thebear's archive of motorsports trivia

October 7, 1913

MOVING ASSEMBLY LINE AT FORD

For the 1st time, Henry Ford's entire Highland Park automobile factory is run on a continuously moving assembly line when the chassis -- the automobile's frame -- is assembled using the revolutionary industrial technique. A motor & rope pulled the chassis past workers & parts on the factory floor, cutting the man-hours required to complete one "Model T" from 12-1/2 hours to 6. Within a year, further assembly line improvements reduced the time required to 93 man-minutes. The staggering increase in productivity effected by Ford's use of the moving assembly line allowed him to drastically reduce the cost of the Model T, thereby accomplishing his dream of making the car affordable to ordinary consumers.

In introducing the Model T in October 1908, Henry Ford proclaimed, "I will build a motor car for the great multitude." Before then, the decade-old automobile industry generally marketed its vehicles to only the richest Americans, because of the high cost of producing the machines. Ford's Model T was the 1st automobile designed to serve the needs of middle-class citizens: It was durable, economical, & easy to operate & maintain. Still, w/a debut price of $850, the Model T was out of the reach of most Americans. The Ford Motor Company understood that to lower unit cost it had to increase productivity. The method by which this was accomplished transformed industry forever.

Prototypes of the assembly line can be traced back to ancient times, but the immediate precursor of Ford's industrial technique was 19th-century meat-packing plants in Chicago & Cincinnati, where cows & hogs were slaughtered, dressed & packed using overhead trolleys that took the meat from worker to worker. Inspired by the meat packers, the Ford Motor Company innovated new assembly line techniques & in early 1913 installed its 1st moving assembly line at Highland Park for the manufacture of flywheel magnetos. Instead of each worker assembling his own magneto, the assembly was divided into 29 operations performed by 29 men spaced along a moving belt. Average assembly time dropped from 20 minutes to 13 minutes & soon was down to 5 minutes.

With the success of the magneto experiment, Ford engineers put the Model T motor & then the transmission on moving assembly lines. On October 7, 1913, the chassis also went on the moving assembly line, so that all the major components of the Model T were being assembled using this technique. The chassis were moved along by a rope tow. Ford rapidly improved its assembly lines, & by 1916 the price of the Model T had fallen to $360 & sales were more than triple their 1912 level. Eventually, the company produced one Model T every 24 seconds, & the price fell below $300. More than 15 million Model T's were built before it was discontinued in 1927, accounting for nearly half of all automobiles sold in the world to that date. The affordable Model T changed the landscape of America, hastening the move from rural to city life, & the moving assembly line spurred a new industrial revolution in factories around the world.

None of this would have been feasible had Eli Whitney (1765 - 1825) not developed "Interchangeable Parts". Eli Whitney (who also invented the "Cotton Gin for removing seeds from cotton crops) saw the potential benefit of developing "interchangeable parts" for the firearms of the US military, and thus, around 1798, he built ten rifles, all containing the same exact parts and mechanisms, and disassembled them before the US Congress. He placed the parts in a large mixed pile and, with help, reassembled all of the weapons right in front of Congress. Prior to that time, firearms had been assembled one at a time and all parts had to be hand fitted with unique labor intensive pieces.

:old:

October 10, 1901

Henry Ford's 1st & last race

In the early days of the automobile, it was not the practical uses of the new invention that attracted the most widespread attention, but rather the thrill of motor sports. The always entrepreneurial Henry Ford, who had been constructing automobiles since 1896, recognized the public's enthusiasm for the new sport, & so sought to establish his name as a racing manufacturer & driver. On this day, Henry Ford drove one of his automobiles for the 1st & last time in an automobile race. Sponsored by the Detroit Racing Club & held at the Grosse Point Race Track in Michigan, Ford puttered up to the starting line of the main 10-lap race in an automobile he had constructed earlier in the summer w/engineer Oliver Barthel. Ford's competitors were the famed Alexander Winston & another driver who w/drew just before the start of the race because of a mechanical problem. The experienced Winston was clearly the superior driver, but fortune proved to be in Ford's favor as Winston's machine began leaving a trail of smoke after 3 laps, & he had to w/draw. Altho Ford won the race & the kind of public acclaim he had hoped for, he found the experience so terrifying that he retired as a competitive driver, reportedly explaining that "Once is enough." Nevertheless, Ford continued to construct automobiles for motor racing, & a year later Barney Oldfield drove into motor racing history in Ford's 999 racer, kicking off a legendary driving career & winning Ford his 1st major racing victory. With the prestige of racing under his belt, Ford went on to establish the Ford Motor Company in the following year, making a fortune as he pioneered the modern assembly-line manufacturing that put the automobile within the average American's reach. But motor racing still remained important to the Ford Motor Company, & today Ford is the only automaker that can lay claim to victory in the Indy 500, Daytona 500, 24-Hours of LeMans & Daytona, 12 hours of Sebring, the Monte Carlo Rally & the Baja 1000.

:#1:

October 11, 1928

Birth of a royal racer

Spanish racer Don Alfonso Cabeza de Vaca y Leighton, Carvajal y Are, the 17th Marquis de Portago & 13th Conde de la Mejorada, was born on this day in London, England. Better known as Marquis Alfonso de Portago, the Spanish nobleman became interested in motor racing as a young man, soon finding his way into some of the world's most prestigious & dangerous racing events, owning more to his social standing than his racing skills. For a 2-year period beginning in 1956, the reckless Marquis Alfonso drove for the Lancia Ferrari team, managing to rack up 4 points in 5 G/P starts, but failing to win any race. In 1957, Alfonso brought tragedy to the classic Mille Miglia event, a 1,600-kilometer race from Brescia to Rome & back, when he lost control of his Ferrari & plunged into a crowd of spectators. Alfonso, his co-driver Ed Nelson, & 10 spectators died in the accident, bringing to an end the 30-year tradition of the Mille Miglia. Twenty years after the Marquis' tragic run along the course, the event was revived, & to this day the Mille Miglia attracts thousands to the streets of Italy to watch a nostalgic run of classic racing cars.

:chflag:

October 16
- 1951

Hudson's Hornet stings

In 1948, Hudson launched its new Monobuilt design, an innovation that is still found in most cars to this day. The Monobuilt design consisted of a chassis & frame that was combined in a unified passenger compartment, producing a strong, light-weight design, & a beneficial lower center of gravity that didn't affect road clearance. Hudson coined this innovation "step-down design" because, for the 1st time, passengers had to step down in order to get into a car. Most cars today are still based on the step-down premise.

On this day in 1951, Hudson introduced the Hornet, & put some sting into the step-down design. The Hornet was built w/a 308 ci flat head in-line 6-cylinder motor, producing generous torque & a substantial amount of hp. And it was w/this popular model that Hudson 1st entered stock car racing in 1951. After ending their 1st season in a respectable 3rd place, Hudson began a 3-year domination of the racing event. In 1952 alone, Hudson won 29 of the 34 events. A key factor in Hudson's racing success was the innovative step-down design of their cars. Because of their lower centers of gravity, Hornets would glide around corners w/relative ease, leaving their clunky & unstable competitors in the dust. . :chflag:

- 1957

The Lotus Elite debuts

Earls Court motor show in London was the scene. The fiberglass bodied car was developed and built in one year. The first 280 bodies were made by Maximar, a boat builder. The subsequent 1000 were made by aeronautical firm Bristol. The 1.2 liter Coventry Climax FW engine was revised by Colin Chapman and produced 75hp. The 24hrs of Le Mans beckoned in 1959 and the Elite was 1st in class (under 1.3 liter) and 8th overall. . :winner:


