In the summer of 2023, we celebrated the 100-year anniversary of the opening of a service station that my great-grandfather owned and operated from 1923 through 1967. He passed away in 1985 at age 82, and I was only three at the time. Despite the fact that Grandpa Hansen’s business has been closed for almost 60 years, a few remnants of his 40-plus year career in automotive service have stuck around.
During some holiday travels to northern Utah over Thanksgiving, I stopped by my Uncle Jeff’s place in Salt Lake City because he said he wanted to give me a few things.
My favorite item was a newspaper clipping showing my great-grandpa’s station in its heyday. In addition to that, Jeff gave me some “College Service Station” letterhead and some old checks Grandpa Hansen had written. Then we walked to Jeff’s garage, and he gave me a box of car-care items.
These were the nine items I brought home with me, alphabetically by manufacturer:
Bowes Klen-Zur radiator cleaner
This product would reportedly clean out rust and scale formations in car, truck and tractor motors. The instructions were fairly complex and time-consuming, especially considering the fact that a water system clean-out was recommended every 5,000 miles. “It saves you money in the end,” Bowes alleged.
Delco windshield washer solvent
When I think of Delco, electronics come to mind. In this case, the Delco Appliance Division of General Motors produced a (flammable!) small six-ounce bottle of “isopropanol” windshield washer solvent. It was designed to be diluted with water and was reportedly “non-injurious” to car finishes.
Edison Mazda bulbs
“Drive right with good light,” the small tin reads. These bulbs were manufactured by General Electric. The “Mazda” name was actually trademarked by General Electric in 1909 for incandescent light bulbs and it was used between 1909 and 1945. The Mazda automobile company (formed in 1920) was a completely unrelated business, interestingly enough.
Johnson’s Car Plate wax
This product would make your car’s finish “diamond bright and diamond smooth.” It was made by the makers of Johnson’s Wax and was designed to be applied much like modern-day coatings (wax on, wax off). Similar to the Delco washer fluid, this was also flammable. Car care was dangerous business!
Norlipp Co gas caps
Tucked inside this box with tissue paper packing material are replacement gas tank caps for 1930 to 1938 Ford models. Norlipp is long gone, but I was able to find mention of the Norlipp name on products ranging from about 1925 to 1937. In addition to gas caps, Norlipp made hood ornaments and radiator caps.
Permatex Form-A-Gasket
This product is still available today! It is a sealant used for aviation and automotive applications. The glass two-ounce bottle has a label that reads, “Resistant to gasoline, oil, water, anti-freeze solutions and most liquids and gases.” Seems like this was a handy tool to have around the garage or workshop!
Sodrin-77 bug cleaner
This one is my favorite. “Removes bug juice but not wax,” the container says. I was not able to find much on the internet about Sodrin Manufacturing, but the company was based in Kansas City and appears to have been most active during the 1940s and 1950s. The Sodrin-77 product came with instructions on the back, and the results were promised to be “quick and easy, guaranteed!”
Tung-Sol auto lamps
The box for these bulbs says, “You will be helping to prevent accidents and giving your customers a service they need and want … providing you sell quality bulbs. Sell TUNG-SOL bulbs. Their quality is unsurpassed.” Miraculously, there are still six fully intact bulbs in the box. Think they are compatible with any modern-day vehicles?
Zerex DuPont antifreeze
Zerex is still in business making antifreeze! But it definitely doesn’t come in cans like this anymore. This product was said to protect a car’s cooling system from freezing, rust and corrosion for one full winter. Today, Zerex is owned by Valvoline and offers a wide variety of coolants (original, Asian vehicle, HT-12, Heavy Duty and G48). Pick your poison! (Literally – since this stuff is fatal if ingested.)
Maybe the gearhead in your family could use a few car care items this holiday season. Hopefully you can find him or her something that removes that pesky bug juice.
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