Did you know? a bit of automotive trivia.

[carson]

For old timers only.

Somewhat Obscure Automotive Trivia

1769 - Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot built a steam-powered, three-wheeled wagon for the French Army.

1792 - The first private toll road, or turnpike, was chartered in Pennsylvania. It opened in
1794, connecting Philadelphia and Lancaster.

1886 - Karl Benz received the first patent for a gasoline-powered car.

1896 - The first production motor vehicle in the U.S. was introduced -- The Duryea.

1897 - Travelers Insurance of Hartford, Connecticut issued the first auto insurance policy to a Westfield, Massachusetts mechanic who had built his own one-cylinder car.

1906 - A steam-powered car reached 127 MPH, breaking the Land Speed Record. Although vehicles with other power sources went faster as early as 1910, no steam-powered vehicle surpassed that mark until 2009.

1930 - The first car radio was marketed by the company that would become Motorola. It cost a whopping $110 plus installation (A new car sold for about $650).

1963 - Seat belts first offered as standard equipment.

Live 'n learn..

carson fL

 

 

[RoyM]

That is interesting. Apparently Ford offered seat belts in the mid 50's as a safety feature but few buyers were interested.

[DonTom]

1930 - The first car radio was marketed by the company that would become Motorola. It cost a whopping $110 plus installation (A new car sold for about $650).

In the late 1970, where I still work in San Francisco, a retired radio technician used to come and visit us. He told us that he installed a radio in his car long before any company would do such. He said it really impressed everybody everywhere he went for many years. He explained how he did it, but I forgot all the details on how he got his tube plate voltage and etc. I guess this was even before any radios had a vibrator.

 

For old timers only.

I still remember the tube type 80 rectifiers in home radios and the 0Z4 tube in car radios.    Do I qualify?

-Don- Reno, NV

[hljantz]

For old timers only.

...and we used to wire in filiament voltage and replace the OZ4 with a 6X5?  If I'm remembering that correctly I have to wonder why the hard drive in my head has room to store such worthless old information and still claims it doesn't the capacity to tell me what it is that I went out to the garage to get and why I'm staring at the work bench.

Herm

[JNewkirk77]

I don't consider myself an "old timer" (I'm 32), but as a student of auto history, I know a little more about the seat belt part of the trivia.

Nash was the first U.S. automaker to introduce seat belts as an option in 1949.  They weren't advertised as a safety feature; instead, they were meant to hold a sleeping passenger in place while driving!

Ford and Studebaker joined in with optional front seat belts in 1956, but people didn't take to them.  And it wasn't like they were all that safe anyway ... the outer halves of the belts were attached to the doors!  Door pops open in an accident -- instant ejection.

Studebaker was the first, however, to make front belts standard -- lap belts, not at all dissimilar to what I've got in my rig -- on their cars built after February 1, 1963.  Buyers could delete them, however, for a $15 credit.

[Chet18013]

The 56 FORD also had a collapsible steering wheel and plates on the door latches. The steering wheel was supposed to adsorb the driver's forward motion and prevent chest injuries and the plates were designed to prevent the doors from popping open in a crash.  

[JNewkirk77]

The 56 FORD also had a collapsible steering wheel and plates on the door latches. The steering wheel was supposed to adsorb the driver's forward motion and prevent chest injuries and the plates were designed to prevent the doors from popping open in a crash.  

Studebaker introduced improved door latches in '56 as well, but I'm not sure how they would compare to Ford's.  One thing I do know is that they were MUCH better than what Studebaker started using in '53 ... those, according to my grandfather (who owned one), would pop open if you went over a speed bump the wrong way!  Somewhere online there are pictures of a crash test that Studebaker performed in '53 or '54 that show the difference in how those latches performed versus the new ones.

[carson]

Now that we are on old cars, here is a question.

   I was gainfully employed in 1952/53 as a car washer and a parking lot attendant . Every car was parked by us in a confined indoor garage. Maybe a hundred cars. Lotsa celebrities because we were next door to a private club..lotsa booze, in those days.

  My question: Anyone remember the British Vauxhall?  It is the only car that I remember when one stepped sharply on the brakes, the front end of the car went up. Normally in all other cars the front end dipped sharply. I never did find out how they did that. Weird....Anyone know?

carson FL



   

[Hfx_Cdn]

     Carson, in the 60's GM imported several Vauxhall models into Canada and sold them as Chevys or Pontiacs.  My wife had one, a Pontiac Epic, I don't remember it lifting in the front when braked, and that was back in my rallying days when I drove a Morris Mini.  Also, one of my best friends had an old Vauxhall when we were in high school, and it really was a "rolls can'ardly"  that is rolls down the hill but can hardly make it up the next, we were just happy when the brakes worked.   

[carson]

Hi Ed,, The Vauxhall I was talking about was from the late 40's early 50's. I don't think GM was involved at the time. Purely imports from Britain. It feels like yesterday when I stepped on the brakes. 

I also worked on the Hillman, Standard Vanguard, Prefect, Morgan, etc.

See a typical pix below of a 1949 Vauxhall

carson

[RoyM]

  I had one of that model only mine was beige. Horribly underpowered and most bicycles had better brakes. It would never go fast enough to worry about whether the nose would rise or drop.

[KodiakRV]

My father was a textile chemist who worked for a company that dyed the seat belt material back in the beginning.  The company subsidized their employees installing seat belts in their cars, so we had them in our '56 Desoto and '60 Falcon back around 1961 before they became standard equipment in new cars.  Just a plain lap belt back then, of course -- no shoulder harness.

