Gas Prices/V8 Engine Cubic Inches

[Dennis Kirban]

Unless you been under a rock the last few weeks we have all witnessed gas prices that almost daily are on the up swing. This is especially alarming since summer will soon be here.

In our area we are seeing prices that correspond to V8 engine sizes from the 1960s.....389 ($3.89, 400 $4.00 etc and so on.

Won't be long before we may see 426, 454, 455 and lets hope the dreaded 500 never hits which I believe Caddy had as a cubic inch size one year.

We all wish it would return to a number we know quite well $2.31 per gallon which now seems like ages ago. (Our Turbo Buick engine size)

I can't remember what it was when our cars were new? Maybe someone some one can chirp in what that number.

I do remember what it was in the mid 1960s since I worked at a service station as probably many of the older guys did back then. Prices ranged from 27.9 to 32.9 per gallon.

Granted everything goes up eventually, but this hits a lot of pocket books instantly with no end in sight.

Jason a customer of ours in Canada reports in gallons it now works out to over $5 per gallon. I am on another forum and in Merry Ole England fuel is approaching $8 per gallon which is one reason small cars are so popular.

So in those countries anyone choosing to restore and enjoy a US made car really not only has a passion for the model, but is forced to spend a lot more money to not only to drive it and enjoy it, but getting the parts, duty fees, and shipping fees etc.

I am guessing that premium fuel is probably the highest out west as California always seems to take the lead with things. Starting with probably the strictest emission laws which then trickles across the country. Started back in my GTO days as California equipped cars had emission parts before the other 49 states did.

Be great to witness $2.31 again per gallon.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[TR Custom Parts]

The way it's going we will be in "big block" prices soon. Who knows, might be in stroker range eventually. I go by a BP station on the way to work and always notice the pricing as they have one of the digital signs. 10 cent increase one day last week and 6 cents the next day. That ended at $3.76, will see what it is on Monday.

Wish I didn't sell my V-6 Blazer last summer to get a Dodge Hemi Ram, my timing never has been great. Should have bought my late Dad's Prius from my Mom when I had the chance.

The economy has been taking a toll on all the vendors on the board I am sure and these gas prices is just another nail in the coffin.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

I think that is one reason gas stations went to digital signs with a click of a switch its easier to change versus someone with a 15 foot pole with a suction cup changing the prices.

Station we go to was $3.59 for premium jumped to #3.89 in a 3 day span. (Wifes car runs on premium only).

I am sure it will settle down slightly in time and $3.50 per gallon may be the new norm. I cover this on another forum as well. One person remarked in the mid west as late as 2009 gas was $1.50 per gallon in his area. That was less than 2 years ago. I can't member what it was when our cars were new.

Kinda like postage stamps granted its only pennies each time but the frequency of the increases is the thing.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[Dreamn4GN]

I think that is one reason gas stations went to digital signs with a click of a switch its easier to change versus someone with a 15 foot pole with a suction cup changing the prices.

Station we go to was $3.59 for premium jumped to #3.89 in a 3 day span. (Wifes car runs on premium only).

I am sure it will settle down slightly in time and $3.50 per gallon may be the new norm. I cover this on another forum as well. One person remarked in the mid west as late as 2009 gas was $1.50 per gallon in his area. That was less than 2 years ago. I can't member what it was when our cars were new.

Kinda like postage stamps granted its only pennies each time but the frequency of the increases is the thing.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

I remember in the early 90's me and my dad always usta grab gas for our qauds and dirtbikes.. i remember it being 87cents a gallon for 87premiuim, 89cents for mid grade and so on!! it will never end!!This wil drive up the cost of everything else.I feel sorry for people who make minimum wages .. there working for free, after they fill up the tank to get back and fourth to work!!! I usta make fun of them hybrids and plug in and play cars.. Not anymore.. i may have one of the as a DD

 

[dynoman]

I went to visit a friend in Florida in '71 . He had a 65 mustang fastback 289 ci built to the a$$ running 12.5 to 1 compression on the street . He told me to only put in Super Shell premium @ 100+ octane , it was the expensive stuff at the pump back then and it was a whopping 34 cents / gal . While I was there they had "gas wars" and regular got down to 24.9/ gal. . Boy I miss those days. :frown:

 

[Pronto]

Just think how many people that need to run premium fuel are running the 87 and dentonating the crap out the engines! Think they saving money until the engine blows a head gasket or blows a hole in a piston.

