Re: [gardeners] gas guzzlers
George Shirley (gardeners@globalgarden.com)
Sun, 16 Mar 2003 08:54:00 -0600
There were stories after the gas shortage about oil tankers circling in
the Atlantic off the East Coast of the U.S. I wasn't in management at
that time so can't speak for that. I do know that the company I worked
for was holding several million barrels (42 gallons to the barrel) off
the market but they never told us why. It wasn't too long after that
that the Alaskan pipeline was built and more Artic drilling was done.
there is enough oil in the U.S. to carry us for another goodly number of
years but there is resistance to drilling for it as it is in refuges,
etc. Having worked on the North Slope of Alaska for a bit I can tell you
that drilling and pumping up there didn't seem to bother the wildlife
that much. IIRC the Caribou herd for that part of the Arctic has doubled
in number since the pipeline was put in. I don't know what the answers
are to make everyone happy and get the domestic oil flowing but do know
we have lots of it available. Shoot, if I knew all the answers I could
get me a gubmint job and rake in all that lagniappe. <VBG>
George
"L. Neuru" wrote:
>
> yeah,I remember 1973, the year I left for Canada. I had to drive down the
> west coast with cans of gas in the back of my car which I was able to cadge
> from friends and buddies. - no stations open at all. I remember being
> convinced it was a manufactured shortage, embargo or no. Prices were quite
> high, I think, and I don't believe they went down much if at all. Lucinda
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gardeners@globalgarden.com
> [mailto:owner-gardeners@globalgarden.com]On Behalf Of George Shirley
> Sent: March 15, 2003 9:13 AM
> To: gardeners@globalgarden.com
> Subject: Re: [gardeners] gas guzzlers
>
> More likely 1973 Penny, time of the Arab oil embargo. It didn't hit us
> in the oil producing states as bad as it did y'all. We didn't have huge
> lines at gas stations and there was plenty to be had as we had 5 major
> refineries in the part of Texas we lived in then. In addition there was
> about 2 million gallons of regular gasoline (remember leaded gas?)in
> tanks in our plant and lots of 5 gallon cans to put it in. <VBG>
>
> I think the answer was that your car uses less gas idling than it does
> starting and stopping. Something about that from an old Popular
> Mechanics seems to be hanging back there in my fuzzy memory.
>
> Today is the good old days for me, I love living in the present but
> don't want to forget the past.
>
> George
>
> pennyx1@juno.com wrote:
> >
> > George, we took delivery of our Chevy Suburban with 454 engine and a
> > special rear axle ratio of perhaps 1.5 (for trailer hauling) on the day
> > before America's gasoline supplies dried up completely -- was that
> > 1963...? The car did 6 mpg, so Chevrolet very kindly included a
> > 30 gallon gas tank ... we hadn't worried because gas cost about
> > 35c a gallon then.
> >
> > Jimmie immediately changed the engine to increase the mileage to
> > 8 or 9 mpg. I think he removed the vacuum advance on the carburetor
> > and installed a centrifical something or other -- but I'm a bit fuzzy on
> > the details.
> >
> > There was no gasoline to be had at the pumps. Spontaneously one or
> > another gas station would open up for an hour or so, and would limit
> > the cars in the instant line-up to 5 gallons or some such. My laundry
> > man would keep his eye on the BP station across the street from his
> > shop, and would telephone me to bunny it down when he saw them
> > opening up. I'm 1.1 miles away, and I would tear down to get in line.
> > The biggest question then was am I better off idling, as each car ahead
> > of me got its 5 gallons, or am I better off turning off the engine and
> > then on again, as the line crept forward. We never got a definitive
> > answer and so I ended up idling.
> >
> > Aah, the good old days ........
> >
> > Penny, NY
> >
> > .
> >
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