JW411 and Chugalug,
I didn't think that anyone would be daft enough to run aero engines on recycled oil, but remember all too well that in the new-car famine years after the war our ancient 'bangers' had enormous appetites for the stuff.
As late as 1954, I'd bought a 1938 Vauxhall 12-6 which ran through a sump-full every 100 miles (and you couldn't see out of the back window for smoke). Any country garage would sell you "reclaimed" (ie filtered through a bit of newspaper) sump oil for a shilling a quart.
Imminent matrimony obliged me to have the engine fettled before the great day; it took us on honeymoon and faithfully served us for five more years before a posting to RAF(G), and a generous Bank manager, allowed us to realise our dream of the First New Car - the Peugeot 403 of which I have written in such glowing terms.
I look at road traffic now, and see few damaged cars, no rusty cars, no smoky cars, hardly any dirty cars - but some of the fun has gone out of the business (how long is it since you "got out and got under" ?)
I've been told that airlines use remould tyres (is that true ?), but I don't think they would descend to the desperate expedient of a "recut". (What was a "recut", Grandad ?) ... Well, when you'd worn all the pattern off your tyres so that they were smooth as a baby's bottom, road holding in the wet was problematical. Some unscrupulous character would cut you a new pattern in the tissue thin rubber, just stopping before the canvas showed. You could get a few hundred miles before the blow-out (if lucky).
The incredible thing is: your young damsel would happily nip into the passenger seat without a care in the world (and their mothers would let 'em !)
Keep Death off the Road ?
Danny.