Here are your #AutoFactoids for the week up Jan 17, 2016.
Jan 17, 1903 Cadillac introduces its first car at Madison Square Garden
1903 Cadillac
I say ‘car’, some say ‘horseless carriage’. Regardless it was a high-end run-about powered by 1.6 liter, 1 cylinder/2 value engine – producing 6.5 hp to haul around it’s 1300 plus lbs.
Jan 17, 1953 Chevy introduces the Corvette at a Motorama show in NYC
From the 1953 Motorama – Corvette Display
Jan 17, 1956 Ford becomes a public company
They offered 10.2 million shares of stock at $63.00 each – shares opened at $64.50 and closed at $69.50. Today Ford stock is running around $12.00.
Jan 20, 1942 Chevy ceases car production to help support war effort.
As United States as drawn into WWII the Federal government asked the car companies to stop production new cars. The metals and rubber were in short supply and providing the military with these items was the first priority. Most of the car manufacturers retooled to help the war effort. Chevy produced the T-17 Staghound armored scout cars in Flint, Mich. These cars were armed with 37 mm Cannon. Production began in Oct. of 1942 and 3,800 were produced through April 1944.
Jan 21, 1954 Turbo Cruiser Bus produced – the 1st gas turbine engine vehicle
Auto Factoids for the week of Aug 26, 2012. Cadillac Runabout, 1902. 1902 Cadillac Runabout. 1902 Cadillac. 1. Pinned from. Uploaded by user. Pin it. Like.
I seriously like the lines of this car!! Auto Factoids for the Week of Jan 18, 2014 http://wp.me/p2YxYx-3d4. my Mum had one of these in dark green.. this one from …
These little snippets are by chance photos of interesting cars.
During a trip to Jerome, AZ I was investigating this nicely cared for 1969 Chevy Nova.
Great Body Style
Love the Poverty Caps
Got the Camaro taillights.
The ’69 Nova was really just a pedestrian car and perhaps the worse evolution possible of the Chevelle, Chevy II of the early ’60. (Of course it got much worse in the late ’70s and early ’80s!!!)
These came in 3 main engine groups….4, 6 and 8 cylinders – yes 4 cylinders!!! There were 6,103 4 cylinders produced (make them a rather rare find in original condition), 157,400 6 cylinders and 88,400 V-8s ( 17,654 of those were in Super Sport trim). The horse power ranged from a weak 90 hp to meager (by todays standards) 200 hp.
As I was standing back to get the little more distance on the shot I noticed something in the view finder:
In the background
Getting closer
Oh so nice!!!
And a wave!!!
Yes a very nice ’71 or ’72 Mustang. One year later I’d own a 1973 Mustang, the last of the big ‘Stangs!!!
So this is my last post for 2015.
I wish all of my readers/followers and other fellow gear heads, car nuts, car peeps a super New Year and all the best in 2016!!
Coming up in 2016 I’ll be working straight out to finish the 1973 Mustang Sports Roof (#ProjectSportsRoof) – got to get is show ready in the next year – so keep checking back for updates (floor pan, vacuum system and much more coming up next month). We also will attempt to get pod-casts rolling but you’ll also be able to keep up on our hobby with C.N.N. (Car News Now), special pieces on the 351 Cleveland engine and more parking lot spotlights, AutoFactoids (#AutoFactoids), Engine Line Ups and much more.
See you all in 2016 – maybe at Barrett Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ Jan 23, 2016?
Here are your Auto Factoids for the end of Nov. 2o15. (Yes only 24 shopping days left!!!)
Nov 30 1960 De Soto ceases production. The last De Soto produced were really the Chrysler Windsor, most did not sale, even though dealerships continued to received cars after the brand was terminated.
1961 Windsor
1961 DeSoto
Nov 30, 1900 Germany patented an automobile front wheel drive. Although this is a common historic fact, there is some evidence that the first production car with front wheel drive was a French car. There exists a French Patent around 1898 or 1899. The manufacturer was Société Parisienne and the car was the Victoria Combination.
It was a lightweight two-seater trailer, known as a ‘Victoria’, combined with the back axle and mechanical components of a motor tricycle, but this axle was placed in front of the trailer and steered by a long tiller on which the controls were located. The first examples were powered by 1.75 or 2.5 horsepower De Dion Bouton engines geared directly to the differential, but larger engines of this make were fitted as they became available.