- 1958

A muscle car for the urban cowboy

Chevrolet introduced the El Camino on this day, a sedan-pickup created to compete w/Ford's popular Ranchero model. Built on the full-size Chevrolet chassis, the big El Camino failed to steal the Ranchero's market & was discontinued after 2 years. But 4 years later, in 1964, the El Camino was given a 2nd life as a derivative of the Chevelle series, a line of cars commonly termed "muscle cars." The Chevelles were stylish & powerful vehicles that reflected the youthful energy of the '60s & early '70s, & sold well. The Chevelle Malibu Super Sport was the archetypal muscle car, featuring a V8 as large as 454 ci, or 7.4L. Chevelles came in sedans, wagons, convertibles & hardtops, &, w/the reintroduction of the El Camino in 1964, as a truck. The station wagon-based El Camino sedan-pickup had a successful run during its 2nd manifestation as a Chevelle, & proved an attractive conveyance for urban cowboys & the horsey set. . :tumble:

The Lotus Elite won its class a Le Mans no fewer than six times

October 24

1908

Old 16 defeats the world

On this day, the Locomobile Old 16, driven by George Robertson, became the 1st American-made car to beat the European competition when it raced to victory in the 4th annual Vanderbilt Cup held in Long Island (NY). The Vanderbilt Cup, an early example of world-class motor racing in America, was created in 1904 to introduce Europe's best automotive drivers & manufacturers to the U.S. George Heath won the 1st Vanderbilt Cup in a French-made Panhard automobile, beginning a French domination of the event that would last until Old 16's historic victory. Old 16 was 1st built in 1906 by the Connecticut-based Locomobile Company, & showed promise when it raced to a respectable finish in the 2nd Vanderbilt Cup. With some modifications, Old 16 was ready to race again in 1908. Americans pinned their hopes on the state-of-the-art road racer to end the European domination of early motor racing. Designed simply for speed & power, Old 16 had a 4-cylinder, 120 hp engine w/a copper gas tank, & a couple of bucket seats atop a simple frame w/four wooden-spoked wheels completed the design. At the 4th Vanderbilt Cup, Robertson pushed Old 16 to an average speed of 64.38 mph, dashing around the course to the cheers of over 100,000 rowdy spectators, who lined the track dangerously close to the speeding motor cars. With a thrown tire in the last lap & a frantic fight to the finish against an Italian Isotta, America's 1st major racing victory was a hair-raising affair. Old 16 is one of the oldest American automobiles still in existence, & is currently on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn (MI).

1944

An accused collaborator dies

French automaker & accused Nazi collaborator Louis Renault died on this day in a Paris military prison hospital of undetermined causes. Born in Paris, Renault built his 1st automobile, the Renault Type A, in 1898. Inspired by the DeDion quadricycle, the Type A had a 270 cc engine (1.75hp), & could carry 2 people at about 30mph. Later in the year, Renault & his brothers formed the Societe Renault Freres, a racing club that achieved its 1st major victory when an automobile w/a Renault-built engine won the Paris-Vienna race of 1902. After Louis' brother, Marcel, died along w/nine other drivers in the Paris-Madrid race of 1903, Renault turned away from racing & concentrated on mass production of vehicles. During WW I, Renault served his nation w/the "Taxis de la Marne," a troop-transport vehicle, & in 1918, w/the Renault tank. Between the wars, Renault continued to manufacture & sell successful automobiles, models that became famous for their sturdiness & longevity. With the German occupation of France during WW II, the industrialist, who had served his country so well during WW I, mysteriously offered his Renault tank factory & his services to the Nazis, perhaps believing that the Allies' cause was hopeless. The liberation of France in 1944 saw the arrest of Louis Renault as a collaborator, & the Renault company was nationalized w/Pierre Lefaucheux as the new director. The 67-year-old Renault, who likely suffered torture during his post-liberation detainment, died soon after his arrest.

October 25, 1902

Oldfield & Ford race into history

Racing was in Barney Oldfield's blood long before he ever had the opportunity to race an automobile. Born in Wauseon (OH), Oldfield's 1st love was bicycling, & in 1894, he began to compete professionally. In his 1st year of racing, the fearless competitor won numerous bicycling events &, in 1896, was offered a coveted position on the Stearns bicycle factory's amateur team. Meanwhile in Dearborn (MI), the entrepreneurial inventor Henry Ford had completed his 1st working automobile & was searching for a way to establish his name in the burgeoning automobile industry. In the early days, it was not the practical uses of the automobile that attracted the most widespread attention, but rather the thrill of motor racing. Recognizing the public's enthusiasm for the new sport, Ford built a racer w/Oliver Barthel in 1901. Ford himself even served as driver in their automobile's 1st race, held at the Grosse Point Race Track (MI) later in the year. Altho he won the race & the kind of public acclaim he had hoped for, Ford found the experience so terrifying that he retired as a competitive driver, reportedly explaining that "once is enough." In 1902, he joined forces w/Tom Cooper, the foremost cyclist of his time, & built a much more aggressive racer, the 999, that was capable of up to 80hp. On this day in 1902, the 23-year-old Barney Oldfield made his racing debut in the 999's 1st race at the Manufacturer's Challenge Cup in Grosse Point. The race was the beginning of a legendary racing career for Oldfield, who soundly beat his competition, including the famed driver Alexander Winton. The cigar-chomping Oldfield went on to become the 1st truly great American race-car driver, winning countless victories & breaking numerous speed & endurance records. But Oldfield's victory in the 999 was also Ford's 1st major automotive victory, & together they went on to become the most recognized figures in early American motoring -- Ford as the builder & Oldfield as the driver.

:winner:

:Shrug:

OCT 30, 1963

The Lamborghini 350 GTV debuts at the Turin auto show. Lamborghini had not completed the prototype in time for the deadline, & the 350 GTV was presented with a crate of ceramic tiles in place of an engine. With or without the engine, Lamborghini's 1st car was not particularly well received, & only one GTV was ever completed. The former tractor-maker was not discouraged, & in '64 the drastically redesigned 350GT went into production. Lamborghini managed to sell over 100 of the expensive cars. The GT was a quiet & sophisticated high-performance vehicle, capable of achieving 155 mph w/a maximum 320 hp. The elegant Lamborghini 350 GT indeed provided a smoother ride than most of its Ferrari counterparts, & Ferruccio's old tractor factory, located just a few miles from the Ferrari factory, began constructing some of the most exotic cars the world had ever seen, such as the Miura, the Espada, & the legendary Countach.

:brm:

Loved that 350GT when it came out and still do. It was the start of great things and Lambo, from quite early on became a viable alternative to Ferrari.
Good on Ferrucci, I say!

November 8

- 1866
Austin founder born in England

Herbert Austin, the founder of the Austin Motor Company, was born the son of a farmer in Little Missenden, Buckinghamshire, England, on this day. At the age of 22, Austin moved to Melbourne, Australia, where he served as an apprentice engineer at a foundry, before becoming the manager of the Wolseley Sheep Shearing Company. Long journeys into the wide-open spaces of Australia gave him insight into the benefits of gasoline-driven vehicles, & Austin decided to try his luck in the burgeoning automobile industry. In 1893, Austin returned to England w/the Wolseley Company & began work on his 1st automobile. Like his American counterpart, Henry Ford, Austin hoped to produce an affordable motor car for the masses, & by 1895 the Wolseley Company completed its 1st vehicle, a 3-wheeled automobile, followed by the 1st 4-wheeled Wolseley vehicle in 1900. In 1905, Herbert Austin founded the Austin Motor Company in Birmingham, England, & by 1914, the company was producing over 1,000 automobiles a year. During WW I, Austin & his factories joined in the British war effort, a service for which he was knighted in 1917. In 1922, w/the introduction of the Austin 7 Tourer, Sir Herbert Austin finally fulfilled his ambition to produce a mass-produced automobile. The diminutive vehicle, boasting 4-wheel brakes & a maximum speed of 50mph, was an instant success in England. In 1930, the Austin 7 was introduced to America, & enjoyed 5 years of modest U.S. sales before falling prey to the hard times of the Depression in 1935.

