Were you a pump jockey?

[Booger]

A great first job. For me at least. in a small coastal town. I made my own hours. my dog was welcome and hung out. Learned how to wrench on my old cars. washed windows back then.

Theres many of you that have that old gas pump by your garage Ill bet. Remember that stupid Navy like cap? (not me I dint wear it)

[Hamilton]

Yup. Started pumping gas as a high school freshman - back when hustle was the name of the game.    Checked and sold oil, mounted tires, washed windshields etc. 

 

As a junior I took a ration of shit from people when gas prices spiked (to about $0.37/gallon if I recall) as a result of the Arab oil embargo.  Like a high school kid had anything to do with it ...

[knuckleharley]

My first job was as the only deckhand on my uncle's 38 Foot shrip boat the summer I was 14. Worked at construction site clean up the next summer,and after that I worked as a mechanic trainee/grease rack monkey at the local Jeep dealership. Joined the army as "airborne unassigned" on my 17th birthday,and was in for 7 years before what later became known as Agent Orange put me out of the army with a disability check of something like 50 bucks a month.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I did my stint at the local Texaco after school and a summer or so....thought it was fun for the most part, full service back then....

Edited March 5, 2021 by Plymouthy Adams

[Los_Control]

Lot of different times back then  ... I actually worked for a Texaco station for some months.

I then moved to a Union 76 station .... Looking back today the Texaco was a better shop.

Just better people and ones you would want to surround yourself with.

 

Yes I checked the tire pressure, washed the windows & checked the oil.  While filling the gas.

 

[DJK]

Mobil station for me while in high school and 2 yrs of college, ended up turning wrenches for 45 yrs. mainly on Nissan's.

[Sniper]

My first job was as a paperboy, age 10.  Then I started working summers at the local amusement park, first picking up trash and such till I turn 16 and was old enough to operate the kiddies rides, still delivered papers too.  Then I got a job on the off season cleaning bathrooms and waxing floors and such on Saturday mornings at a local restaurant before they opened,, still delivered papers.  Once I graduated I went into the Navy, once I got married I ended up moonlighting as the local neighborhood mechanic as well.  Now days I make enough to work 40 a week and not have to get other jobs too.

[58prostreet]

I worked in a Mobil station in 1962. Then a Texaco for $1/hr. while in college for 2 years. In 1985 I bought a full serve Amoco and had 5 of them by 2001 when I sold all of them. BP had bought out Amoco by then. Don't miss them one bit.

[PT81PlymouthPickup]

My dad owned a Chevron station on Rt 1 in central New Jersey. I was pumping gas there at about 12 years old in the mid 1960s. Talk about full service! We cleaned both windshield and rear window, asked if we could check under the hood fluid levels and would air the tires if they asked. Then we gave them Green stamps which they could redeem for gifts after accumulating a bunch. All the while saying "Yes Ma'am or Yes Sir" no matter how miserable the customer was. Never see that again!    Was a magical time for me working with my dad and taking for granted all those cool cars and trucks that were passing through or in for service.
 

[Young Ed]

That's kinda before my time but one of dads highschool buddies owned the citgo station and I mowed the grass there for a few summers.

[Veemoney]

Worked at a Clark Station for 8 months till winter, pumped gas, checked oil and cleaned the windshield for all that pulled in for gas. Checked radiator and tires by request. 

[Dodgeb4ya]

I worked at an "Enco" station in 1971....

Was at times working in the Enco Tiger Suit putting tiger tails in the filler pipes if they got a fill up.

Those were the days?

 

[keithb7]

I wish...Born too late I guess. By the time I was 16 and buying gas, it was all selfserve in my area. The mom & pop gas station was pretty well gone by my time (1987). 
 

I’m enjoying the early job stories here so I’ll share too.
 

I think I began a paper route at at 10-11 yrs old. Pops encouraged me (actually more like a threat) to work and earn my own money. I remember it was an early morning paper route. I’d set my alarm for 5AM. Rip up the road on my bike. There was a wooden bin box up the road where I grabbed my bundle of papers for my subscribers. I timed my self each day, working my route. I worked and found efficient ways to get papers delivered in record time. 6 days a week. I recall getting back home 25-27 mins later. Sweating pretty good. I’d strip down and hit the sack again. Heart pounding. I could fall asleep again in seconds. Then wake up for school at about 7am.  Lots of memories out there killin’ it in the dark on my bike. Pedaling like a maniac trying to better my record time. 
 