[JNewkirk77]

My father was a textile chemist who worked for a company that dyed the seat belt material back in the beginning.  The company subsidized their employees installing seat belts in their cars, so we had them in our '56 Desoto and '60 Falcon back around 1961 before they became standard equipment in new cars.  Just a plain lap belt back then, of course -- no shoulder harness.

The first shoulder harness I ever had experience with was in my Dad's '71 Duster.  Back then, as I recall, they were a separate unit from the lap belts, and a solid gold pain in the butt to use, which explains why when one finds an early '70s car today with low mileage, it's not uncommon to see them in nearly perfect, unused condition!

Anyone have any reminiscences (fond or otherwise) of the '74 interlock system??? 

[Trailer Park Casanova]

GM invented the Cat converter,, SAAB invented the 02 sensor.
Those two started the past performance car and truck revolution.

[Mike and Paula]

GM invented the Cat converter,, SAAB invented the 02 sensor.
Those two started the past performance car and truck revolution.

1976 Bosch invented the oxygen sensor ( http://rb-aa.bosch.com/boaa-sg/Category.jsp?ccat_id=21&language=en-GB&publication=1)
A group of guys I think fron Corning Glass invented the cat but GM the first to use it

the four-stroke engine patented by Eugenio Barsanti and Felice Matteucci in 1854
Nicolaus Otto was the first build a functioning four-stroke engine

[Jim Godward]

Here is some more trivia for you.

Ernest Godward
 The Petrol Economiser
In 1908 Godward started a motorcycle business in Invercargill, fitting the imported bikes with his own invention - a petrol economiser.
The economiser, known commercially as either the Godward Gas Generator or the Eclipse Petrol Economiser, was a generator placed between the carburettor and engine to produce a perfect petrol gas which did not condense, unlike the usual atomised spray. It was a close and important forerunner to the modern carburettor.
 
 
 The 'Godward Gas Generator'
From Kiwi Ingenuity, A Book of New Zealand Ideas and
Inventors by Bob Riley
 
 
 The economiser used petrol more efficiently than other engines at the time, achieving 36.3 miles per gallon. 

[Mark R.]

My 1930 Ford  (AA) has a  factory safety glass windshield and three point inertia seat belts (OK I added the belts). It is fun to drive but no radio's in 1930, no heat, no AC, in fact the doors were even optional!

[mphy98]

I remember a friend of mine had a study lark and it had reclining seats!!!!!!!!!!!!  That was great for the outdoor and girlfriends 

[RoyM]

I had a Lark too, big heavy clunker with an underpowered flat 6. Built like a tank with lots of of room for a testosterone charged kid.

[JNewkirk77]

I was born well after Studebaker had "split the scene," so to speak, but I've always dreamed of owning a Lark, maybe even a Hawk.  There's a '61 Lark convertible -- with the six -- not far from us for sale, and yes, I am tempted.  However, the boss has said that unless it merits her approval, I'll be living in it if I drag it home! 

Might be worth it ... 

[Mark R.]

Some Larks had 327 Cube V8s. I like your attitude!

[Luca1369]

I had a Lark too, big heavy clunker with an underpowered flat 6. Built like a tank with lots of of room for a testosterone charged kid.

You guys are bringing back memories, I learned to drive in my mom's Lark.

[carson]

Anyone remember the "Starlight Coupe" 1950 Studebaker?

[Ned]

Looks like my first car, a 1952 Studebaker coupe.  The yellow paint on mine wasn't as bright, however.

[carson]

Here I go again,  showing my age....

  In the 1950's I was an aspirant young fellow wanting to get into the automotive field.

I applied at the biggest Cadillac dealer for a job; no way.

  I did get a job at a well-heeled dealership in my town. Entry-job? Yes, grease monkey and watching the old-timer mechanics. Finally worked up to doing minor repairs on 40 and 50's era cars.

  This post is again for old-timers: There were no alternators for charging batteries in those days. Generators, with commutators and carbon brushes seemed to be a constant problem.

   What they did in those days was to attempt to clean those parts with a simple spray of "PYRENE". Anyone remember those days?
  Pyrene was actually a fire-extinguisher fluid in a pump can. Now-a-days, according to Google, it is a highly carcinogenic product. I am glad I survived that era.

   To date, I have only had one cancer operation on my right forearm, wonder if I can claim for damages from my now defunct past employer?   

Good luck carson.

carson FL

[Mark R.]

Carson I just bought a fire extinguisher for my 1930 Model AA ford and yes it is a PYRENE extinguisher,  I understand they worked well, sorta like  HALON , chemical gas that leaves no trace, and yes the thing is still full. Hope not to use it.

In my early days we used trifloromathane for cleaning parts(I THINK) WASHED OUR HANDS WITH IT EVERY DAY, THEN WE WERE TOLD TO NEVER USE IT AND NEVER LET IT TOUCH YOU, CARCINOGEN.

[Jim Godward]

Carson I just bought a fire extinguisher for my 1930 Model AA ford and yes it is a PYRENE extinguisher,  I understand they worked well, sorta like  HALON , chemical gas that leaves no trace, and yes the thing is still full. Hope not to use it.

Mark,

I suspect the fluid in your fire extinguisher is really carbon tetrachloride and if so when you use it, it will put out the fire but will leave a very toxic gas and possibly some corrosive salts.  Do not use it under any condition, add a modern fire extinguisher someplace and only use it if needed.  Forget about the Pyrene one and never use it.  Even better have the fluid removed at a HAZMAT site and disposed of as it is bad stuff.

[Mark R.]

Carson I bought it for looks only, will install on my antique truck, the real extinguisher is in the truck. To use the old unit you actually use the handle to punch a hole it its metal seal, I guess that is why it is still full, metal sealed.