- 1956
What's in a name

On this day, the Ford Motor Company decided on the name "Edsel" for a new model in development for the 1958 market year. The new addition to the Ford family of automobiles would be a tribute to Edsel Bryant Ford, who served as company president from 1919 until his death in 1943. Edsel Ford was also the oldest son of founder Henry Ford & father to then company President Henry Ford II. The designer of the Edsel, Roy Brown, was instructed to create an automobile that was highly recognizable, & from every angle different than anything else on the road. In the fall of 1957, w/great fanfare, the 1958 Edsel was introduced to the public. With its horse collar grill in the front & its regressed side-panels in the rear, the Edsel indeed looked like nothing else on the road. However, despite its appearance, the Ford Edsel was a high-tech affair, featuring state-of-the-art innovations such as the "Tele-Touch" push-button automatic transmission. Nevertheless, buyer appeal was low, & the Ford Edsel earned just a 1.5% share of the market in 1958. After 2 more years, the Edsel marque was abandoned, & its name would forever be synonymous w/business failure.

November 13

- 1916
E. L. Cord's 1st racing victory

Errett Lobban Cord, the genius behind the Auburn, Cord & Duesenberg family of automobiles, 1st became involved w/automobiles as a racing car mechanic & driver. On this day, the 20-year-old Cord won his 1st motor race in Arizona. Cord, driving a Paige vehicle designed by Harry Jewett, won the 275-mile race from Douglas (AZ) to Phoenix (AZ). From his racing beginnings, Cord moved into automobile sales, & in 1924 came to Auburn (IN) to save the faltering Auburn Automobile Company. Cord, a brilliant salesman, rapidly pulled the company out of debt by clearing out hundreds of stockpiled Auburn vehicles & excess parts, & was subsequently named the VP & GM at Auburn. Under Cord's guidance, the Auburn line was entirely refashioned, & the new Auburns were known as some of the most luxurious & fashionable cars on the road. In 1926, Cord acquired the expert design skills of Fred Duesenberg, & in 1928, the Duesenberg Model J, one of the finest automobiles ever made, was introduced to the public. To make the family complete, the Auburn plant introduced the Cord L-29 in 1929, which was America's 1st successful FWD car. The Auburn, Cord & Duesenberg automobiles that sold so well in the roaring '20s also proved surprisingly resilient during the early years of the Depression, but by 1937, America's hard times were too much even for E. L. Cord, & manufacturing ceased as his entire corporation was sold.

- 1940

Willys-Overland completes original Jeep prototype

In 1939, the U.S. Army asked America's automobile manufacturers to submit designs for a simple & versatile military vehicle. It would be two full years before the official U.S. declaration of war, but military officials, who knew this declaration to be inevitable, recognized the need for an innovative troop-transport vehicle for the global battlefields of WW II. The American Bantam Car Company, a small car manufacturer, submitted the 1st design approved by the army, but the production contract was ultimately given to Willys-Overland, a company that had a larger production capability & offered a lower bid. The Willys Jeep, as it would become known during the war, was similar to the Bantam design, & featured 4WD, an open-air cab, & a rifle rack mounted under the windshield. On this day, the 1st Willys-Overland Jeep prototype was completed, & submitted to the U.S. Army for approval. One year later, w/the U.S. declaration of war, mass production of the Willys-Overland Jeep began. By the war's end in 1945, some 600,000 Jeeps had rolled off the assembly lines & onto the battlefields of Asia, Africa & Europe. The efficient & sturdy 4WD Jeep became a symbol of the American war effort -- no obstacle could stop its advance. Somewhere along the line the vehicle acquired the name "Jeep," likely evolving from the initials G.P. for "general purchase" vehicle, & the nickname stuck. In 1945, Willys-Overland introduced the 1st civilian Jeep vehicle, the CJ-2A -- the forefather of today's SUVs.

:old:

November 14

- 1914

The 1st Dodge

On this day, John & Horace Dodge completed their 1st Dodge vehicle, a car informally known as "Old Betsy." The same day, the Dodge brothers gave "Old Betsy" a quick test drive thru the streets of Detroit (MI) & the vehicle was shipped to a buyer in Tennessee. John & Horace, who began their business career as bicycle manufacturers in 1897, 1st entered the automotive industry as auto parts manufacturers in 1901. They built engines for Ransom Olds & Henry Ford among others, & in 1910 the Dodge Brothers Company was the largest parts manufacturing firm in the U.S. In 1914, the intrepid brothers founded the new Dodge Brothers Motor Car Company, & began work on their 1st complete automobile at their Hamtramck factory. Dodge vehicles became known for their quality & sturdiness, & by 1919, the Dodge brothers were among the richest men in America. In early 1920, just as he was completing work on his 110-room mansion on the Grosse Point waterfront in Michigan, John fell ill from respiratory problems & died. Horace, who also suffered from chronic lung problems, died from pneumonia in December of the same year. The company was later sold to a NY bank, & in 1928, the Chrysler Corporation bought the Dodge name, its factories, & the large network of Dodge car dealers. Under Chrysler's direction Dodge became a successful producer of cars & trucks marketed for their ruggedness, & today Dodge sells a lineup of over a dozen cars & trucks.

- 1945

Speedway gets a 2nd chance

Tony Hulman purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from Edward Rickenbacher for $750,000 on this day. The speedway was in deplorable condition after 4 years of disuse during WW II, & before Hulman made his offer Rickenbacher was considering tearing the facilities down & selling the land. Hulman installed himself as chairman of the board of the raceway & named Wilbur Shaw as president. The two hastily renovated the racetrack for the return of Indy racing in the next year, but also launched a long-range program of improvements that included replacing all of the old wooden grandstands w/structures of steel & concrete. In May of 1946, the American Automobile Association (AAA) ran its 1st postwar 500-mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. George Robson, driving a pre-war Adams-Sparks automobile, won the event w/an average speed of 114.82mph, &, thanks to the efforts of Tony Hulman & Wilbur Shaw, a great American racing tradition was reborn.

:tumble:

[B]Speedway gets a 2nd chance

Tony Hulman purchased the Indianapolis Motor Speedway from Edward Rickenbacher for $750,000 on this day. The speedway was in deplorable condition after 4 years of disuse during WW II, & before Hulman made his offer Rickenbacher was considering tearing the facilities down & selling the land. Hulman installed himself as chairman of the board of the raceway & named Wilbur Shaw as president. The two hastily renovated the racetrack for the return of Indy racing in the next year, but also launched a long-range program of improvements that included replacing all of the old wooden grandstands w/structures of steel & concrete. In May of 1946, the American Automobile Association (AAA) ran its 1st postwar 500-mile race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. George Robson, driving a pre-war Adams-Sparks automobile, won the event w/an average speed of 114.82mph, &, thanks to the efforts of Tony Hulman & Wilbur Shaw, a great American racing tradition was reborn.

:tumble:

What state would American (and World) motorsport be in if Indy had been pulled down?

Enough links HERE (http://www.gtplanet.net/forum/showthread.php?t=100130)to keep you busy for weeks.

A few of them have appeared on 10-10ths from time to time but there is a lot of new (old) material.

:burn: . . :brm: . . .:burn:

December 05

- 1932

The Ford model C automobile is introduced.

:brm:

Dec. 11

- 1941

Buick lowers the prices to reflect the elimination of spare tires or inner tubes on its cars. :Shrug:

Dec. 13

- 1957

The last 2-passenger Thunderbird is produced.

:o :(

Sorry for the delay(s) but I have been on holiday.

