Answer to yesterday's quiz on my Wordless Wednesday post

A slug-bug at that!

This one's a 1955 Volkswagen,

my 1:18 die cast toy car.

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The 1955 VW did not have a gas guage (fuel gage). Instead, when it ran out of gas and started to sputter, the driver reached below the dashboard, turned a lever there to the 'RESERVE' position and the car would run to the next gas station on 'reserve.'

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Many motorcycles are like that today, just don't forget to turn the lever back to 'main gas tank' after refueling.

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In 1962, Volkswagon introduced the gas gauge (mine yesterday was from a later model, the one on the right is a 1960's gauge.

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The reason for having an "R" position instead of "E" for empty was that VW drivers were used to driving on that "RESERVE" gasoline.

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It bothered them, so figured the design engineers, to be driving close to "EMPTY." So the "R" remains to this day, signifying "RESERVE."

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Trivia question, why does this gauge say gasolina instead of fuel or gasoline?

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Answer, this gauge came from a Spanish language country in South America or Mexico..