You should have seen my 1952 Buick Super hardtop with a straight-8 engine. It was built like a tank. I bought it used in 1961 for hundred bux. It gave about 5 mpg in city but gas in those days in Iowa city was only 19 cents/gallon, so even a student like me could occasionally fill 10 gallons of gas to go on a date or two. The battery was old, and if it did not start with the first crank, it was done. Then my roommate and I would push it down the hill from parking lot and I would pop the clutch to start the engine. On highways we could drive it at 90 mph and the ride was smooth!
In 1980, my best friend had a 62 Rambler with a three on the tree. The gas gauge didn’t work so it was always a matter of guesswork how much range was left in his “Leave it to Beaver” car. He guessed wrong more than once, especially the time he paid in advance for gas, and then drove off without pumping any.