This should finish off December:

Dec. 15
- 1980 - Peter Gregg commited suicide. For more information, on Peter Gregg, click HERE (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Gregg_%28racing_driver%29)

Dec. 20
- 1892 – Alexander Brown and George Stillman of Syracuse NY patent an inflatable automobile tire.

Dec. 27
- 1951 - A right-hand-drive Crosley, the first car designed for U.S. rural mail delivery, is put into operation in Ohio.

Dec. 30
- 1936 - The United Auto Worker's legendary sit-down strikes begin at GM plants in Flint, MI.

:xmas: :brr: :Snow: :Santa:

Armco!, Armco! I want my Armco! HERE (http://www.corvette-videos.com/watch/?vid=7778) is ~two minutes of the 1963 Sebring 12hr race. Scroll down to see the text before starting.

You have to use your imagination for the sounds.

:burn: . . . :old:

January 2, 1974


Nixon signs national speed limit into law

On this day in '74, US President Richard M. Nixon signs the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, setting a new national maximum speed limit.

Prior to '74, individual states set speed limits w/in their boundaries & highway speed limits across the country ranged from 40 mph to 80 mph. The U.S. & other industrialized nations enjoyed easy access to cheap Middle Eastern oil from '50 to '72, but the Arab-Israeli conflict changed that dramatically in '73. Arab members of the Organization for Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) protested the West’s support of Israel in the Yom Kippur War by stopping oil shipments to the U.S., Japan & Western Europe. OPEC also flexed its new-found economic muscle by quadrupling oil prices, placing a choke-hold on America’s oil-hungry consumers & industries. The embargo had a global impact, sending the U.S. & European economies into recession. As part of his response to the embargo, President Nixon signed a federal law lowering all national highway speed limits to 55 mph. The act was intended to force Americans to drive at speeds deemed more fuel-efficient, thereby curbing the U.S. appetite for foreign oil. With it, Nixon ushered in a policy of fuel conservation & rationing not seen since WW II.

The act also prohibited the Department of Transportation from approving or funding any projects w/in states that did not comply w/the new speed limit. Most states quietly adjusted their speed limits, though Western states, home to the country’s longest, straightest & most monotonous rural highways, only grudgingly complied. Even after OPEC lifted the embargo in March '74, drivers continued to face high gas prices & attempted to conserve fuel by buying revolutionary Japanese “economy cars.” For many, a desire for fuel-efficient automobiles became the standard until the trend toward gas-guzzling SUVs emerged in the '90s. In '87, Congress authorized states to reset speed limits w/in their borders, but proponents of the national maximum speed limit law claimed it lowered automobile-related fatalities, prompting Congress to keep it on the books until finally repealing it on 11/28/1995.

Today speed limits across the country vary between 35 & 40 mph in congested urban areas & 75 mph on long stretches of rural highway. U.S. drivers now drive almost as fast as their European counterparts, who average between 75 & 80 mph on the highway. On some roads in Italy, it is legal to drive as fast as 95 mph.

:nyah: :Shrug: :rant:

January 2, 1974


On some roads in Italy, it is legal to drive as fast as 95 mph.

:nyah: :Shrug: :rant:

Higher still on some German autobahns, I believe!

January 13, 1942

Henry Ford Patents Plastic Car

On this day in 1942, Henry Ford patented a plastic-bodied automobile. The car was 30% lighter than ordinary cars. Plastic, a relatively new material in '42, was revolutionizing industry after industry in the U.S. Today most car bodies are still made of metal, but plastic parts are becoming more & more common.

Plastic Ford Unveiled
Time Magazine
8/25/1941

The 1st plastic car was shown by Henry Ford in Dearborn last week. It was the product of his own long dream—that industry should use more farm crops—and of the chemical inventiveness of his protege, 32-year-old Robert Allen Boyer. His plastic, 70% cellulose w/a resin binder, is made of soybeans, wheat, cotton, hides, plus a few imported, now hard-to-get ingredients (cork, rubber, tung oil, ramie—formerly used to wrap Egyptian mummies). Last fall Boyer turned out a few panels, had his lanky boss whang at them harmlessly with an ax, was overjoyed when Ford gave him the go-ahead for a complete car.

Blunt-nosed, cream-colored, the plastic Ford looks much like any other '42 automobile. It has a std Ford 60 chassis, engine, wheels. But the plastic body cuts its total weight from 3,000 lbs to 2,000. The body consists of 14 panels (formed in 1,000-ton presses) attached to a tubular steel frame.

Chemist Boyer last week hoped for "limited production" by '43, said "there's lots of development work to do." Plastic bodies would relieve some of Detroit's immediate worries over steel & chrome, but not over copper, zinc, nickel, other shortages. Nor could it easily get the new presses & tools to work the plastics. But in normal times, plastic cars would take some 10% of the steel industry's market & give it to farmers. The new Ford was the 1st gun in a technological revolution that may begin when the other guns are stilled.

:brm:

A history of JAGUAR (http://www.designmuseum.org/design/jaguar). It has not been updated to include the "Tata" purchase.

:brm:

1972 Maserati Boomerang details (http://www.maserati.org.au/gallery/MASERATI/ROAD_Cars/Boomerang_Gallery.html).

:old:

The bith of the BATMOBILE (http://www.1966batmobile.com/background.htm).

:old:

Giorgetto Giugiaro does a PORSCHE (http://www.lotusespritturbo.com/Porsche_Tapiro.htm).

:burn:

... and your latest posts' relevance to motorsports is what?:?

... and your latest posts' relevance to motorsports is what?:?
Porsche.

Similarly, THIS (http://dhost.info/thesupercars/supercars/holden/hurricane/69hurricane.html) one about Holden.

Where would you propose to place it? :Shrug:

The car that could have saved British Motors Corp (http://austin-rover.co.uk/index.htm?armgexef.htm) :Shrug:

Old ALFA ENGINES (http://www.international-auto.com/index.cfm?fa=ad&aid=476&acid=32&sc=46976) never die.

:old:

In 1966 Hertz bought one thousand Shelby Mustangs. Rental rates were $13-$17/day plus 13¢-17¢/mile. Most has automatic transmissions and all were black with two wide gold racing stripes running from nose to tail.

I rented one for a 500+ mile business trip in '66. Yee-HAH! . :burn:

FEB 22, 1959

The first Daytona 500 is run. 59 cars started, and raced for a total purse of $67,760. Attendance was listed at 41,000.

:old:

I almost forgot: The 1959 race was run "Caution Free". :#1:

... and your latest posts' relevance to motorsports is what?:?

A browse through this thread will show that by its nature it drifts beyond pure motor racing. Keep up the good work, bear.

A browse through this thread will show that by its nature it drifts beyond pure motor racing. Keep up the good work, bear.

Thanks :Shake:

An interesting history of Daytona Beach and racing history in the US can be found HERE (http://auto-racing.speedtv.com/article/daytona-racing-timeline/). It begins with 1875 :old: and ends at the start of WWII.

There are five screens on the link and it may only be active for a few days.

Make haste, lads & lassies! :burn:

During the 2003 re-make of “The Italian Job”, a trio of electrically operated Mini Coopers were used in the tunnel sequences, as combustion engines were not allowed in the Los Angles underground (the maintenance areas - there is no "tube" to speak of). :eek: The production shut down the incredibly busy intersection of Hollywood and Highland for an entire week.

:brm:

2002:

Champion Audi won the inaugural ALMS Miami Grand Prix in 2002, winning the pole, setting the fastest lap of the race, leading the most laps and winning the two-hour 45-minute race all on just one set of Michelin® tires. It is the only time that a team has won an ALMS race using just one set of tires.

