speaking of Packard cars. Worked in a local gas station on weekends, guy used to come in with a big Packard that had air shocks. When up on the hoist to lube/oil you SHOULD bleed the shocks FIRST! When you forget and don't, all kinds of problems. Guess who always forgot? Not a nice picture.

[RyFitz13]

Ehh, just "getting older" here. But:

The local stations signed on with the National Anthem and signed off with "High Flight".

Really??? I didn't think anyone outside of the Air Force ever heard of High Flight. I guess nowadays that's probably the case...

[crokett]

Only 6 from experience, but I am not that young.