At 11:02 PM 12/9/2011, Dave Mcneely wrote:
>these items of an earlier technology?

I grew up with one of those gasoline cans (shown in the trunk of the
car with Vanagon spares or summat).  It had a spring loaded vent in
the cap, held closed when you clipped the flexible spout across the
top as shown in the photo.  The vent was bright brass.  We used the
tank for outboard motor fuel for a three-horsepower Evinrude, so it
stayed bright and oily.  Sixteen to one mix I think it was back then?

Sweet little motor, too.  Simple, since it was always in gear.  Shut
it down to stop, spin it around backwards to back down.  The pull
cord had a rubber mushroom on the end.  It came off and my dad
replaced it with an oak toggle.  He didn't think about why the
mushroom had a stem on it, but I found out the one time it fired the
wrong way when starting.  Wrapped that cord back up and split the end
of my finger against the case - for which I got yelled at
actually.  Didn't seem quite fair even before I figured out whose
fault it really was. <g>  The scar disappeared off the end of my
finger maybe three-four years ago.  I kinda miss it actually.

Yours,
David