The upcoming GP of St.Petersburg (FL) will be a one hour 55 minute race (TV, you know) and it is possible that Audi Sport North America; Penske Racing; Dyson Racing; Andretti Green Racing; Lowe’s Fernandez Racing; Patron Highcroft Racing; Corvette Racing; Risi Competizione; Flying Lizard Motorsports; Tafel Racing or Farnbacher Loles Racing could repeat with a Michelin victory.

:burn:

1983 - April 24

Rolf Stommelen dies driving a Porsche 935L entered by John Fitzpatrick. It was the 4th race of the season and a fine field of sportscar machinery was to take the start of the 6 Hours of Riverside (California).

Rolf Stommelen was sharing his drive with Derek Bell and had started from the front row alongside Bob Holbert's March 83G. They were just ahead of teammates John Fitzpatrick-David Hobbs who drove the Porsche 935K4 for the team's second car. As the race seemed to go on an easy way, Rolf Stommelen had just taken the wheel of the Porsche from Derek Bell when, in an unexpected way, the car lost its rear wing in the fast straightaway where it had been the fastest car in the race and took off only to hit the wall in turn 9. The car hit the wall and caught fire. The corner workers had trouble extinguishing it and Rolf Stommelen died in this awful accident.

John Fitzpatrick won the race with David Hobbs but the two of them were too upset to get on the podium. Nobody among the spectators got any information about this dramatic accident. Sportscar Racing had just lost one of the most talented drivers in the World.

:o

1950:

MAY 13

Silverstone hosts the first world championship grand prix. It was won by Giuseppe Farina in a pre-war Alfa Romeo 158.
:winner:

1958

May 18

Archie Scot Brown succumbs after a crash. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archie_Scott_Brown) . . :(

Not a lot of people might know this; A certain Oz Former world F1 champion was heard to remark on one of todays F1 drivers "I bet he's even got a ....kin badge on his pyjamas"

Indianapolis 500 Lore:

1933-1938: Qualifying was a 10 lap (25 mile) test of speed

1962: Parnelli Jones is the first to break the 150mph qualifying average.

1977: Tom Sneva is the first to break the 200mph qualifying average.

:#1:

Chevron Snippets from January 1969

David Purley, who crashed his AC Cobra badly at Brands towards the end of 1968 has bought Barrie Smith's Vegantune Twin-Cam Chevron B8, he will use the car for a full season and may include some continental races, he may; at a later stage fit the car with an FVA engine.

John Burton of Worcester Racing Organisation has ordered a new Group 4Chevron-BMW B8 for next season, and intends to use it in British and Continental Events

Racing Team Holland have ordered a new Group 4 Chevron-BMW for Dutchman Gijs van Lennep.

June means it is time for the Canadian Grand Prix. Here are some “Highlights”:

The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is located on the Ile de Notre Dame, a man-made island on the St. Lawrence River that was constructed for the 1967 Expo world fair. The island also provided the swimming arena and rowing basin for the 1976 Olympic Games.

The race has been on the Formula 1 calendar since 1967. It previously took place at the undulating Mosport Park road course north of Toronto, and at the even more spectacular Mont Tremblant-St Jovite venue, in the ski country north of Montreal.

The race moved to Montreal itself in 1978 and was won by the now-legendary Gilles Villeneuve (after whom the circuit is named). Not only was it his first F1 victory, he also became the first Canadian to win a grand prix in the process.

Gilles’ brother Jacques tried and failed to qualify a RAM for the 1983 Canadian Grand Prix.

Montreal has a habit of producing first-lap incidents. A recent one, in 2001, was triggered by Jenson Button and accounted for Benetton team-mate Giancarlo Fisichella.

Nigel Mansell was left red-faced in 1991, when he retired on the last lap while leading. The Brit was waving to the crowd when he allowed the revs to drop too low at the hairpin and stalled his Williams.

Montreal is a little-used semi-permanent parkland circuit. Until 2002 when it started to host a Champ Car race, it was only used once a year for the grand prix.

Jacques Villeneuve first came to the attention of the F1 paddock by winning the Formula Atlantic support race at the Canadian Grand Prix in 1993.

Ralf and Michael Schumacher’s 1-2 at Montreal in 2001 was the first time in F1 history that two brothers finished a race first and second. They repeated the feat in 2003 – but with roles reversed.

Canada witnessed the first victory for BMW’s turbo engine, which won the race in 1982 in the back of Nelson Piquet’s Brabham.

Jacques Villeneuve’s best result in his home race remains his first attempt in 1996 when he finished second behind team-mate Damon Hill. He has failed to finish on every subsequent attempt.

:#1:

Harley Earl takes General Motors into America's modern sports car racing (http://www.carofthecentury.com/gm's_first_modern_era_sports_cars.htm) arena. . :brm:

June 27, 1990

The movie "Days of Thunder" is released and not without a few "Anachronisms":

Goofs for "Days of Thunder"

Continuity: In the clip from the race at Rockingham (NC), you can see the beginning of the sign that says "Daytona USA" on the wall.

Continuity: In the final Daytona race, Russ Wheeler pushes Cole into Harry Gant & spins him. During the spin, a car switches from Gant (#33) to Brett Bodine (#26).

Audio/visual unsynchronized: Cole says "the accelerator is stuck" & other things w/out moving his lips.
Continuity: While talking to Cole, Hogge's hat switches between advertising the University of Georgia & the University of Florida.

Errors in geography: While racing at Phoenix (a flat track), footage is shown of a high banked track.

Continuity: The red ring around Trickle's eye swaps eyes.

Continuity: Numerous problems w/the juxtaposition, cleanliness, & markings of cars.

Continuity: At the end of the Daytona 500, Cole's face is heavily blackened w/oil, yet the windshield & interior of the cars are spotless.

Continuity: Cole's collar in the dressing room before the Daytona 500.

Continuity: In the opening Daytona 500, just after the green flag drops, you can see Cole's City Cheverolet on the right hand side of the screen, even tho it does not exist yet.

Factual errors: During the opening sequence of the movie, if you watch carefully, you will see a Busch Grand National series official inspecting a car. The Daytona 500 is a Winston Cup event.

Continuity: When Cole is racing at North Wilkesboro, he is complaining about the way the car feels. We then see an outside view of his car & on the rear deck it shows a Ford emblem. Cole drives a Chevrolet.

Continuity: Both the rental cars apparently sustain damage when Cole & Rowdey are racing them to the restaurant, but in many shots they appear untouched.

Revealing mistakes: Cole (Tom Cruise) visits Rowdy & his wife & as they are walking thru the field of grass, Rowdy's wife calls Cole "Tom".

Continuity: When Harry is at the track watching Rowdy practice right before he meets Cole, the sky & surrounding atmosphere is VERY cloudy & foggy. When Cole enters the track & approaches the race car, the weather is now clear & sunny.

Continuity: In the Daytona Race before Cole has his big wreck, you can see his Superflo #46 car pass Russ Wheeler's #18 Hardee's car before Russ Wheeler was even introduced to drive for Cole while he was recovering from his accident.

Continuity: When Harry is telling Cole what happened to Buddy, Harry & Cole are standing at opposite ends of the car, when Cole walks away, they've switched positions.

Audio/visual unsynchronized: During the race in North Wilkesboro (NC), Russ Wheeler slams Coles car into the trackside wall & he spins off, Cole can clearly be heard saying, "Son-of-a-*****!" & yet his lips don't move.

Continuity: At the Dover (DE) race, Cole enters pit road when another car pulls out in front of him. Cole has to slam on his brakes & then looses control. He is then seen wearing a white w/red & blue trim fire suit as he says, "Oh, this gonna hurt." When he strikes the wall, it shows him in a fire suit w/his team colors (green & black).

Errors in geography: Many shots of the 1st race that Cole wins at a non-Daytona race clearly show the word Daytona on the walls of the track & the flagman's booth has it emblazoned on its side.

