Wow…a lot went on this week.
First up is the car that started it all. Oct 1, 1908 the Ford Model T went on sale. Perhaps the only car that is always referred with the word “Model”. You never hear it called the Ford T (like Ford Focus) or the T (like Mustang).
1908 Model T
Model T Ford – Rag Top
1927 saw the 15 millionth Model T produced and the last.
On the same day 46 years later (1954) Packard and Studebaker merged. It was debatable was to who the merger would benefit the most. It is was reported Packard was broke but Studebaker had money troubles as well. This was not a great partnership. They attempted to sell the cars separately in the same dealerships. The Packards were just Studebaker’s President with more chrome. They were unflatteringly called “Packerbakers”.
’56 Studebaker President
57 Packardbaker – You got to love the fins!!!!!
The Packarbaker only lasted 2 years and Packard essentially ceased to exist.
Oct 1, 1974 was the last Imperial debuted. The Imperial was at one time its own company. It was incorporated in to the Chrysler family and then sort of released back as its own brand.
1974 Imperial. The two configuration was the best looking.
Chevy delivered one of the most iconic cars in automotive history on Oct 2. 1959. That was the day they debuted the Corvair. It was a huge media blitz with some every innovative sale/marketing demonstrations. Including running through field and stream.
Any Ralph Nader fans? This is a great car and they came in four door, station wagon and drop top configurations!!!!
On Oct. 4, 1962 Buick debuted it’s Riviera.
Distinct (grill/headlight over-hang) but familiar (Skylark like). I really liked the early Riviera, right up until the boat tail design.
Now I didn’t really want to consider this next historic moment but in my opinion this really isn’t automotive related, except that it did have tires and moved along the ground, but in 1983 on Oct 4 the land speed record was broken. A British team accomplished with the Thurst SSC and setting the record at 633 mph. But really it was just a plane with jet engines – minus the wings.
The UK Team’s Thrust SSC. Notes below are from the Wikipedia
The car was driven by Royal Air Force fighter pilot Wing Commander Andy Green in the Black Rock Desert in Nevada, United States. It was powered by two afterburning Rolls-Royce Spey turbofan engines, as used in the British version of the F-4 Phantom II jet fighter. The car was 16.5 m (54 ft) long, 3.7 m (12 ft) wide and weighed 10.5 tons (10.7 t), and the twin engines developed a net thrust of 223 kN (50,000 lbf), a power output of 110,000 bhp (82MW),[2] burning around 18 litres per second (4.0 Imperial gallons/s or 4.8 US gallons/s). Transformed into the usual terms for car mileages based on its maximum speed, the fuel consumption was about 5,500 l/100 km or 0.04 mpg U.S.
Next up two debuts on the same day 11 years apart.
First 0n Oct 6 1955 the Lincoln Continental MK II showed up at the Paris Auto show.
Look a bit like a Thunderbird in this pic.
That’s a huge grille!!! Great looking car.
Eleven years later in 1966 Cadillac debuted the Eldorado. Perhaps the most famous Caddy model.
Here it is in a beautiful blue drop top configuration.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
You don’t like the boat tail Rivera?
I love the boat tail design!
My dad had a dark, really dark green boat tail Rivera with snow white leather interior and excellent torque monster 455 V8. I loved that car’s pilloe soft ride and frame twisting torque.
Dad hated the 10 mpg city and premium fuel requirements.
Interesting history about the Rivera. It was supposed to be a special Cadillac model “LaSalle”, but GM marketing changed their mind at the last minute. Good for Buick.