Apparently, “yesterday’s” fuel wasn’t exactly clean either!
On my '74 Volvo (purchased new and maintained better than the mfr specified), the Bosch fuel pumps could be depended on to burn out approximately every 12-13 months, and these pumps were not located inside the gas tank. My only explanation (other than the fact that the car was unmitigated crap) is that the gasoline circa '74-'81 was incredibly dirty or the Bosch fuel pumps were as crappy as the rest of that Volvo.