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Head Down the Gasoline Trail, Sponsored By Chevrolet: Video

GM might be transitioning to an all-electric lineup, but the history of internal combustion is not to be denied. Indeed, with well over 150 years of commercially viable applications, the internal combustion engine is undoubtedly one of the most important technologies ever invented, and now, we’re taking a step back to 1935 with the following informational video chronicling the journey of a drop of gasoline as it travels through a Chevrolet fuel system.

The video, titled “Down the Gasoline Trail,” was produced by the Jam Handy Organization in collaboration with Chevrolet as part of the automaker’s Direct Mass Selling series of videos, per the video description. The video, which is entirely black and white, includes animation that demonstrates how gasoline works its way from the fuel tank to the engine cylinder to be transformed into power, and was broadcast on NBC in October of 1939.

The video opens with fuel pumped into a 1935 Chevrolet Sedan, where we meet an animated droplet of gasoline that dives headfirst into the fuel tank. As the droplet dives to the bottom of the tank, it enters the gas line, where it starts its journey to the engine.

In addition to seeing animated sequences of the anthropomorphized gas droplet, the video also includes a few real shots of the fuel system to demonstrate where the gasoline is traveling. Up next, we get to the fuel pump, where our droplet friend finds a spot of trouble as it tries to pass through the fuel filter. With a bit of “dirt” removed, the droplet proceeds onwards to the carburetor.

Here, we get the inner workings of the carb, which controls the flow of gasoline into the engine manifold and mixes the fuel with air. Finally, the droplet is shoved into the Chevrolet engine cylinder, where the spark plug ignites the air/fuel mix to create power.

Check out the full video right here:

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Jonathan is an automotive journalist based out of Southern California. He loves anything and everything on four wheels.

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Comments

  1. Video muito legal, gostei muito

    Reply
  2. The key word is “MIGHT” be transitioning to an all EV lineup of vehicles. When they find the buying public rejects this insanity I hope for their sake it is not to late. I watched, back in the 70’s, a company race off into water conservation products a few years before their competitors. Their competitors held back and watched these idiots nearly financially collapse.
    GM, you better listen up. Politics in this country may change very quickly and this GREEN NEW WORLD could put your company so deep in the RED you may never recover.

    Reply
    1. GM did go BK on unleaded, just saying….

      Reply
      1. GM went bankrupt from the poor quality issues, lack of innovation and rebadging of the same product throughout several divisions.

        Reply
  3. Cool video. Helps everybody understand a bit of physical science ( physics ). Most Americans sadly never retained their elementary school physics lessons and are being suckered and hornswoggled into a huge con job that IC engines and fossil fuels are bad.

    Folks, windmills and solar fields aren’t going to get it. Fossil fuels are going to provide heat to power plants worldwide. Those power plants are going to provide electricity to electric vehicles. Let’s get pragmatic and forget living in la la land.

    There is a place for electric vehicles, but they are not for universal use.

    In time the way things are going with electric power generation, Los Angeles will be experiencing periods of darkness. Diesel and natural gas generator sets will become very popular.

    It was insane to demolish the huge Navajo Generating Station in Page, Arizona that was providing significant feed to the Southwest grid. Keep Diablo Canyon nuclear on line and don’t take down Four Corners and San Juan Generating stations.

    This electric car thing is a huge panic – fear thing induced by rigged gasoline and diesel pump prices.

    Remember in the late fifties, early sixties that the induced fear thing was for everybody to have a fall out shelter for protection against a Russian nuclear attack.

    We are living in crazy times.

    Reply
  4. A simpler time and simpler technology. Leave it to the trolls to turn a video into a political ICE vs EV issue. I appreciate the video as a respite from the gm Chinese made vehicle launches or the “Look at the new silver color of the 2024 Blazer.

    Reply
    1. Yep! I’m sending this one to the grandkids.

      Reply
  5. The Jam Handy movies were pretty educational. In the 50s and 60s, they taught kids to think – about things like applied science. Much preferable to cross dressing instruction and such they get today. Somebody should make an educational video for kids that honestly, objectively includes the strengths and limitations of politicized EVs. EVs can be pretty good for some things (short trips), but come up short in other aspects. In a free country, Americans should be free to choose whatever we want. Use the right vehicle for the right purpose. When golfing, a golf cart (Electric or fossil fuel) works better than a Tesla or a Z06 Corvette.

    Reply

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