 

[augie1010]

gas prices

The sad part about all the panic over crude oil and gas prices is that Lybia only produces 2% of the crude used today, and the speculation goes thru the roof. My way of dealing with the price increase is to fill the tank to 1/2 half full. If everyone in the country who drives a car had half a tank instead of a full tank, the oil companies would be choking on the gas they did not sell. The average consumer in this country is not very smart.

David
1987 GN

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Just think how many people that need to run premium fuel are running the 87 and dentonating the crap out the engines! Think they saving money until the engine blows a head gasket or blows a hole in a piston.

I am using a Superchips tuner for my Hemi Ram and using the 87 tune for it. Helps a little bit price wise with no knock.

Dennis, I sent you a PM about the TB.com Nats, please answer.

 

[1dollardog]

Ok, I turned 16 in '87 and began driving and buying gas. My first recolection of buying gas for myself, I paid .99 per gallon. I do remember it fluxuating a bit during that time and even remember a brief .89 per gallon. I remember it breaking $1.00 and my dad saying things like "What, they don't want us to buy groceries now, or what?" as he was flicking the ash off of his .75/pack Winstons cigarettes. lol

 

[reggie44]

$5.40 a gallon here...

Just went to fill up my 'daily driver' which is a Turbo as well and takes Premium and Sunoco Ultra here in Toronto, Canada is $5.40 US a gallon right now and I figure it won't be long before it hits $6.00 a gallon the way things are going. My daily driver use to take about $40.00 to fill it up about a year ago and now it pushes close to $70.00. Ironic thing is I am about 90 minutes from Buffalo, NY and my car to fill up in Buffalo with the exact same fuel is almost half price about $35.00 go figure. Like Dennis said we get hosed up here with our taxes, duties and the government that's why 99% of all my purchases are made in the USA :biggrin: for car parts, etc!

 

[RIFF RAFF]

Hey dennis

Ive got a picture of my first ttype in front of my dads gas station in 87 and the price on the pump is .85 cents . And things are really strange right now in the oil biz i just got a price reduction engine oil is going down the price of gas is being driven by speculators wall street scum bags trying to rob us again .even tho the demand is down

 

[novaderrik]

The sad part about all the panic over crude oil and gas prices is that Lybia only produces 2% of the crude used today, and the speculation goes thru the roof. My way of dealing with the price increase is to fill the tank to 1/2 half full. If everyone in the country who drives a car had half a tank instead of a full tank, the oil companies would be choking on the gas they did not sell. The average consumer in this country is not very smart.

David
1987 GN

that will have no effect on the oil companies unless everyone also starts driving half as much..
i think you'd do better to fill your tank every time you drive, thus saving a few cents a gallon (1% or so..) when you don't have to buy gas after the price goes up.

your theory makes almost as much sense as those people that claim you can pull one over on "Big Oil" and greedy store owners by only buying gas in certain increments to defeat the .9 cent tax.. i can't remember how it's supposed to work, but i'm sure someone will chime in on that one..

 

[SS/GN]

In Canada we are paying $4.67 a us gallon today,I am glad I own a turbo V6 and not a Big block chevCan;t we just use the oil we have in North America and pi$$ on the Arab countries.We have enough oil in the Alberta Tar sands and Hibernia to last north America a long time and we will share with you guys

Kevin

 

[TR Custom Parts]

Last time this happened (spiked gas prices) there was a deal going around that everyone should boycott buying gas on a certain day. Like that would really matter.

 

[Red C5]

It's ridiculous and will probably get only worse with time. Anyone look at diesel prices as well? In the Bay Area, for the most part It's about $4.00/gallon for regular gas, diesel is now over $4.20 in a lot of areas. All because someone that accounts for 2% of the oil worldwide is going crazy....

