Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Gas rationing stickers on windscreens

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
From what I've read, the stickers or cards had to be placed on the corner of the windshield where they were visible and readable from the outside. Whether top or bottom of the windscreen didn't matter...or if it did, I've never read that it was.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,052
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
If he had to drive a significiant distance to work, and his job was directly related to the war, he'd have qualified for a B ration -- if he could demonstrate to the satisifaction of his local board that he had no other way to get to work and that carpooling was not an option. If his specific job was considered "essential war work," that is to say if he himself were performing a unique and essential duty at the plant or in the company that required extensive use of his car, he might have qualified for a C. But he'd really have to have a strong case to prove his claim.
 

Stanley Doble

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,808
Location
Cobourg
Essential workers could not only get extra gas, they could get new tires, batteries and even a new car. I know of a veterinarian who was given permission to buy a new car, which came from a bonded government warehouse. I suppose with food in short supply and gas and tires rationed, horses and mules were vital to the war effort and therefore so were veterinarians.
 

LizzieMaine

Bartender
Messages
33,052
Location
Where The Tourists Meet The Sea
Yep. In the US, sales of all new cars in stock as of January 1, 1942 were frozen by the Office of Price Administration, and these, along with all cars manufactured between January 1st and the end of civilian auto prodiction on February 22nd, were rationed out very carefully for the duration. You had to apply to your local board, and demonstrate a specific war-related need for a new car, and if your request was granted you'd be issued OPA Form R-214, a certificate authorizing you to purchase a specific car at a specified price thru a specific dealer.

There were about 400,000 cars in stock at the time the freeze took effect. By 1944, there were only about 30,000 cars left. But not all the cars distributed went to civilians -- vast numbers of them were alloted to the military for use as staff cars and such. And as of June 1944, rationing was lifted for all luxury cars carrying an OPA price over $2500.

A lesser-known fact is that bicycles were rationed in the same way -- you had to demonstrate a need, fill in a form, get approval from your ration board, and use a certificate to purchase a specific bicycle from a specific dealer.
 

Bruce Wayne

My Mail is Forwarded Here
If he had to drive a significiant distance to work, and his job was directly related to the war, he'd have qualified for a B ration -- if he could demonstrate to the satisifaction of his local board that he had no other way to get to work and that carpooling was not an option. If his specific job was considered "essential war work," that is to say if he himself were performing a unique and essential duty at the plant or in the company that required extensive use of his car, he might have qualified for a C. But he'd really have to have a strong case to prove his claim.

He was an engineer.
 

Stanley Doble

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,808
Location
Cobourg
Yep. In the US, sales of all new cars in stock as of January 1, 1942 were frozen by the Office of Price Administration, and these, along with all cars manufactured between January 1st and the end of civilian auto prodiction on February 22nd, were rationed out very carefully for the duration. You had to apply to your local board, and demonstrate a specific war-related need for a new car, and if your request was granted you'd be issued OPA Form R-214, a certificate authorizing you to purchase a specific car at a specified price thru a specific dealer.

There were about 400,000 cars in stock at the time the freeze took effect. By 1944, there were only about 30,000 cars left. But not all the cars distributed went to civilians -- vast numbers of them were alloted to the military for use as staff cars and such. And as of June 1944, rationing was lifted for all luxury cars carrying an OPA price over $2500.

A lesser-known fact is that bicycles were rationed in the same way -- you had to demonstrate a need, fill in a form, get approval from your ration board, and use a certificate to purchase a specific bicycle from a specific dealer.
An even lesser known fact was that many of these new 1942 cars were converted into stretch limousines for semi bus work.

Here is the story of one that was used on the Los Alamos atomic bomb project. It turned up a few years ago in a junk yard, was restored and is now in a museum.

Most of the conversion was done with canvas, wood, and masonite body panels, about the only steel used was a couple of pieces of channel iron and some bolts, used to extend the frame.

http://packardinfo.com/xoops/html/m...ewmode=compact&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=0

Before restoration https://www.flickr.com/photos/atomicmuseum/2753767735/

After restoration https://www.flickr.com/photos/atomicmuseum/sets/72157616243425988/
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
107,260
Messages
3,032,396
Members
52,721
Latest member
twiceadaysana
Top