Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

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It looks like someone might get a pretty good deal on a clean 1932 Fordor sedan on the day that this photo was taken at Jack Roach Ford in 1935. It was the “Daily Radio Used Car Special”, a promotion that five other Houston area dealers apparently participated in. (see photo below). There’s still a Ford dealer doing business in Houston using the name Jack Roach today, some 78 years later. Learn more and see both photos at The Old Motor.

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Tomball, Texas earned the nickname of “Oiltown, U.S.A.” after a major oil strike just southwest of town on May 27th, 1933. Not very many years later we find old Cecil, who held the office of Mayor at the time, cleaning a sign at his service station. Of note are the two types of gas pumps visible in this shot, a modern electric on the left and a much older manually operated one of the visible style on the right. Learn more on The Old Motor and also see 100s of other vintage gas station photos.

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

That is an awsome photography! Thanks for sharing!

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

As a kid somewhere around 1972 +/-, I went with my parents as the Houston Model A club was invited out to Jack Roach Ford on a Saturday(??) for a big anniversary party. I remember vividly my Dad driving me, my brother, and himself in a '29 Phaeton, and my Mom driving my two sisters and herself in a '31 Deluxe Roadster to this outing in a group with several other club members. Jack Roach was a big supporter for the Horseless Carriage, AACA, and the Model-A clubs in Houston back in the 60's & 70's. Kinda neat to hear about them still in business after all these years.

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

More excellent photos, thank you.

It appears that "old Cecil"'s feet are smaller than his hands. Considering Cecil is a man of girth, that would make him horribly unstable, would it not?

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

The 2-pump gas station brought back memories of a small farming community in SW New Mexico when I was in 5th or 6th grade. The gas station there maintained these two pumps primarily due to the unreliable electric supply we had there. If the power went out, gas was still available.

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

Great photos of the old gas stations thanks for sharing :)

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

So I think I read that gas did not originally have lead in it. Here is 1933 it did. Any idea when they started?

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

GM started pushing the Lead in gasoline around this time. I thought it was mid-30's but could be wrong.

Mike

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

This picture was taken after 1933, as stated in the original post. Not sure when lead was introduced to boost the octane rating, but cars in the photo place the time into the 1940s at least.

Judging by his inventory, it looks like a lot of people traded Chevies in for Fords.

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

"Founded in 1923,[1][2] Ethyl Corp was formed by General Motors and Standard Oil of New Jersey (Esso)."

Wikipedia

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

Charlie Kettering and his crew perfected a viable anti-knock compound in the mid-1920's, settling on Tera-ethyl lead.

Supposedly, Amoco has always had an un-leaded gasoline available... I believe this was referred to as "white gas", primarily used as stove & lantern fuel, and as a cleaning-fluid...

Re: Moving the Metal in Houston – Texas Ford Dealers Selling Model A's in 1935
 

Back to the original photo, interesting that Jack Roach has nearly a half-dozen '29-'30 Chevrolets for sale in front of his FORD dealership... ;)