Continuity: At the very end of the film, when Cole & Harry are sitting on the pit wall talking, the wall is clearly draped w/the Mello Yello & Hardee's colors. When the camera switches to them running down pit lane, the team colors are nowhere to be seen!

Continuity: During the Daytona race that is suppose to take place in July, the fans all have on winter coats.

Factual errors: There are several shots of Cole Trickle's car missing the bright yellow rookie stripe on the rear bumper. The only time the stripe is present is when Cole is at Darlington.

Continuity: In the final race at Daytona, Cole is seen getting ready for the race & when Dr. Dalricki comes in the room, he is seen putting on black driving shoes. After the race, he is being victoriously lifted overhead by his crew & you can see that his shoes are white now.

Continuity: In the shop scene where Cole Trickle is talking to the doctor you can clearly see what is Derrike Cope's purolator car thru the window.

Revealing mistakes: In the scene where Cole & Rowdy line up at the stop light in opposite vehicles, Rowdy is in a Ford Taurus. When the light turns green, they both gun it & you see smoke coming from the rear tires of the Taurus. The Ford Taurus never came w/RWD, they were all FWD, thus the rear tires should not have smoked up.

Factual errors: After the caution in the final race when Cole beats the pace car out of pit road, the race restarts w/Wheeler, the leader, starting on the inside line. In reality, Wheeler's car should have been on the outside line, as lead-lap cars start on the outside & cars a lap down or more start on the inside.

Revealing mistakes: At one point in the film, Robert Duvall calls Nicole Kidman's character, "Nicole," using her real name rather than the name of her character, "Claire."

Anachronisms: At Cole's 1st race at Daytona, the announcer called it the Firecracker 400. The Firecracker 400 was the name of this race from '63 to '84. It should have been called the Pepsi 400, as it was renamed for the 3rd time in '89.

Revealing mistakes: After Cole sabotages Russ Wheeler's victory lap by wrecking his car, you can clearly see that the checkered flag hanging out Wheeler's window is secured in place rather than being held. It is clear from the in car camera of "Russ Wheeler" that the flag is somehow secured in place, & the window netting is still up.

Continuity: At the very beginning of the movie, when Rowdy Burns is introduced, he does up his fire suit twice.

Continuity: At the Daytona race before the big wreck, Cole Trickle is spun out by Rowdy Burns. Cole recovers & catches up to Rowdy. The camera pans out to show a long distance shot of Rowdy leading Cole, but the lead car is clearly the #3 Goodwrench Chevy of Dale Earnhardt, not the #51 of Rowdy Burns.

:nyah2: . :censored: . :bag: . :banghead:

July 16, 1955

Moss Wins 1st G/P

Stirling Moss won his 1st G/P race, the British G/P in Aintree, driving a Mercedes Benz W196. Moss is considered the greatest racer that never won a World Driving Championship, having finished 2nd to Juan Manuel Fangio for 4 consecutive years. Most impressive is Moss' record of having won 16 of 66 G/P starts & 194 of his 466 starts in major events. Moss was born 9/17/1929, in London, England. His father, a dentist, had competed in the Indy 500 in '24 & '25. Moss began his racing career in '46, against his parents' wishes, as a driver for Cooper in the F3 division. He solidified his reputation by posting successful results in hill-climbing events. By '50, Moss had become one of the favorites in G/P racing, & it is often said that his results would have been better had he not insisted on racing British cars whenever possible. "Better to lose honorably in a British car than to win in a foreign one," he was once heard saying. But his loyalty to British cars also accounted for some of Moss' finest moments. At the Italian G/P in Monaco in '61, Moss entered an underpowered Lotus, presumably no match for the faster Ferraris in the field. When out ahead early against the Ferraris, Moss gambled that the Ferrari drivers would be confident in catching him late in the race. By lap 81, leading Ferrari driver Richie Ginther had made up most of the ground that he'd yielded to Moss early on, but Moss had held something in reserve. Just when it seemed inevitable that Ginther would pass, Moss held him at bay for a dramatic victory. Moss' career effectively ended w/a crash at Goodwood in '62 that left him partially paralyzed on his left side. He rehabilitated himself to make an astonishing comeback in May of the following year at a private session at Goodwood, where Moss rounded the track for nearly 30 minutes, pulled in & declared, "I'm retiring."

:winner: . . :chflag:

August 3, 1938

Brooklands Holds Last Race
The famous English circuit Brooklands hosted its final race on this day in 1938, ending the track's 32-year history.

Brooklands is a disused motor racing circuit & airfield built near Weybridge in Surrey, England. It opened in 1907, & was the world's 1st oval-style motorsport venue. The circuit hosted its last race in 1939, & was also one of Britain's 1st airfields. Nowadays it plays host to an aviation & motoring museum, as well as various vintage car rallies.

The circuit was the brainchild of Hugh Locke-King, & was opened on 6/17/1907 as the 1st custom-built banked motor race circuit in the world. It was the 2nd ever oval style race track built for cars, the 1st being the 2-mile oval Lakeside Auto Speedway near San Diego (CA) which was opened on 4/20/1907. Indianapolis is a `squared oval'.

Requirements of speed & spectator visibility led to the track being built as a 100' wide, 2.75 mile long, banked oval. The banking was nearly 30' high in places. In addition to the oval, a bisecting "finishing straight" was built, increasing the track length to 3.25 miles, of which 1.25 miles was banked.

Due to the complications of laying tarmac on banking, & the expense of laying asphalt, the circuit was built using gravel & cement. This led in later years to a somewhat bumpy ride, as the surface settled over time.

Along the center of the track ran a dotted black line, known as the 50' Line. By driving over the line, a driver could theoretically take the banked corners w/out having to use the steering wheel.

11 days after the circuit opened, it played host to the world's 1st 24 hour motor event, w/Selwyn Edge leading 3 specially converted Napier cars around the circuit. Over 3000 red railway lamps were used to light the track during the night. Flares were used to mark the upper boundary of the track. Edge drove his car for the full duration, w/the drivers of the other 2 cars taking the more familiar shift approach.

:old: . . . :#1:

AUG 17, 1929

You all know the story so, Happy Birthday, Sterling Moss! :brm:

AUG 17, 1929

You all know the story so, Happy Birthday, Sterling Moss! :brm:I don't know the story because I don't know who Sterling Moss is. Maybe he was born on 17 August 1929 (as was Rex White, NASCAR Grand National champion in 1960, BTW) - but Stirling Moss' 79th birthday will be on 17 September.

I don't know the story because I don't know who Sterling Moss is. Maybe he was born on 17 August 1929 (as was Rex White, NASCAR Grand National champion in 1960, BTW) - but Stirling Moss' 79th birthday will be on 17 September.

Right you are! Stoopid kumpyooootr!

:o . . :bag: . :error:

August 18th

1905
~ Mark Of Elegance

Newell S. Wright, an attorney, filed to register the Cadillac crest as a trademark. The insignia has adorned Cadillac's luxury car for almost a century.

1940
~ Death Of A Tycoon

Walter P. Chrysler, the American auto tycoon, died on this day. Born on April 2, 1875, Chrysler began his love affair w/mechanics as an apprentice in a railroad machine shop, & soon worked his way up to plant manager for the American Locomotive Company. He later went on to become president of the Buick Motor Company, making it the strongest division of GM. In 1919, Chrysler resigned from GM to take control of the Maxwell Motor Company, which became the Chrysler Corporation in 1925. The new company, featuring a car that Chrysler designed, was soon a success. Today, the Chrysler Company owns Jeep, Dodge & Plymouth.

Celebration of an obscure Italian motorcycle maker as recorded by one of the attendees (you don't have to know the language to appreciate).

Part 1 (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8306036949699445992&ei=kt6nSJrsFIn8wQOf-MUt&q=18%C2%B0+Morini+Day&vt=lf) of 4.

