Well, Paul Volcker at the Fed got the money sort of back on track, partly
through the high interest rates, but that's a whole 'nother story.  IMHO the
Fed is making things worse, but that's to be expected.
That period is what got me hooked on VWs - not the cute little bugs, but the
77 and 78 diesel Rabbits that we acquired.  Between work and school I don't
think I had to fill up for 2-3 weeks minimum, and drove right on by the gas
lines over on A Street in Hayward, California.

Donna, 87 Syncro

On Thu, Apr 24, 2008 at 6:44 AM, Mark Drillock <mdrillock@cox.net> wrote:

> Have you gone off your meds or something? I remember the Carter years.
> Mortgage rates of %12, car loan rates at %18, all time high gas and oil
> prices. Yep those were fine days. I really enjoyed the gasoline lines
> and rationing. I had to put spare tanks in my VWs so I could get by
> without spending several hours a week in line and so I could save money
> buying more from the cheapest stations. Back then we were modifying our
> VWs to get the best fuel economy we could. People tried everything
> including any kind of snake oil offered. I do wish car companies had
> spent much more effort on improving the MPG of all vehicles instead of
> focusing on cup holders and 0-60 times. A diesel Vanagon is the way to
> go for best fuel economy. It is possible to get around 30 mpg in one if
> driven right. Even upgrading the weak original motors with a
> dramatically improved later VW diesel engine does not reduce that by
> much and some actually increase it.
>
> Mark
>
> John Rodgers wrote:
>
>> I know this fuel thing is disturbing to everyone, and we can all see how
>> it can wreck the economy. But the thing that really gets my goat is that
>> back in the day - Jimmy Carter got the country on the right track.
>>
> ...........
>