Things you could order over 50 years ago that you can't order now !

[JasperFrank]

What people are told and how it all pans out are two different things given 50-70 year time frame. The thing that gave me more than a few nervous break downs was, that people let things go and then expect the younger generation to clean it all up, after them, following the new rules. If someone says UST, I still shutter. If someone says asbestos, I start to shake and get dizzy. If they say there is lead paint in a rental, I have nightmares of the costs to fix that. 50 years ago people did insane things, compared to our standards now.

 

[npalen]

I didn’t get the JC Whitney catalog in the 70’s but some other company. White? Very similar and bought stuff for bicycles and my Wiilys Jeep.

Warshawsky?

 

[JasperFrank]

50 years ago most all magazines had contests or the ability to write a letter as to how you solved something and then either get a cash reward or a free year's subscription. I would write down a dozen ideas, and send them, off. Some got published, I got a reward, and this was fun, way before electronic social media.

 

[Diggin It]

What about "B" cell batteries?

 

[BravoXray]

X-ray glasses!

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

50 years ago most all magazines had contests or the ability to write a letter as to how you solved something and then either get a cash reward or a free year's subscription. I would write down a dozen ideas, and send them, off. Some got published, I got a reward, and this was fun, way before electronic social media.

Hopefully someone will find this as funny as I do now at 70!
As long as I can remember I loved taking things apart to see how they worked. One thing was my parents Westclox electric alarm clock. I was about 7 or 8.
I put it together and it worked, except I lost a wire nut. In a panic I found the box with company address, then got envelope, paper and stamp. I spotted a letter Dad got that looked professional so I used it as a guide and using Dad's typewriter I explained what happened and needed a wire nut, addressing letter to Westclox.
Using Dad's letter as a guide I put my name with Esquire after it!
I had no idea what esquire meant but it looked good so I used it even on return address.
I quickly got a small box from Westclox. Inside were a gross (144) of wire nuts!
I still have most of them, using some over the years.

 

[koshari]

fireworks,

 

[jigs_n_fixtures]

Hopefully someone will find this as funny as I do now at 70!
As long as I can remember I loved taking things apart to see how they worked. One thing was my parents Westclox electric alarm clock. I was about 7 or 8.
I put it together and it worked, except I lost a wire nut. In a panic I found the box with company address, then got envelope, paper and stamp. I spotted a letter Dad got that looked professional so I used it as a guide and using Dad's typewriter I explained what happened and needed a wire nut, addressing letter to Westclox.
Using Dad's letter as a guide I put my name with Esquire after it!
I had no idea what esquire meant but it looked good so I used it even on return address.
I quickly got a small box from Westclox. Inside were a gross (144) of wire nuts!
I still have most of them, using some over the years.

I took apart the folks alarm clock when I was about 4. Clock spring sprung forth, out of of it’s casing and wrapped around my arm. I started to try getting it off, but being stamped metal it had nasty sharp edges, and cut my arm. I decided it would be better to take the spanking, than get all cut up. Besides with the clock missing, and me injured I figured the folks would work out what I had done and what had happened. The folks were far more forgiving if you confessed, than if they had to catch you.

So, I found Dad, had him cut it off, took and took my spanking.

 

[JasperFrank]

About twenty years ago, one of my 30 year old Dremil Motor tools stopped working. The flexible coupler from the motor to the driver head had failed. This was before everyone had a website. So I wrote a letter and asked for a replacement part COD. They sent out 4 replacements, postage paid, for free, and a Thank You note to ME for buying and using their product.

 

[Oaktree]

What about "B" cell batteries?

Were they still made in the 70s (the title of the thread being things available 50 years ago)? I thought those become obsolete once transistor radios came along in the 50s.

fireworks,

??? Dunno where you live, but fireworks are a LOT easier to find today than they were 50 years ago, at least where I live. As I recall, only a handful of states (I think S. C. was one) allowed their sale. It was a big deal when someone was driving to/from Florida to pick some up on the way home.

 

[kenmbz]

Why are There No B Batteries?

Christine asks: Where are all the B batteries? There’s A’s (AA and AAA), no B, then C, and then D. Why did they skip a letter? There actually are B batteries, but they aren’t something you’ll usually see stocked at most stores any longer. Since the invention of the battery, there have been a...

www.todayifoundout.com

And fireworks of most types can be purchased here in PA, but some of them are not legal for use.
Another nonsensical rule set.

 

[Diggin It]

Were they still made in the 70s (the title of the thread being things available 50 years ago)? I thought those become obsolete once transistor radios came along in the 50s.

"Things you could order over 50 years ago that you can't order now !"

Roger?


Out.

 

[tom3]

How about some real cotton socks. Nice and thick quality footwear for the working guy. All I see are the plastic thread garbage with all the trendy catch phrases. Moisture wicking my "xxx." I've thrown away a couple dozen pairs of the so called cotton blend garbage and some that were advertised as 100% cotton that were thin as paper, and pretty expensive at that.

 

[tom3]

??? Dunno where you live, but fireworks are a LOT easier to find today than they were 50 years ago, at least where I live. As I recall, only a handful of states (I think S. C. was one) allowed their sale. It was a big deal when someone was driving to/from Florida to pick some up on the way home.

I'm thinking the last real M80s or Cherry Bombs were done by around 1970 or so. Those things were basically high explosives. And lots of fun.

 

[/pine]

Security...secmurity..
Fifty years ago you needed a key to get into a can of sardines...!

 

[JasperFrank]

You could buy a 1972 Dodge Charger Super Bee, 440, for $34,000 in today's money. A clean low mileage one today, could bring you about $70K.
A high school teacher had one of these, and would do burn outs in the school parking lot, and sometimes give rides to his favored students, if you got an A in his class. It was a very different time. I do remember that no one wanted muscle cars in the later 70's. You could barely give them away. Hind sight is 20-20. If only we had kept many of those cars and put them away in a barn or something.....

Manfred Mann sold an album in 1974, called "The Good Earth." It was an okay album, but it also had a thing on the album cover to cut out and send to an address, that would give you title to one square foot of some place in Wales that the Band wanted to preserve from development. I sent that in, so I own a square foot of Wales. This is being revived as an idea again, now in the 2K, 20's.

 

[bigtiller]

How about some real cotton socks. Nice and thick quality footwear for the working guy. All I see are the plastic thread garbage with all the trendy catch phrases. Moisture wicking my "xxx." I've thrown away a couple dozen pairs of the so called cotton blend garbage and some that were advertised as 100% cotton that were thin as paper, and pretty expensive at that.

Finally!!
I have been waiting for someone to ask about socks for a long time now....I found the best socks I have ever had. But they are not 100% cotton as you requested. They are..
72% cotton
27% nylon
1% spandex

The name/brand of the sock is, "Loose Fit Stays Up!" That describes it perfectly.

I wear a size 12 shoe so I get there size large, which fits 12 - 15. style # 790 white. The last pair I bought they were $8. They make them in wool also but they are about $20.

 

[dodge man]

Nike Dri Fit socks are really nice, but pretty pricey. The ones I buy are also labeled right and left.

 

[Tinhack]

Security...secmurity..
Fifty years ago you needed a key to get into a can of sardines...!

Spam used to be that way too.

 

[JethroB]

Warshawsky?

No, doesn’t sound right. Mmmm