Part 2 (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1502215114437584693&ei=kt6nSJrsFIn8wQOf-MUt&q=18%C2%B0+Morini+Day&vt=lf) of 4

Part 3 (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2073771147040658889&ei=kt6nSJrsFIn8wQOf-MUt&q=18%C2%B0+Morini+Day&vt=lf) of 4

Part 4 (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2948014485944161764&ei=kt6nSJrsFIn8wQOf-MUt&q=18%C2%B0+Morini+Day&vt=lf) of 4

:0beer:

F1: Montjuïc Park, 2nd location for the Spanish GP (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/main.jhtml?xml=/motoring/2008/08/23/mfmont123.xml). :chflag:

1958
- September 30

Cosworth was founded by Mike Costin and Keith Duckworth. The pair first met at Lotus, where Keith was working on gearbox development and Mike was effectively technical director. Neither was directly involved in designing engines, but they saw an opportunity.

Initially the business was based on tuning Climaxes, before Duckworth came up with the first proper Cosworth engine. Based on a Ford, it was destined for huge success in Formula Junior, and was followed by F3 and F2 units.

In 1965 Colin Chapman began his hunt for a new Grand Prix engine for the 3-litre formula that began in 1966. The Lotus boss persuaded Duckworth – who had relatively modest ambitions – that he should be in F1. Keith said it would cost £100,000 to develop and build an initial run of five engines, and Chapman found the money from Ford Britain.

It was more or less by chance that the manufacturer became involved – and at an extraordinarily low cost. The first payment arrived on March 1 1966, and the legendary DFV engine was born. In Jim Clark's hands it was a success on its first appearance in Holland in 1967.

The rest is history. :old:

September 12, 1918

Cannonball Baker Completes Longest Tour

Cannonball Baker, born Erwin G. Baker, discovered his special talent soon after buying his 1st motorcycle--he was capable of exceptional stamina & endurance on the road. His lean frame sat naturally atop his Indian V-twin, & his toughened stance & leather riding trousers seemed to announce to the world that he was ready to outride all challengers. Made a celebrity by his 3,379-mile cross-country motorcycle trek, "Cannonball" became a symbol of the American motorcycle rider, synonymous w/wild cross-country journeys. His fame led to other tours & promotional trips, & he completed his most extensive tour on this day--a 17,000 mile, 77-day trip around the United States to all 48 state capitals--yet another testament to his legendary endurance.

:tumble:

September 21

1945 - Henry Ford II Ascends to the Throne

Henry Ford II, grandson & namesake of Henry Ford, succeeded his father as president of FoMoCo on this day, inheriting a company that was losing money at the rate of several million dollars a month. After recovering from the shock of his father's unexpected death, Henry Ford II was effectively given a crash course in management, but fortunately for the company, he turned out to have the magic touch. He quickly set about reorganizing & modernizing FoMoCo, firing the powerful Personnel Chief Harry Bennett, whose strong-arm tactics & anti-union stance had made Ford notorious for its bad labor relations. He also brought in new talent, including a group of former USAF intelligence officers, among them Robert McNamara, who became known as the "Whiz Kids." During his tenure as president, Henry Ford II nursed FoMoCo back to health, greatly expanding its international operations & introducing 2 classic models, the Mustang & the Thunderbird.

************************************************

1959 - No-name Plymouth Produced in Michigan

The 1st Plymouth Valiant was produced on this day at a plant in Hamtramck (MI), altho it was not known by that name until '61. Originally code named "Falcon" after the '55 Chrysler Falcon, plans for the new model went awry when the Chrysler marketing team found out at the last minute that Ford had already registered the name "Falcon" for its compact car. The news resulted in a wild scramble, for the logo castings had already been made & marketing plans finalized. A company-wide contest was held for a new name, & "Valiant" emerged the winner. However, there was no time to make new logo castings, so the car was simply introduced as the Valiant, featuring only a mylar sticker on the engine for identification. It wasn't until '61 that the Valiant became the Plymouth Valiant, new logo castings & all.

:tumble: . . :old:

23 SEP 72

The famous Crystal Palace racing circuit in London, England, was closed by the Greater London Council on this day, ending a 45-year racing tradition. The closing had been announced a few weeks before the beginning of the 1972 season, prompted by noise complaints & safety concerns. During its long history, the Crystal Palace circuit had hosted everything from the 1st televised auto race to a few demonstration laps by Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Originally a twisting road course at Anerley Hill, Sydenham, South London, the RAC ruled that the infield was too tight, & the infield was bypassed on reopening after the war. Only a limited # of races could be held due to the proximity of houses, & eventually noise protests & safety concerns forced the Greater London Council to close it on 9/23/1972.

Crystal Palace circuit was a motor racing circuit in the Crystal Palace Park, London, England. The outline of the track can still be seen on maps providing access to the Crystal Palace National Sports Center that is also located in the park.

History

The circuit opened in 1927 & the 1st race, for motorcycles, was on 5/21/1927. The circuit was 1-mile long, & ran on pre-existing paths thru the park, including a loop past the lake. The surface had tarmac-covered bends, but the straights only had hard-packed gravel.

Improvements begun in December 1936 increased the circuit to 2 miles, & tarmac-covered the entire length. 20 cars entered the 1st London G/P on 7/17/1937, a race eventually won by Prince Bira in his ERA R2B Romulus at an average speed of 56.5 mph. Later that year, during the International Imperial Trophy meeting also won by Bira, the BBC broadcast the 1st ever televised motor racing.

With the outbreak of WW II, the park was taken over by the Ministry of Defence, & it would not be until 1953 that race meetings could take place again. The circuit had been reduced in length to 1.39 miles, bypassing the loop past the lake, & pressure from the local residents reduced motor sport in the park to 5 days a year. A variety of races took place at the circuit including sports cars, F3, the London Trophy for F2, & even non-championship F1 races.

Average speeds continued to rise over the years, w/the 1st 100 mph lap average set in 1970 by that year's F1 world champion, Jochen Rindt. Also in 1970, the injunction limiting race days expired & racing was increased to 14 days a year. However, driver safety was coming into focus in the early '70s & it became clear that racing around a park at 100 mph was not safe. Expensive improvements were undertaken, but it was not enough to save the circuit. The last International meeting was in May 1972, the final lap record going to Mike Hailwood at an average speed of 103.39 mph. The final meeting was held on 9/23/1972, but club events continued until '74.

:o . . :Shrug: . . . :chflag:

19 OCT 1982

UK Government closes down DeLorean

John Zachary DeLorean was born 1/6/1925, in Detroit (MI), & grew up in a working-class Detroit neighborhood. As a young engineer, he worked for the Packard Motor Company & then moved to GM, where he was credited w/developing the Pontiac GTO, the 1st “muscle car.” DeLorean quickly moved up the ranks at GM, becoming the youngest GM of the Pontiac division & then several years later, the youngest head of Chevrolet. He became known as an innovative corporate maverick who lived a flashy, jet-set lifestyle. In '73, he resigned from GM & eventually formed his own company. With a significant investment from the British government, as well as celebrity investors such as Johnny Carson & Sammy Davis, Jr., DeLorean opened a factory in Dunmurry, Ireland, that in '81 began making his dream sports car. Known as the DMC-12, the car had gull-wing doors that opened upward & carried a then-expensive price tag of $25,000. However, the company ran into financial trouble & on 10/19/1982, the British government announced the plant would be shut down. That same day, DeLorean was arrested on drug trafficking charges in L.A. (CA). 3 months earlier, DeLorean was approached by a former drug smuggler turned paid FBI informant & the 2 men engaged in a series of discussions about a deal involving cocaine smuggling & money laundering that would potentially save DeLorean’s company. At his highly publicized trial in L.A., DeLorean maintained he had been set up by the government & a jury acquitted him on 8/16/1984.