I went on to picking vegetables by hand at a local farm. Then finally I was legal to work at 14. Took my first formal job at McDonald’s flipping burgers for $3.65/hr.  Worked like a bugger all through high school to keep my crappy cars on the road. Weekends and evening shifts were needed when dating hot chicks! Lol. I was busy. My grades suffered. 
 

To this day I still can’t turn away an opportunity to make a buck. Silly jobs that I don’t need. We make a good living, my wife and I. Yet I can still be found plowing a neighborhood driveway with my ATV for $30. Or some other simple task for cash.  Silly me, I can’t help myself. Work ethic was ground into me. Thanks Dad. 
 

My wife shakes her head at me sometimes for sure. 

Edited March 5, 2021 by keithb7

[busycoupe]

I worked in gas stations part time from 1971 to 1981 while I was in college, then teaching school after graduation. I loved it, and briefly considered going into the buisiness and getting my own station, until I realized that my livelyhood would depend on the reliability of high school kids!   The gas crisis of '73-'74 was an interesting time to be a pump jockey, the business changed after that.  Gone were the green stamps and free glasses of the late sixties.  Maybe it was me getting older, but the business seemed to take a more serious turn. 

[desoto1939]

Same here. Back around 1967 was pumping gas at a local Sunoco Gas station also when they had all of the multi-grades from 190 up to the good high test 360.  The 190 was around 25 cents a gallon and the 360 was around 45 cents.  I always thought why is someone going to pay 45 cents a gallon for gas I thought it was highway robbery. Bot look at the prices we are paying just for regular gas with ethaol almost $3.00 here in Valley forge, PA.

 

Did my fair share of putting air in tires, checking the oil and for every quart that I sold I think i got a 5 cent extra. Mounting tires, oil changes, hated the chevy's witht he metal oil cannister that had the center bolt that held in onto the block.  When you started to loosen it the hot oil would run down your arm a real pain and then the next car i hated was the Slant 6 because the oil filter was on the left side of the engine block with little room to get at it instead of putting it on the right side will all of the room that you could stand in the engine compartment.

 

I remember one day  a gentleman drove into the station and he was driving a Chrysler Airflow.  Boy was i ever hooked after that day. He even opened the hood and was willing to talk about the car. It has stuck with me ever since and now I have a 39 Desoto not the same as the airflow but at least a cCrysler product.

 

Ok how many times in the summer time when a pretty girl came to get gas did you take your time to washer her front windows so you could check her out especially if she was wear a real short dress or short shorts, come-on now tell the truth we all did the same spot on the window several time trying to get the perfect clean window and to get the stuck on bug off the windshield.

 

Those were the fun times and I look back on that with fond memories. Now they do not clean windows or even help put air in the tires and or even check the oil, Boy have times changed and the young kids of today do not know what they are missing when looking at a pretty girl sitting in a car. 

 

Time for all of you guys to fess up.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[Plymouthy Adams]

41 minutes ago, busycoupe said:

I worked in gas stations part time from 1971 to 1981 while I was in college, then teaching school after graduation. I loved it, and briefly considered going into the buisiness and getting my own station, until I realized that my livelyhood would depend on the reliability of high school kids!   The gas crisis of '73-'74 was an interesting time to be a pump jockey, the business changed after that.  Gone were the green stamps and free glasses of the late sixties.  Maybe it was me getting older, but the business seemed to take a more serious turn. 

the business lost that personal touch where the owner knew the customer and loyalty was part of the game....fuel credit cards kept the stations afloat...pumping gas during a price war was interesting....17 cents a gallon.....we need a roll-back on this....

[John Reddie]

During the summer of 1958 when I was 16 years old, I worked for a shop near my home that serviced only foreign cars like MG's, Jaguars, Volkswagons and the like. One of my tasks was going for parts which were not available locally. The dealer I went to most of the time was 30 miles away. I had a 1938 Buick Special 4 door sedan and spent many hours on the highway. Often times parts like engine blocks, gears and body parts had to be shipped here from overseas to the dealer. Those owners loved their cars and sometimes waited for weeks for the cars to be repaired. A great summer for sure.

John R

[Plymouthy Adams]

sometimes I think there is even more love and devotion put into the little foreign sport cars than any American make and model.  As owner of many different models and some 20+ foreign cars of different countries....I find these cars the better thrill when driving....not due to be being fast or anything like that, just the manner they handle.  They are quite the pleasure to own for the most part is my finding.  

