Obscure question for the old guys. Remember the tiger in the tank promotion?

[gkent]

In Canada in the late 50's these were given away at BP stations. They were called "Mr Beep". They were both a toy and a bottle opener.

 

[WileE]

As stated, Esso was the tiger advertisement. Mobil had one back then which illustrated fuel economy by 2 cars, and one of them went through a white paper-type barrier which demonstrated better fuel economy using Mobil. Shell touted their "super-shell" gasoline with "platformate" ? I'm going on memory here, so details may be off.

 

[Turboomni]

 

[eldubb440]

Sunoco and Amoco were the preferred fuels around here in the 80s....... Sunoco was 94 octane, Amoco was 93....... Texoco may have been 92, everyone else was 91.5 or lower if I remember correctly

 

[Dennis H]

Sunoco pumps had the dial. Blue 260!

 

[ro23j]

Didn't Pontiac get the GTO tied in with the Esso tiger thing in the mid 60's? I remember seeing ads in old magazines for the GeeTeeOhh Tiger, and they had like 66 or 67 GTOs with the tiger tails.

It appears from looking at my old magazine ads, that Pontiac started the use of the word "tiger" in their print ads in 1963, it was used in a Tempest ad. The latest use I can find is in 1966, when they used the used the phrase " 3 Wide-Track Tigers - 2+2, GTO and OHC 6". The ad also says to send in 25 cents and get five, ready to frame, 26" x 11 1/2" full color reproductions. I sent in the 25 cents and got the posters but they disappeared over the years.

 

[Backrd.Junkyard]

Rescued from a shed at an estate sale of someone who owned an Esso station.

It was buried in the dirt floor, I had to dig most of it out.
YOUR'E WELCOME!

 

[68BabyBlue]

Sunoco and Amoco were the preferred fuels around here in the 80s....... Sunoco was 94 octane, Amoco was 93....... Texoco may have been 92, everyone else was 91.5 or lower if I remember correctly

Remember that as well, ran my first GTX on Sunoco and Amoco exclusively for that reason.

 

[khryslerkid]

Talking about old commercials, remember this one? I never knew it until I just watched it today that Gary Burghoff (Radar on Mash) was driving.

 

[guy gadbois]

Dont' forget DX and the "antenna banana"!!!
Or Sinclair dinosaurs.
And the Gulf horseshoes that put a 'kick' in your cars performance.
Esso also had the "oil drop man" and then the "oil drop girl", but that was mainly in Europe. The tiger tail crossed over the pond also; remember some ads with Jim Clark and the cartoon tiger. Also, there were Corgi Lotus Elans that had the 'put a tiger in your tank' sticker on the decklid available - have one sitting about 20 ft from me right now.

 

[multimopes]

using Exxon gas at the time

I remember way back when hearing stories from people I knew who had problems using Esso (Exxon) gas. I had problems with it a couple of times myself, especially one at night after I refueled my motorcycle with their gas when they were the only one open in the area where I was at. The bike ran like ****! It almost didn't get me home. Now it was possible that time that the gas station's fuel tanks had water or crap in them maybe. But, what I found out later convinced me otherwise & I never bought it again. You all may be aware that different fuels had different color tints added. (remember "blue" Sunoco)? Evidently, Exxon used a paraffin based dye that would build up on needle valves and gum up carbs. On top of that, it was usually the most expensive gas around. I also knew some people in the oil business that got a private quality list of octane and price listings regularly. I was told that Exxon was close to the bottom or middle of the list. When I think of this I also recall the old Valdez spill incident! They do not sit well in my memory at all.
By the way, I have NEVER seen gas station attendants wear those silly uniforms with hats. Usually it was some kid dressed like a slob or a dirty mechanic helping out when busy! Actually, that's not completely true. I do remember Hess stations employees wearing white uniforms with green trim!

 

[khryslerkid]

Sunoco and Amoco were the preferred fuels around here in the 80s....... Sunoco was 94 octane, Amoco was 93....... Texoco may have been 92, everyone else was 91.5 or lower if I remember correctly

Sunoco 260 was around 102 octane. Most Premium gas was 100 octane and some Super were up to 103. (1970 ish)

Texaco Fire Chef was my choice in the mid 70s and I worked at a Sunoco station

 

[F4R/T]

Those were the good old days.. I recall Amoco being number one in my area. Now the torch and oval is flying but has BP green in the bottom of it... It’s over in Mo. it used to be red white and blue... Hey Oh could tell ya where it is I can’t seem to recall what road. Shell was huge too I’m close to the refinery here..

 

[gooser]

in the 60s sunoco was 240 100 octane 250 was 101 1/2 and 260 was 103 octane at 32cents a gallon 260 was it

 

[SteveSS]

ARCO was a big deal in my little town. I think they had the only five-story building in town. They gave tours and things. It was the first place I ever made a xerox copy of my hand. Outside they had this carnival trailer set up and you got to choose your dinosaur. Oil-related, get it? Then they blow-molded this 12-inch plastic dinosaur right in front of you. It was still hot when they handed it over. I thought that was the greatest.

 

[eldubb440]

Sunoco 260 was around 102 octane. Most Premium gas was 100 octane and some Super were up to 103. (1970 ish)

Texaco Fire Chef was my choice in the mid 70s and I worked at a Sunoco station

260 didn't exist for me..... I got my license in 82

I do remember the commercials when I was a kid though

 

[eldubb440]

260 didn't exist for me..... I got my license in 82

I do remember the commercials when I was a kid though

I worked at a Getty in 1982/83....... they offered 87 (86?) and 89.....all the cool cars went to the sunoco across the street

 

[joe smith]

I remember like it was yesterday in the beginning of the gas shortage of the 70's gas prices jumped 20 cents over night.
At that time people bought gas by the gallon.
My Dad sent me in the store to pay for 5 gallons of gas. He gave me just enough cash to pay for it.
He wanted to know why the pump turned off early and he stormed into the store to ask. The clerk pointed out that gas price per gallon
is now 69 cents. It was 49 cents a gallon yesterday. My Dad had a meltdown and yelled at everyone in the store
" Just take it all ! Take all my money ! Just take it all !"
Not long after that gas prices sky rocketed.

I felt that way tonite after filling with Diesel..$3.85

 

[multimopes]

260 didn't exist for me..... I got my license in 82


Dang, yew yungins missd a hole heepa fun!

 

[Slap Stick]

Those were the good old days.. I recall Amoco being number one in my area. Now the torch and oval is flying but has BP green in the bottom of it... It’s over in Mo. it used to be red white and blue... Hey Oh could tell ya where it is I can’t seem to recall what road. She’ll was huge too I’m close to the refinery here..

You mist be thinking of the sign at I-64 & Skinker Blvd just west of the Science Center.