An estimated 9,000 DeLoreans were produced before the Dunmurry plant closed. The DMC-12 got a huge publicity boost starting in '85 when it was featured as a time-travel machine in the Back to the Future films starring Michael J. Fox. Today, the car has an avid community of collectors.

In '99, John DeLorean filed for bankruptcy & was forced to sell his NJ estate. He died on 3/19/2005, at age 80, following a stroke. :o

One of the stand out features of the DeLorean, if I recall correctly, was that the body was made out of stainless steel.

One of the stand out features of the DeLorean, if I recall correctly, was that the body was made out of stainless steel.
Correct. That was part of what made it unprofitable. It also led to a lot of inconveience as it was quite attractive when new. However, passers-by could not resist touching it and although it was `stainless', many cars suffered from non-removeable fingerprints and handprints. Unmolested, the bodies would last forever.

A company in Texas has apparently purchased the name and remaining inventory and is attempting to re-manufacture the cars. There were also long term issues with the chassis/frame.

If I can find the link, I will post it here. :Shrug:

The Stainless Steel car (http://www.alleghenyludlum.com/pages/companyinfo/stainlesscars.asp). :brm:

Correct. That was part of what made it unprofitable. It also led to a lot of inconveience as it was quite attractive when new. However, passers-by could not resist touching it and although it was `stainless', many cars suffered from non-removeable fingerprints and handprints. Unmolested, the bodies would last forever.

A company in Texas has apparently purchased the name and remaining inventory and is attempting to re-manufacture the cars. There were also long term issues with the chassis/frame.

If I can find the link, I will post it here. :Shrug:

I believe later production ones had a clear coating of some kind to deal with this.

I see a DeLoren probably once a week on my daily commute, which amuses me. I would guess that the small amount of recognition it garners is not as a DeLoren but as a 'Back to the Future' car, although the daily driver I see lacks the Flux Capacitor.

robero

Spyker dates back to 1880 when Jacobus and Hendrik-Jan Spijker set up a coach-building business. They built their first cars in 1898 and were involved in competition from an early stage. The original company went bankrupt after Hendrik-Jan Spijker drowned in a shipwreck in 1907 but the name lived on until 1929 when a series of attempts to revive the business failed.
Spyker was not revived again until 1999 when businessman Victor Muller, who had made money in shipping and fashion, set up a new Spyker with engineer Maarten de Bruijn. The company has been building up gradually since then and was listed on the Amsterdam Euronext Exchange in 2004. In November 2005 Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Development Company acquired 17% of the firm and since then Spyker has expanded its range of models and its involvement in sport with the factory team, known as the Spyker Squadron entering two Spyker C8 Spyders at Sebring and Le Mans.

Mubadala owns five percent of Ferrari and is involved in a partnership with the Italian sports car company to develop a Ferrari theme park in Abu Dhabi.

Spyker is a very small car company but it is growing fast. In 2005 it made a total of just 48 cars. That was three times the figure of 2004 and it is expected that the firm would make more than 100 in 2006. The company had sales of $6.8m in 2005, up from $5m in 2004. The company made a loss of $6.6m in 2004 but thar was reduced to just $3.7m last year. New money arrived from investors which enabled the development of new models and an increase in staff from 60 people in 2004 to 91 in 2005 and by the end of that year the firm had 27 dealers around the world. The company sells 40% of the cars in America, 27% in Europe but only 14% in both the Middle East and in China.

:brm:

November 13, 1916
E. L. Cord's 1st racing victory

Errett Lobban Cord, the genius behind the Auburn, Cord & Duesenberg family of automobiles, 1st became involved w/automobiles as a racing car mechanic & driver. On this day, the 20-year-old Cord won his 1st motor race in Arizona. Cord, driving a Paige vehicle designed by Harry Jewett, won the 275-mile race from Douglas (AZ) to Phoenix (AZ). From his racing beginnings, Cord moved into automobile sales, & in 1924 came to Auburn (IN) to save the faltering Auburn Automobile Company. Cord, a brilliant salesman, rapidly pulled the company out of debt by clearing out hundreds of stockpiled Auburn vehicles & excess parts, & was subsequently named the VP & GM at Auburn. Under Cord's guidance, the Auburn line was entirely refashioned, & the new Auburns were known as some of the most luxurious & fashionable cars on the road. In 1926, Cord acquired the expert design skills of Fred Duesenberg, & in 1928, the Duesenberg Model J, one of the finest automobiles ever made, was introduced to the public. To make the family complete, the Auburn plant introduced the Cord L-29 in 1929, which was America's 1st successful FWD car. The Auburn, Cord & Duesenberg automobiles that sold so well in the roaring '20s also proved surprisingly resilient during the early years of the Depression, but by 1937, America's hard times were too much even for E. L. Cord, & manufacturing ceased as his entire corporation was sold.

November 13, 1940

1940 Willys-Overland completes original Jeep prototype

In 1939, the U.S. Army asked America's automobile manufacturers to submit designs for a simple & versatile military vehicle. It would be two full years before the official U.S. declaration of war, but military officials, who knew this declaration to be inevitable, recognized the need for an innovative troop-transport vehicle for the global battlefields of WW II. The American Bantam Car Company, a small car manufacturer, submitted the 1st design approved by the army, but the production contract was ultimately given to Willys-Overland, a company that had a larger production capability & offered a lower bid. The Willys Jeep, as it would become known during the war, was similar to the Bantam design, & featured 4WD, an open-air cab, & a rifle rack mounted under the windshield. On this day, the 1st Willys-Overland Jeep prototype was completed, & submitted to the U.S. Army for approval. One year later, w/the U.S. declaration of war, mass production of the Willys-Overland Jeep began. By the war's end in 1945, some 600,000 Jeeps had rolled off the assembly lines & onto the battlefields of Asia, Africa & Europe. The efficient & sturdy 4WD Jeep became a symbol of the American war effort -- no obstacle could stop its advance. Somewhere along the line the vehicle acquired the name "Jeep," likely evolving from the initials G.P. for "general purchase" vehicle, & the nickname stuck. In 1945, Willys-Overland introduced the 1st civilian Jeep vehicle, the CJ-2A -- the forefather of today's SUVs.

:tumble: . . . :old:

Aston Martin sold 4500 cars in 2005 which put it on a par with Ferrari. The company has a sporty image but has not invested anything like the same in the sport as Ferrari, mainly because the money has not been available. The sporting tradition goes back to the very beginning of the firm in 1913 when car dealers Robert Bamford and Lionel Martin decided to build their own cars and fitted a Coventry Simplex engine into an Isotta Fraschini chassis, calling their creation an Aston Martin, the Aston tag coming from a famous hillclimb up the Chiltern hills near the village of Aston Clinton in Buckinghamshire. They found support from Count Louis Zborowski, a wealthy British-based racing driver and in 1922 the company began entering races, taking a team to the Grand Prix de l'ACF in Strasbourg. After Zborowski was killed in 1924 the company ran into trouble and went out of business, to be revived by Augustus Bertelli who kept the firm going until it was sold to R G Sutherland in 1932.

It was only after the Second World War that Aston Martin's reputation really began to flourish, following the purchase of the business by David Brown and the merger with Lagonda that followed. The company entered and won the Spa 24 Hours in 1948 and throughout the 1950s Aston Martin would battle for victory at Le Mans, although that was not achieved until 1959 when the firm scored a dominant 1-2. That year Brown decided to enter Grand Prix racing but the car was front-engined and was obsolete when it appeared. The cars were redesigned for 1960 but performance did not improve much and the team left F1 at the end of 1961.

Aston Martin struggled in the 1970s and had several owners in the course of the next 15 years and while there were several sports car programs, the company steered clear of the F1 world.

:brm: