How much did a gallon of gas cost when you first started driving?

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68gtxman

68gtxman

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$0.53 for me in 1974. But then adjusted for inflation, it is $3.20 today. 1974 Gas Price in Today's Dollars
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Couldn't have been more than .35 cents, a gallon, for regular grade, back in my day.
I do remember a $5.00 dollar bill would fill up the gas tank, and even get some change back.
 
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I remember less than a quarter, then up above that a little, then gas wars in Newport WA/ Oldtown ID you could get the white pump "super custom supreme" or whatever for about a quarter in about 66- 67

I used to get so TICKED during the mid 70's gas "shortage" the damned stations would leave their rotating/ lit signs turned on, even though out of gas and CLOSED. You' be "down in the cut" and see one on a ramp, go up there and LOCKED

For awhile, in the 70 RR I had an Johnson / Evinrude 5 gal outboard tank strapped down in the trunk, and vented. Electric pump on the main tank and on the outboard. When the main ran dry I'd turn on the outboard pump and that tank would pump into the main.
 
In California, there were "gas wars" between the stations, sometimes as many as four stations at one intersection (one on each corner). Wars meaning each station doing its best to undercut the competition by lowering prices. I remember gas, at times, around 29.9 cents per gallon (circa 1972). According to my internet search, the "average" price in '72 was 36 cents.
 
Gas wars in our local area. Big White Plywood signs: 34 cents a gallon.

The local gas station was called "US Gas" of all things.
 
OP was after the 1973 "gas crisis". People panicked and sold really sweet muscle cars for next to nothing because gas cost (((GASP))) 43 cents a gallon. When I started in 1972 it was 27 cents for regular... in the car in my avatar :steering:
 
OP was after the 1973 "gas crisis". People panicked and sold really sweet muscle cars for next to nothing because gas cost (((GASP))) 43 cents a gallon. When I started in 1972 it was 27 cents for regular... in the car in my avatar :steering:
 
I can remember when I was in high school 1974-75. I had a 64 mustang. Gas was 33 cents a gallon . a qt of bulk oil was 33 cents and cigarettes were 27 cents. So for a buck I could make it to school that day !.
 
My first job was an Alta Dena dairy store, that also had gas,pumps. I sold regular as low as 22.9, and premium for 25.9. Broke,even on the regular, made three cents a gallon on premium. Sold quite a bit of premium to the sixties cars with too much compression and carbon buildup.
 
$1.03 in '96 at the indian reservation gas station. I was driving a 1973 Challenger with a 318 2 barrel and an "RV" cam with 3.23 Sure Grip.
Who else had the coolest car in the H.S. parking lot?
 
.89 cents in NorCal outside of Sacramento when the stations would have gas wars in the early 90’s. Most of the time it was around a buck.

It too bad that they got some many people believing that oil is a finite resource that going to run out. This is a myth…
 
Yote said:
26.9 cents . Now I believe the tax is over 40 cents !!!
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69.5 cents here. 18.4 cents for federal excise tax and 51.1 cents State of Commiefornia.
 
go-fish said:
69.5 cents here. 18.4 cents for federal excise tax and 51.1 cents State of Commiefornia.
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For now. California gas tax is going up again in a couple months, just like it does every year, cause ...

Oops, almost mentioned that was cause the voters voted for it, but that might get this moved to n&p.
 
go-fish said:
Who else had the coolest car in the H.S. parking lot?
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I drove my parent's 1971 Road Runner to high school as a junior (September '71 to June '72) and as a senior (September '72 to June '73). Never had a girl (except my sister) in the vehicle with me during those years. Photo is the same vehicle as it looks today (I found the current owner on a Road Runner Facebook group). It was Bahama Yellow when ordered/purchased and had 15 x 7 rallye wheels and the Goodyear Polyglas G60-15 white letter tires back then.

P.S. The low-compression 383 auto with open 3.23 differential averaged 12.5 MPG and ran the quarter mile in very low 15's.

762 DEP 10 copy.jpg
 
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dibbons said:
I drove my parent's 1971 Road Runner to high school as a junior (September '71 to June '72) and as a senior (September '72 to June '73). Never had a girl (except my sister) in the vehicle with me during those years.
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Well, I can tell you from experience getting round third base in the back of an E-body is very frustrating.
 
go-fish said:
Well, I can tell you from experience getting round third base in the back of an E-body is very frustrating.
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Try that in the back of a 57 Fordor, May as well be in a Motel room! Now try anything in the back of a SC400 or a Honda AN600, about the same size! F those rear buckets in that SC400. Cant even sleep back there. I remember about .84 in 1985 Cali. Ultra 94 at Winall was .89
 
I remember 0.33/gallon at the Oklahoma station. Then during the "gas wars" (which others have mentioned), it went down to 28 cents. No Regular for the Roadrunner, it would only drink the good stuff. I do remember driving from Fresno to Riverside, CA on one tank of gas. I arrived on fumes, but that was pretty good mileage.
 
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