Auto Factoids for the Week of June 7, 2015 – Plymouth and Racing Tragedy

Busy week this week this week for #AutoFactoids…. So here we go!

June 7, 1928 – First Plymouth is produced.   Some research suggest that it was actually  built on June 11, 1928.

1928 Q Code Plymouth

1928 Q Code Plymouth

It had  engineering code (or model) Q and had a 4 cylinder engine.  Check out the video on YouTube:

June 10, 1927 The Graham boys purchased what was Paige_Detroit Motor Cars.  The Grahams started out as farmers and glass bottle makers.  One of  the brothers invented a rear axle that would allow converting Ford car platforms in to light duty trucks.  Oh they are still in business – owning/running Madison Square Gardens and hosting sporting events.

Graham Page

Graham Page

June 10, 1951 Jaguar won it’s first Le Mans.  It was a C-type version of XK120

C-type  XK120

C-type XK120

June 11, 1955 Tragic day in racing history –  over 80 spectators were killed.

Here are the details from History.com

Prior to the race, Levegh complained that the course was too narrow near the pit-stop area and the grandstand. This observation proved prescient. As Levegh was racing for the lead near the pit-stop area, he swerved to avoid fellow racer Mike Hawthorn s Jaguar as it moved toward the pits. Levegh s car, going about 150 miles per hour, came up too fast on Lance Macklin s Austin-Healey and was catapulted upward. The car crashed into the grandstand and its exploding parts went straight into the crowd. Levegh and more than 80 spectators, packed into the grandstand, lost their lives in the fiery crash.

 

June 12, 1954 Packard cars are sporting tubeless tires.

1954 Packard

1954 Packard

June 12, 1975 Chrysler stops producing the Imperial.

1975 Chrysler Imperial - yes it's on the drag strip.

1975 Chrysler Imperial – yes it’s on the drag strip.

Jun 14, 1832 Nikolaus Otto is born in Holzhausen, Germany.  Famous for his patent for his 4 cycle combustion engine.

From the ZweiRad Museum Otto's 4 cycle engine.

From the ZweiRad Museum Otto’s 4 cycle engine.

Thanks for reading.

Tim

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