 

[t-typinator]

If you think it is bad now,wait + see if the small uprising that is beginning in saudi arabia, takes off,we will be remembering fondly,the good old days of $365 a gal gas.
Iran just sent 2 warships thru the suez canal,first time in 31 yrs,+ are now in the mediteranean sea,which israel has called a hostile act.
Obama had taken our warships out of the med for the first time in about as many yrs,now we are sending two back in.
Any number of things could send gas thru the roof,IE:more violent uprisings,attacks against oil fields, attack against the suez canal,saudi rulers brought down,etc. etc.
Alqueda, knows how this how would affect us,+ i'm surprised they are not hitting oil fields yet.
we also don't know who will be in charge after all these uprisings in all those countries are over, I guarantee you that the Islamists will have a much stronger hand before all is said + done.
All the happenings over there could blow up bigtime, + if it does we won't see the current gas prices again for a long time.
I heard today that london gas prices are hitting $9.50 a gal,
Can anybody in london verify this.

 

[Dennis Kirban]

Few more comments based on the earlier posts....

kinda neat that gas in 1987 was about the same as the year of our cars 87 cents a gallon....back then I think most gas pumps were not set up to read triple digits yet.

Diesel also leads the way out here which will have a direct effect on construction etc.
So based on fuel prices in the USA it appears California leads the way and the rest of the country can only wait until it hits $4 plus....

No one mentions it but maybe some of these same companies have also had to pay million dollar ransoms due to piracy as well. Eventually if that is left to continue those monies spent will be passed down to the end consumers, you and me. Even if its not fuel on those vessels something we buy is surely on some of them.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[Dennis Kirban]

If you think it is bad now,wait + see if the small uprising that is beginning in saudi arabia, takes off,we will be remembering fondly,the good old days of $365 a gal gas.
Iran just sent 2 warships thru the suez canal,first time in 31 yrs,+ are now in the mediteranean sea,which israel has called a hostile act.
Obama had taken our warships out of the med for the first time in about as many yrs,now we are sending two back in.
Any number of things could send gas thru the roof,IE:more violent uprisings,attacks against oil fields, attack against the suez canal,saudi rulers brought down,etc. etc.
Alqueda, knows how this how would affect us,+ i'm surprised they are not hitting oil fields yet.
we also don't know who will be in charge after all these uprisings in all those countries are over, I guarantee you that the Islamists will have a much stronger hand before all is said + done.
All the happenings over there could blow up bigtime, + if it does we won't see the current gas prices again for a long time.
I heard today that london gas prices are hitting $9.50 a gal,
Can anybody in london verify this.

On another forum I am running this same topic....someone in England said yesterday it was near $8 a gallon. So you may be rite.

This might make it tough for some to attend that big wedding out there later this year.

denniskirban@yahoo.com

 

[t-typinator]

It's ridiculous and will probably get only worse with time. Anyone look at diesel prices as well? In the Bay Area, for the most part It's about $4.00/gallon for regular gas, diesel is now over $4.20 in a lot of areas. All because someone that accounts for 2% of the oil worldwide is going crazy....

This is not just about libya,it's the whole middle east right now.
whats happening in Egypt dwarfs what is going on in Libya,so does the fact that
Saudi Arabia is being affected + could be in huge trouble soon if the revolt picks up steam + they take out the monarchy ,that have been our allies for decades, + fed us cheap oil.
Most of Egypt is very radicalized,+ very anti american,I read that 80+ % are for sharia law.
Mubarak kept the radicals in check.Now they will have free reign,of the country, which by the way is the largest country in the middle east by population,+ was our ally before the uprising.They also had a truce with israel ,under mubaraks rule,If the islamists take over,you know thats going to end. Imagine what happens if Egypt (a muslim country)goes to war with israel.Muslims from all over the world basically will join in.+ the middle east is on fire
Saudi Arabia is the largest in land mass, + oil production,(2nd only to russia,)+ as of right now is still our ally,but could change overnight if the monarchy falls.Moral of the story is. There is SO much more affecting these gas prices then just Libya's problems + any big event could send it thru the roof.
Just 1 big attack against pretty much any oil structure or facility out there,even if it didn't affect oil production or flow could send it thru the roof,for a while because of the scare it would send that more attacks were coming. but,if something big happens, we'll all be buying mopeds again.

 

[injdinjn]

First Obomba says we can drill offshore. Then within a few weeks the well in the Gulf blows up, or blown up, so Obomba shuts down all offshore wells putting hundreds of oil workers out of work.
Next the middle east is one civil war after another and the white house says they had no idea that was gonna happen.
Now we have skyrocketing gas prices and Obmoba is a green car lover.
Lots of convenient timing there.

Last time gas prices did this the speculators made billions.

Yea, original SBC prices again would be great.