Here is your weekly Auto Factoids for 3/30/2014.
April Fool’s Day back in 1964 the Plymouth Barracuda was introduced.
The base price for a ’64 ‘Cuda was about $2,500. The platform was the Valiant A-Body. The engine choices were between two variations of the Chrysler I6 (slant 6), either the 170 (2.8L) rated at 101 hp or the 255 (3.7L) with 140 hp. You could also get a V8, that was the 273 (4.5L) and with a two barrel carb it produced 180 hp.
Same date back in 1970 the AMC proudly debuted what was perhaps the homeliest car of the era – the Gremlin.
Again on April 1st, what was a innovated car for its time the Amphicar in 1961 was all car and part boat, was introduced. These babies are sought after aggressively.
Happy Birthday to Walter P. Chrysler who was born in 1875, on April 2nd. Wonder what he would have to say about government bailouts and Fiat?
Regular production began of air-filled tires by Firestone on April 5, 1923.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
I think if Walter Percy Chrysler was around today the very first surprise would be the government regulation the auto insudtry has to deal with so much. In fact, new regulation was just added today for back up cameras in cars.
The FIAT deal might not surprise ol’Walter so much. He might even be happy his namesake is still used in the auto business.