1900 Victoria Combination
December 1, 1925 GM purchased Vauxhall. Vauxhall started out as engine manufacturer mainly for pumps and marine use (1857 – Alex Wilson). They began making cars in 1903. Here is a video of a 1903 Vauxhall. They are still producing cars using the Opel name under GM.
One more of it on a road test.
Dec 1, 1913 Ford fired up the first “continuous” assembly line. (Olds is considered to be the inventor of the assembly line…maybe.)
Ford’s Production Line
And just one day and 14 years later (Dec 2, 1927) Ford unveiled Models A which would soon be produced from this assembly line. The Model A was announced on May 25, 1927 and sold as 1928 model. Ford sold 607,592 units in 1928, nearly double that of the previous year.
1928 Model A
Thanks for reading
Tim
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Here are your Auto Factoids #AutoFactoids for the beginning of June, 2015. May 31, 1927 – Ford produced the last Model T. There is some debate as to actual date and it’s said that the 15th million Model T rolled off the production line on May 26th, 1927 and the Henry …
Welcome to this weeks Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids)!!!!
Back in 1977 on Nov. 15 Ford produced it’s 100,000,000. It was a 1978 Ford Fairmont and rolled out of the Mahwah assembly plant in New Jersey.
1955 Ford Mahwah New Jersey Plant
Triple F (Ford Fairmont Futura)
This car was in fact, a fox body, but gets as much respect as a K-Car.
You can understand why that is when you see it in the 4 door configuration
Now the two door wasn’t too bad – still not great!
But, you know me, I think any two door car can be made to look awesome…..
YES!!!!
AND YES!!!
Back in 1906 the man who started one of the largest global car (and motorcycle) companies was born on Nov 17 in Iwata-gun, Japan:
Soichrio
Another millionth for the month of Nov. Back in 1940 Buick produced 278,784 cars (about 70k more than in 1939) one of those was the 4 millionth Buick and it rolled off the line Nov. 17th.
That car was a Buick Super Coupe like this one:
1940 Buick Super Coupe
I’ve been doing these Auto Factoids for years and this next event never fails to make me scratch my head. Yup it’s the death of the Edsel. Killed by Ford on 11/19/1959 BOO HISS
One of the last Edsels – 1960 Edsel Ranger sedan 🙁
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the first week of Nov. 2015. I’m going to call this Packard Week (like Shark Week only on wheels)!!! Here is.
Keep up with this and #ProjectSportsRoof – get the feed.
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the first week of Nov. 2015. I’m going to call this Packard Week (like Shark Week only on wheels)!!! Here is why:
Starting right off on the Nov. 1st 1955 Studebaker’s Hawk showed up on the car scene.
They when on sale in 1956 and came in the Flight Hawk, Golden Hawk and Power Hawk and Sky Hawk. As you may know these were tough time for Studebaker/Packard so the Flight, Power and Sky Hawk models were only available in 1956. The power plants for these cars ranged from Studebaker’s old straight 6 cylinder bored and stoked to displace 185 CIDs for the Flight Hawk, and their OHV 259″ V8, which came in a 2bbl and 4bbl configuration (180 HP and 195 HP ) for the Power Hawk to the Sky Hawk’s OHV 289 CID with the Golden Hawk sporting Packard’s 352 CID (5.8 L – V8) that managed to produce 275 BHP. That is pretty good power in fairly light car.
Sky Hawk
Flight Hawk
Golden Hawk
Power Hawk
On Nov. 2, 1935 we have two events.
Cord’s 810 debuted as did the Fords’ (Lincoln’s) Zephyr. Cord 810 was a beautiful and advanced car. It was the first US designed and built front wheel drive car with independent suspension and sported a set of very cool hidden headlights (operated with a crank on the dash-board) – another US first!! It was power by a Lycoming 289 V8 (125HP) and had a 4 speed overdrive transmission.
1935 Cord 810. This is the Sportsmen Convertible
The Zephyr was produced under the Lincoln sub-brand and was powered by 267 cu in (4.4 L) L-Head with 110 HP. It sold 15,000 units in its first with was over 50% of all Lincoln sales for 1936.
1936 Zephyr
Continuing on with Packard Week, on Nov. 5, 1863 John Ward Package was born.
Before building his first automobile in 1899, he successfully operated his own business, Packard Electric
John Ward Packard
On Nov. 6 is a very busy day in Automotive history we have 3 major mile stones.
