Effects units started gaining popularity towards the tail end of the 60's with the FuzzFace and the Wah pedal leading the way. Fuzz and Wah effects have stayed relatively unchanged since their creation whereas other early effects such as delay/echo have been completely changed by better analogue, or in some cases digital, technology. Early delay/echo effects used tape, magnetic wheels (see Binson Ecorec 2, used by Roger Waters) and oil cans to create its effect. Fender's "Variable Delay Echo-Reverb" used a magnetic oil can to create its delay.
It screams "1967" doesn't it?
Now I'm sure a few of you are wondering how the oil can delay works. Basically the guitar signal went in through the input, was then amplified to become very strong, and then the signal is released over a rotating belt covered in little wires. The signal is stored the same way static electricity is stored inside the body on a rainy day, and is then released onto a "tapehead" sort of reader, like one would release said static charge onto a doorknob. The whole mechanism is done in a vat of oil to keep the charge from being released into the air.
The time it takes the belt to be charged, then travel, then be "read" is how long the delay is, so the delay length knob simply speed up or slow down the belt speed. I would assume these units would be fragile with all the oil and belts and such. Ive only seen one in person, and its in disrepair. I did, however, find a video of someone demoing this unit.
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