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Author: Automotive History

March 28, 1941 – Construction begins at Ford’s Willow Run
28Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 28, 1941 – Construction begins at Ford’s Willow Run

Construction of Ford Motor Company’s WIllow Run manufacturing plant began on this day in 1941. Ford built it to manufacture aircraft for Allies involved in WWII, which the United States would join the following December.  The plant, located between Ypsilanti and Belleville, Michigan, primarily produced B-24 Liberator bombers. Once full production of the Liberator started in October of 1941 it did not stop until May of 1945. Willow Run produced more than half of all Liberators.  Ford funded the construction of the plant but sold it to the government upon completion, with a lease agreement for Ford’s manufacturing efforts. When the white flags flew, Ford declined to purchase it back, but Kaiser-Frazer was able to secure ownership. In 1953 General Motors purchased...
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CL Classic Cars – Week of March 27, 2023
27Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
Cheap Classic Cars, Videos

CL Classic Cars – Week of March 27, 2023

Whether you're in the market for a classic driver or a full blown project car, we've found something for everyone in this week's Top 5. In this video you'll find a barn find Chevy Bel Air, muscle cars and even a rare kit cars that haven't moved in many years. We want to know, what's your favorite find of the week? Tell us on Facebook or YouTube! Watch the video below and find links and more information below. 1969 Ford Torino GT for sale - This is a full blown project car featuring a big block V8 and a manual transmission. It's low starting price makes it appetizing and digestible. Find it on Craigslist near Denver for just $4,000. 1981 Zimmer for sale - Zimmer kit cars are luxury vehicles based on the Ford Mustang. Weird choice, but it worked. This one has been sitting...
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History of Popular Movie Cars: Remembering the Iconic Vehicles
27Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
Features

History of Popular Movie Cars: Remembering the Iconic Vehicles

What car would the world’s greatest spy use in his adventures? What about a legendary crime-fighter, or perhaps, a hypothetical alien race with metal biology, who use certain cars to disguise themselves and blend in with humanity. Throughout history, we have seen countless vehicles displayed on the big screens, however, only a few of them have earned the status of iconic. We remember a few of the most intriguing pieces of automotive movie history. Aston Martin DB5 Aston Martin DB5 from the James Bond film Skyfall. By DeFacto - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0 You may recognize the model from popular action/spy franchise, James Bond. The car was once deemed to be the most popular and beautiful in the world. Designed by an Italian coachbuilder Carroziera Touring Superleggera, and produce...
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March 26, 1879 – Othmar Ammann, NYC bridge designer, is born
26Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 26, 1879 – Othmar Ammann, NYC bridge designer, is born

Othmar Ammann may not be a familiar name to most, but if you live in the greater NYC area, you've likely been affected by his engineering. Born in Switzerland on this day in 1879, Ammann went on to study engineering in Zurich. By 1904 he had moved to the United States. Not long after, he earned recognition in the field of bridge design engineering for his studies of collapsed bridges. By 1925 he found himself as bridge engineer for the Port of New York. While there he submitted a design for a bridge that would span the Hudson River, as did his mentor, Gustav Lindenthal. While Lindenthal's bridge called for 16 lanes that'd accommodate cars, trains and pedestrians, the port chose Ammann's less intricate design, primarily due to costs. Above: A bust of Othmar Ammann. By Wheeler Willia...
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March 25, 1982 – Danica Patrick is born
25Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 25, 1982 – Danica Patrick is born

By Zach Catanzareti. Danica Patrick, one of the most successful woman in automotive racing, was born on this day in 1982. Patrick got her start in racing at age 10 after getting behind the wheel of a competition go-kart. She has since raced in numerous circuits, including Indy, starting in 2005, and top tier NASCAR beginning in 2013. A prominent highlight of her career is a win at the 2008 Indy Japan 300. This represents the only female win in the IndyCar Series. Patrick is also the only woman to win the pole position for a NASCAR race, which she did for the 2013 Daytona 500. Check out the video below featuring a selection of highlights from her racing career: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixEu3c02x5A
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March 24, 1999 – Mont Blanc Tunnel Fire
24Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 24, 1999 – Mont Blanc Tunnel Fire

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA The Mont Blanc Tunnel that connects Chamonix, Haute-Savoie, France with Courmayeur, Aosta Valley, Italy, via European route E25 through the Alps, was the scene of a fatal fire that took the lives of 38 people on this day in 1999. A cargo truck carrying flour and margarine caught fire while passing through the tunnel and when the driver stopped his truck to try and extinguish the flames he was quickly overwhelmed by the heat. Authorities stopped additional traffic from entering the vehicle once the emergency was reported, but as many as 10 personal vehicles and 18 trucks were stuck inside. The toxic fumes prevented people from escaping and the intense heat melted wiring, turning the tunnel into a dark, smoke-filled void that made fighting the flames nearly imp...
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March 22, 1983 – AM General wins HUMVEE contract
22Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 22, 1983 – AM General wins HUMVEE contract

In 1979, the U.S. Army drafted specifications for a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or HMMWV for short, better known as Humvee. They released them to the public in hopes of finding a company to build the new military troop transports. A total of 61 companies initially showed interest in the project, but when the deadline for prototypes hit, only three had submissions, Chrysler, Teledyne Continental and AM General. After putting more than 600,000 miles on the prototypes during testing in conditions ranging from arctic to desert, the US Armed Forces awarded AM General the government contract for 55,000 vehicles on this day in 1983.  The Humvee would first see combat during the US invasion of Panama in 1989 before seeing heavy action in the Gulf War two years later. A...
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March 21, 1923 – The one millionth Buick
21Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 21, 1923 – The one millionth Buick

Originally founded in 1899 as the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company, it became Buick Motor Company in 1903 under founder David Dunbar Buick. Growing up in Detroit, Buick developed a passion for building engines, which led to the car company with his name on it. Buick faced numerous capital challenges in its early days and the company nearly went bankrupt several times. Staring down the end of the line, Buick brought in businessman William C. Durant as a controlling investor in 1904, who became the first president of the automotive company. Durant's excellent business skills and marketing strategies helped to turn the company around. 1923 Buick Touring (not the one millionth made). By Lars-Göran Lindgren Sweden - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 Buick continued to innovate in the years th...
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Top 5 Craigslist Cars (Week of March 20, 2023) Cheap Corvette Edition
20Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
Cheap Classic Cars, Videos

Top 5 Craigslist Cars (Week of March 20, 2023) Cheap Corvette Edition

Let's face it, we all want to find that iconic car listed for dirt cheap on Craigslist or wherever else, but the hunt is tough, it's long and it's often fruitless. I'm here to tell you that the chances of finding that super sweet deal are slim, but not impossible. That said, a relatively cheap Corvette for sale is not hard to come by. While these deals aren't going to make anyone run to the bank waving their arms in the way, but they may stir some thoughts. Like, "Oh, dang, I can drive that for under $10,000?" Heck yes! The beauty of Corvettes is that they are affordable four-wheel fun. While there are some big dollar ones, many Corvettes are somewhat affordable, even in running and driving condition. Let's take a look at a few Craigslist Corvettes, all of which are equipped with ...
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March 20, 1928 – James Packard, Founder of Packard Motor Car Company, dies
20Mar By Automotive HistoryNo Comments
This Day

March 20, 1928 – James Packard, Founder of Packard Motor Car Company, dies

James Packard and his wife Elizabeth Gillmer in a Packard James Packard, co-founder of the Packard Motor Car Company, passed away on this day in 1928. At the time of his death, Packard ran with the top selling luxury brands in the world. Building such a company started with James' purchase of a Winton Automobile in 1898, changing the course of automotive history forever. Packard found himself dissatisfied with his new vehicle, which one has to admit is a bit bogus, considering the number of comparable automobiles in an existence barley reached one. Having done business with a Winton investor for his existing electrical company, Packard was able to take his complaints directly to Alexander Winton, the founder of the automaker. Winton waved off any suggestions Packard offered telling him...
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This Day in Automotive History is a transportation history, car history and general automotive history website dedicated to providing informative and entertaining content. Our goal is to enlighten our readers by producing and publishing automotive content on a wide range of topics, including famous cars, important automotive inventors and engineers and other historic automobile related events, places and people. We encourage you to share our page and connect with us on Facebook or sign up for our automotive history newsletter at the top of this page. If you have any questions about the content we publish, including our car videos and car history pictures and text and the use of them, please don’t hesitate to contact us using the below email address. On occasion we post classic cars for sale from Craigslist, Facebook and other online marketplaces. We utilize imagery from those ads in a fair use fashion. This includes barn finds for sale, muscle cars for sale, vans for sale, station wagons for sale, trucks for sale and other affordable old cars for sale. If you’d like your car featured, reach out to us!

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