On this day in Carlo (a.k.a. Karl) Abarth was born in Austria in 1908. He was ultimate gear-headed business man!!! Started out designing bicycle and motorcycle frames in Italy as a teenager for Castanga, then back to Austria and motorcycle racing where he managed to become 5 times European champion. After begin seriously injured in a racing accident he gave up racing, designed a sidecar and started a company with Ferry Porsche (and couple other guys) that was eventually called Cisitalia. They produced the Tipo 360 F1 prototype – which was a flop. Later on he founded the Abarth & C company that eventually produced racing cars with the scorpion logo then moved into the production of performance exhaust now called Abarth. He should the company to Fiat and they named a car after him.
Abarth Race Car
Logo
Edsel Ford was born in 1883 in Detroit, MI on this same day. Often only known for the Edsel sub brand he was instrumental in design and development of the Lincoln as well. But we all love the Edsel.
To finish up Packard Week the first Packard car was test driven on Nov. 6, 1899.
Here is this weeks AutoFactoids (#AutoFactoids). May 10, 1923 – GM names Alfred P. Sloan as president. They didn’t just pick from the streets. He was actually, a draftsman for a bearing company, Hyatt Roller Bearing.
Here are your Auto Factoids (#AutoFactoids) for the week. Actually, I’ve combined two weeks because I forgot last weeks and this week’s was limited. So let’s start off with the week of the 15th (’cause going in chronological …
September 30th,…was the… anniversary of the sad day James Dean died. 60 years have passed, and now there are rumors that the exact car, a Porsche 550 chassis 055, might be not so lost after all.
If anyone is not up to speed on what happened, James Dean was driving his Porsche 550 on his way to Salinas, California for a race. Near Cholame, California, on a stretch of highway, Dean was involved in a head on crash with a Ford Tudor. The Porsche was totaled, and Dean was pronounced dead.
It was tragic, but instead of only focusing on the negativity surrounding the situation, the crash became the centerpiece for a safe driving program across the country. His 550 was toured around, but strange events cast a dark shadow over the car.
People who came in close contact with the 550 experienced a string of bad luck. Many were involved car wrecks themselves, and some also suffered the same fate as Dean.
During the early 60’s the 550 actually disappeared. Somehow it vanished during transportation from Florida to California, until now.Volo Auto Museum is a good friend of My Classic Garage, and also the possible next owner of the highly sought after Porsche 550. The whole situation is still unfolding, but here’s what we know. During 2005 Volo offered a million dollar reward for the whereabouts of James Dean’s 550. After the television show ‘Brad Meltzer’s Lost History,’ which aired in 2014, a man contacted Volo Auto Museum with the claim that he knew where the car was. His tale is crazy, and sounds like the plot to a box office hit, but after a polygraph test his story was confirmed. He was 6 years old and present as his father and some other men put the cursed 550 Spyder behind a false wall in an undisclosed building somewhere in Washington. We have a lot of questions about all of this, but we really hope the rumors are true. This is still coming together. As details are released we’ll keep you updated.
Reilly describes witnessing his father and a group of men hide the famous car in a Bellingham building. “A 1955 Porsche 550, all mangled up. They were talking about it being James Dean’s car,” said Reilly. “They hid it inside a wall, basically on its side.
The actor was driving his silver 550 Porsche Spyder and was headed to Salinas where he planned to participate in the road car sports race at the Salinas Airport. “When he was filming ‘East of Eden,’ he really fell in love with the car culture in …
Here is your #AutoFactoids and Car News Now for this first full week of September 2015.
Auto Factoids
Sept. 7, 1954 – Production of Ford Thunderbird begins
1955 T-Bird
2002 Thunderbird
Sept. 8, 1903 Preston Tucker was born in Capac, MI.
While dubbed “Tucker Torpedo” during production no ‘Torpedoes’ were produced.
Beautiful Cars!!
Sept. 9, 1935 – Studebaker exports 163 Presidents to England.
These are what were shipped
All Aboard!!
Car News Now (C.N.N.)
Automobile reports that the 2017 Porsche 911 Carrera and Carrera S get Turbocharged!!!
That’s the 3.0 liter flat six engine. The twin turbo will produce 379 hp w/ 331 lb-ft fo torque in the Carrera and Carrera S will have 420 hp with 368 lb-ft. That is 20 more horses the current 3.8 liter produces for Porsches.
2017 Porsche Twin-turbo Flat 6 – smoking hot!!
Car Buzz took a look at Audi’s A8 with Armor – it will be bullet and bomb proof – meeting VR 9 ballistics protection standards.