[Booger]

1 hour ago, busycoupe said:

I worked in gas stations part time from 1971 to 1981 while I was in college, then teaching school after graduation. I loved it, and briefly considered going into the buisiness and getting my own station, until I realized that my livelyhood would depend on the reliability of high school kids!   The gas crisis of '73-'74 was an interesting time to be a pump jockey, the business changed after that.  Gone were the green stamps and free glasses of the late sixties.  Maybe it was me getting older, but the business seemed to take a more serious turn. 

Yes dont forget my green stamps you young whippersnapper!

[ratfinkxxx]

Yep. Summers of 71 and 72 at Mike's Capitol Shell in downtown St. Paul Minnesota. Full service, two garage bays specializing in foreign car repair. I pumped gas, tuned Volkswagens and changed tires. Lots of mini skirts. I was 15-16y.o. Life was great!

[Booger]

20 hours ago, Sniper said:

My first job was as a paperboy, age 10.  Then I started working summers at the local amusement park, first picking up trash and such till I turn 16 and was old enough to operate the kiddies rides, still delivered papers too.  Then I got a job on the off season cleaning bathrooms and waxing floors and such on Saturday mornings at a local restaurant before they opened,, still delivered papers.  Once I graduated I went into the Navy, once I got married I ended up moonlighting as the local neighborhood mechanic as well.  Now days I make enough to work 40 a week and not have to get other jobs too.

Paper boy was more like truancy and deliquency all in one. need to know how to "roll" a paper. Make sure you "lead" your toss. one maybe 2 bounces at the foot of the steps.

subtract points for broken screen/storm doors.

Edited March 5, 2021 by michaelmarks697@yahoo.com
speling

[Doug&Deb]

Put up hay for 3 different farms starting when I was 12. Did that till I got a license then pumped gas. That was gravy compared to throwing hay bales!

[Booger]

7 hours ago, desoto1939 said:

Same here. Back around 1967 was pumping gas at a local Sunoco Gas station also when they had all of the multi-grades from 190 up to the good high test 360.  The 190 was around 25 cents a gallon and the 360 was around 45 cents.  I always thought why is someone going to pay 45 cents a gallon for gas I thought it was highway robbery. Bot look at the prices we are paying just for regular gas with ethaol almost $3.00 here in Valley forge, PA.

 

Did my fair share of putting air in tires, checking the oil and for every quart that I sold I think i got a 5 cent extra. Mounting tires, oil changes, hated the chevy's witht he metal oil cannister that had the center bolt that held in onto the block.  When you started to loosen it the hot oil would run down your arm a real pain and then the next car i hated was the Slant 6 because the oil filter was on the left side of the engine block with little room to get at it instead of putting it on the right side will all of the room that you could stand in the engine compartment.

 

I remember one day  a gentleman drove into the station and he was driving a Chrysler Airflow.  Boy was i ever hooked after that day. He even opened the hood and was willing to talk about the car. It has stuck with me ever since and now I have a 39 Desoto not the same as the airflow but at least a cCrysler product.

 

Ok how many times in the summer time when a pretty girl came to get gas did you take your time to washer her front windows so you could check her out especially if she was wear a real short dress or short shorts, come-on now tell the truth we all did the same spot on the window several time trying to get the perfect clean window and to get the stuck on bug off the windshield.

 

Those were the fun times and I look back on that with fond memories. Now they do not clean windows or even help put air in the tires and or even check the oil, Boy have times changed and the young kids of today do not know what they are missing when looking at a pretty girl sitting in a car. 

 

Time for all of you guys to fess up.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

you better believe it

[50 coupe]

Yup!. Full service stations, high school through college, 1977-1984 in Florida. Also, did light mechanical work. Got paid commissions too. Drove a big block SuperBee so knew all the local gear heads also. Station owners were some real characters back then. I still have some great stories to tell.

[Furylee2]

On 3/4/2021 at 5:36 PM, michaelmarks697@yahoo.com said:

A great first job. For me at least. in a small coastal town. I made my own hours. my dog was welcome and hung out. Learned how to wrench on my old cars. washed windows back then.

Theres many of you that have that old gas pump by your garage Ill bet. Remember that stupid Navy like cap? (not me I dint wear it)

 

 

Mine is in the basement (man cave).  I built a replica of a 40’s gas station down there.

 

I got laid off in quality control position in 1985, and managed a Derby station for a summer. No pumping gas or cleaning windshields. Just scratching oil stains and selling cigarettes.

 

I acquired a lot of Mobil stuff over the years, so a few years ago I but a replica of 40’s gas station in the basement.

Edited March 13, 2021 by Furylee2