October 22, 1936 – The first VW test drive
It was on this day in 1936 that the Volkswagen Type 1 prototype was taken out for its first test drive. The car, proposed, designed and engineered by Ferdinand Porsche and his team under contract of Adolf Hitler’s Nazi party, was labeled Volkswagen, which translates in German to “People’s
October 21, 1897 – The oldest existing US automaker is founded
The oldest existing automotive manufacturer in the Western Hemisphere was founded on this day in 1897. Louis Clark recruited his brothers John and James, his father Charles, and friend William Morgan to help him start the Pittsburg Motor Vehicle Company. Two years later the company moved from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October 20, 1902 – The first Cadillac is completed, maybe…
According to the book “Henry Leland – Master of Precision,” the assembly of the first Cadillac was completed on this day in 1902. However, this date is disputed. Another source points to October 17, and one account states car number 3 was built on October 16. So, on, or
October 19, 1987 – A controversial Grand Prix winner dies
German racer Hermann Lang was a promising 30 year old Mercedes driver in 1939 when World War II broke out as Germany invaded Poland, an event that may have handed him a championship trophy. The hostile action took place just two weeks after the 1939 AIACR European Drivers’ Championship
Dusty & Rusty – 1949 Chevrolet 3100
As the world healed from World War II, American automotive factories refocused production from military to civilian for the first time since early 1942. While many automakers wouldn’t offer a brand new design for the sedans and coupes until 1949, four years after the war ended, Chevrolet was an
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October 18, 1934 – Oscar H. Banker patents the automatic transmission
Oscar H. Banker, an Armenian-American inventor born in 1895, filed for a patent for a new type of automatic transmission on this day in 1934. The automatic transmission wasn’t a new idea at the time, but it had hardly been perfected. It was that same year, 1934, that General
Dusty & Rusty – 1968 Ford Mustang J Code
If you caught the earlier post about today being the anniversary of the release of Bullitt, then you’ll have extra appreciation for this 1968 Ford Mustang fastback that could be the base of your Bullitt tribute car. Midway through 1968 Ford replaced the 289 with a 302, which resulted