You are gonna need some extra punch to get these moving so there are two engines available. The are the 4.o liter V8 with 429 hp and a 6.0 liter W12 with 495 hp.
With its world premiere headed for the IAA Frankfurt, the refreshed seventh generation Porsche 911 Carrera (991 series) should represent an epic showcase of efficiency, technological advancement, engine development and design curation. Innovative …
Mercedes-Benz’s next C63 AMG is due in about a year and we have some fresh details on the car straight from the head of AMG. The good news is that the car will continue to offer a V-8 and rear-wheel drive, but this time around it will be turbocharged.
Kaiser-Fraser formed July 26, 1945 – The Kaiser-Frazer Corporation was the result of a partnership between automobile executive Joseph W. Frazer and business man Henry J. Kaiser. In 1947, the company acquired the automotive assets of Graham-Paige. Interesting enough, Kaiser had no automotive business experience. In 1953 the company became just Kaiser and a few years later acquired Willy-Overland company.
This how Henry J’s originally appeared
This often how you see them today!!
Studebaker-Packard and Curtis-Wright management agreement on July 27, 1956 – Found this tidbit and wonder if maybe Studebaker/Packard in an attempt save a sinking ship wanted to use Curtis-Wright’s rotor engine.
Nash Motors incorporated on July 29, 1916 – Nash Motor Company as founded by Charles Nash when he purchased a company called Jeffery Company which made a car called the Rambler. I bet you can guess what came eventually American Motors and their Rambler. Shots below are from ones I took at the Good Guys Regional here in AZ
Nash American Rambler
Engine Bay
Great looking interior
The “N”
Buick buys Caddy on July 29, 1909 – In what was the early formation of General Motors, Buick Motor Company purchased Cadillac. Under the tutelage of William C. Durant Cadillac was the only brand that allowed to carry GM’s luxury car title, the others would share platform and be given “economic class” designations.
Henry Ford Born on July 30, 1863 – He was born in Greenfield Township, Michigan. His dad (William) was English, but born in Ireland and his mother (Mary)was born in Michigan. Commonly thought of as inventor of the assembly line, which in truth was Ransom Olds (Oldsmobile fame), but was the first to mass produce affordable cars for the public. He didn’t start out as a car guy, but a farmer and ran a lumber mill. After that he became an engineer for Edison Illumination Company.
July 31, 1911 GM shares go on sale.
CNN – Car News Now
The new 2016 Scion is news. Looking a lot like a Ford the iA and iM are both under $20k. The iA has a 1.5 liter engine with 106 hp and the iM has 1.8 liter power plant with 137 hp. Both have 6 speed transmissions. While under 3ooo lbs (iM just under at 2943lb curb weight) they but down 0-60 number you would expect – 10 seconds and 9.5 seconds respectively.
Scion iM
Have you seen the new Dodge Viper? The ARC is going to top the pricing scale at near $120k. With that you’ll get the V10 power plant and a mere 645 hp.
The ACR
Thanks for reading.
Tim
You can find all the Auto Factoids by search on #AutoFactoids.
Dodge isn’t sitting on its laurels with the two Hellcats in its stable. In fact, the brand is doubling down on speed with the 2016 Viper ACR. ACR stands for American Club Racing, and it means the most extreme Viper built for public roads is slithering …
– 360,000 coupes and about 80,000 convertibles we made between 1955 and 1974.
1958 Karmann Ghia
1600 Karmann Ghia
Car News Now (CNN)
Speaking of VW, the company announced that they are developing a new brand specifically for the China market.
Ford let us know that we will soon see the Ford Focus RS here in the U.S. – that 315 hp stuffed in that little car. It will sport a six-speed manual transmission and have all-wheel drive.
What was the first model to where the name Maserati?
Thanks for reading.
Tim
*Trivia – Submit the correct answer via email, Facebook, Twitter or a comment to this post and you’ll be entered to win a monthly give away. It’s that easy!!
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It’s a cute-as-a-bug, 1967 VW Karmann Ghia. A loyal supporter of the nonprofit’s ambitious works on behalf of homeless animals donated it, hoping the Humane Society would find a way to convert the car to dollars for services. The agency now is selling …
Und sorgte für eine Überraschung: Vor den Journalisten stand ein eleganter Zweitürer in “Gazellenbeige” mit rot lackierten Felgen und hellbrauner Innenausstattung: der Karmann Ghia. Ein Auto, das italienische Eleganz mit deutscher Technik verband.
