I remember the glass reservoirs well. The attendant would work a lever back and forth until the desired amount was in the glass column. Then he (always he, in those days) would stick the nozzle in filler pipe on the car and release the precious (but, in those days, cheap) liquid.
This was in England of course. However, I've no doubt the pumps here were very similar. My father's car in those days was a 1937 Morris 8. (The 8 signified 800 cubic centimeters.) He later upgraded, in about 1951, to a used 1947 Morris 10 (1 liter), by which time those pumps had almost completely disappeared. I also remember that, on every fill, he also asked for Redex (which was an upper-cylinder lubricant). I've no idea whether it was really beneficial. However, as he was a physicist, I assumed he was doing the right thing (not necessarily a good assumption in every case). I don't think people said, "Fill 'er up" in those days. They had to ask for a specific volume. Bill ________________________________ Bill Potts Roseville, CA http://metric1.org [SI Navigator] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of James Frysinger Sent: Monday, June 02, 2008 12:37 To: U.S. Metric Association Subject: [USMA:41025] Re: Legality of selling fuel by the liter in the US Yep, this one should be good for providing easy switching. I wonder how many other models and vendors are out there. Other curiosities include the average frequency with which pumps are replaced since that might bear on replacing pumps that cannot be easily switched with pumps that can be. Here in Tennessee I see rural stations that have some rather old, nasty looking pumps. I haven't seen one with the old glass reservoir on top yet, but I wouldn't be surprised to see one some day! Grin. Jim Nat Hager III wrote: > *A little poking around on the Net shows that to be the case..* > > * * > > *Nat* > > * * > > *http://www.gasboy.com/page/fleet_commercial_gas_pump_dispensers_8700 > > * > > * * > > *>>>8700K mechanical display register:* Veeder-RootR mechanical > registers with power reset interlock. Displays on both sides include > money to $999.99 per sale; gallons or liters to 999.9; and price per > gallon or liter to 9.999. Includes non resettable mechanical totalizer. > >> >> > > > > > > > > > > *From:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On > Behalf Of *Mike Millet > *Sent:* Monday, 2008 June 02 13:44 > *To:* U.S. Metric Association > *Subject:* [USMA:41021] Re: Legality of selling fuel by the liter in > the US > > > > James, > > I was under the impression that all pumps in the US already pumped in > liters and ticked up by the gallon. Either that or that it was only a > flip of a switch type of thing. > > That could be for newer pumps though. > > Mike > > On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 10:16 AM, James Frysinger > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> wrote: > > Since the federal government does not control this and since most > states probably allow selling motor fuel by the liter, this will > happen the same way that 2 L bottles of pop became prevalent -- by > vendor initiative and encouragement. > > The availability of equipment to modify pumps is necessary, which is > why I wrote to the Petroleum Equipment Institute president, as > reported here by me a few weeks ago. The PEI can also help with > encouragement, if they choose to. > > Jim > > STANLEY DOORE wrote: > > I understand; however, conversion to liters for gasoline dispensing > nationwide simultaneous is necessary to provide uniformity among the public. > Stan doore > > ----- Original Message ----- > > *From:* Phil Chernack <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > *To:* [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > *Cc:* U.S. Metric Association <mailto:[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > *Sent:* Monday, June 02, 2008 8:37 AM > *Subject:* Re: [USMA:41013] Re: Legality of selling fuel by the > liter in the US > > Once again, the FPLA has nothing to do with the sale of gasoline. > Gasoline is regulated at the state level. States are free at this > time to allow metric-only sales of gas but will not do so because > they perceive that the public won't accept it. Even if the FPLA is > amended and many products show up metric only, until the auto > manufacutrers, marketers and the National Highway Transportation > Safety Administration (the body that dictates car saftey > regulations) get on board we will not see any sustainable visible > metric measures in cars (speedometer, fuel capacity, fuel economy.) > > On Mon, Jun 2, 2008 at 1:17 AM, STANLEY DOORE > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>> wrote: > > When the Feds pass metric-only legislation for labeling > products, then the gas station industry could sell gasoline by > the liter throughout the US. This move would be a visible, > positive and useful path to selling many other products in SI > Units and would include encouragement to change distance road > signs to the SI. I already have my navigation system set to > metric, and it's much more useful that way. > Stan Doore > > ----- Original Message ----- > > *From:* Mike Millet <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > *To:* U.S. Metric Association <mailto:[email protected] > <mailto:[email protected]>> > *Sent:* Friday, May 30, 2008 5:16 PM > *Subject:* [USMA:41009] Re: Legality of selling fuel by the > liter in the US > > Good to know. I just wish that the gas station owner's > first impulse was to sell by the liter rather than selling > by the old outdated half gallon :). Maybe with time we can > persuade them otherwise. > > > Mike > > On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 11:54 AM, James Frysinger > > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>> wrote: > > Sales of motor fuel are regulated by states. In the > "Interpretations and Guidelines" section of NCWM > Handbook 130 metric pricing and dispensing rules are > given on pp 242 and 243. Those DO call for showing the > price per gallon whenever fuel is sold by the liter, as > well as the price per liter. Individual states may > follow that or form their own rules. I gave a link to a > downloadable copy of Handbook 130 earlier. > > Jim > > Nat Hager III wrote: > > I would think it would be legal in every state, > considering how far gas-by-the-liter got in the > early eighties. I know they passed the legislation > then, as so many stations were doing it, and I doubt > if they ever took it back. > > I think Hawaii had mandatory > gas-by-the-liter for > several years. > > Nat > > *From:* > [EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>] *On Behalf Of > *Phil Chernack > *Sent:* Friday, 2008 May 30 11:56 > *To:* U.S. Metric Association > *Subject:* [USMA:41004] Re: Legality of selling fuel > by the liter in the US > > I can't say for every state but > in New Jersey it is > legal to sell and dispense by the liter provided > both the price per liter and price per gallon are > displayed. > > On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 11:41 AM, Mike Millet > <[EMAIL PROTECTED] <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>> > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]>>>> wrote: > > Just curious here , as I've been readying a lot > about how some older gas pumps have started pricing > by the half gallon instead of the gallon. Is it > actually legal in the US to sell gas by the liter? > And if so, does it fall under state or federal > regulation? > > All the news articles I've read so far have said > that stations just have to apply with the state > regulator to sell by the half gallon. A lot of > people in the comments sections on the different > articles seem to be in favor of switching the price > to liters nationally but so far there haven't been > any responses from industry or gas stations. > > Mike > > -- "The boy is dangerous, they all > sense it why can't you?" > > (\__/) > (='.'=)This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your > (")_(")signature to help him gain world domination. > > > > -- James R. Frysinger > 632 Stony Point Mountain Road > Doyle, TN 38559-3030 > > (H) 931.657.3107 > (C) 931.212.0267 > > > > > -- "The boy is dangerous, they all sense it why > can't you?" > > (\__/) > (='.'=)This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your > (")_(")signature to help him gain world domination. > > > -- > James R. Frysinger > 632 Stony Point Mountain Road > Doyle, TN 38559-3030 > > (H) 931.657.3107 > (C) 931.212.0267 > > > > > -- > "The boy is dangerous, they all sense it why can't you?" > > (\__/) > (='.'=)This is Bunny. Copy and paste bunny into your (")_(")signature > to help him gain world domination. > -- James R. Frysinger 632 Stony Point Mountain Road Doyle, TN 38559-3030 (H) 931.657.3107 (C) 931.212.0267
