Did they have to track down leaded gas? Did they just use unleaded? Did they suffer engine knock?
Gas stations dispensed both, like current gas and diesel.
You could also buy lead additives, more for an emergency situation than a permit solution.
We didn’t “switch” to unleaded gas in the 1970s. We added unleaded, required gas stations to offer it, and vehicle manufacturers were prohibited from making new cars that required it.
Leaded gas was still being offered at some stations well into the 1990s.
Fuck, Germany introduced unleaded fuel only in 1984 and still offered leaded fuel for a long time.
It was required because of the introduction of catalytic converters, which would get damaged by lead in the fuel.
When I was at Bundeswehr I was in hospital for some time and got some thorough diagnosis. They asked me if I worked with lead in the past (no), so I seem to have at least some lead levels in my body.
(Can’t think of a I AM NOT CRAZY pun right now)
Tbh, I have no idea. The whole of Europe was late to this. The first catalytic conveter cars were sold in 1973 in the US and 1985 in Germany.
Switzerland made them obligatory in 1986, Germany made them obligatory only in 1993 - because that was an EU-wide regulation.
The only thing I can imagine is the big political influence car makers have in Germany, but that’s just “what sounds reasonable to me”, no proof.
Leaded gasoline is still around. It’s rarely at the pump, though. Cars that need it can add lead by pouring it in with regular gas.
Small aircraft mostly use leaded gasoline (AVGAS100LL), as aircraft regulations change at the pace of continental drift. Most of these aircraft would run fine on an unleaded equivalent, and us GA enthusiasts hope for change in this regard.
It was phased out over time with both types being sold as all new cars used unleaded only. Eventually the old cars that used leaded gas aged out and were replaced with new cars.
From 97-2000 I drove a ‘77 GMC truck that was designed for leaded gas which was not available any more. I just used unleaded. No additives or anything. Maybe the fact it was a V8 meant it could stand being a little out of tune, but I never saw any adverse affects.
