December 18, 1898 – The first automobile land speed record is set
Cover: Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat in his record setting Jeantaud. Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat of France set the first official automobile land speed record on this day in 1898 when he completed the flying kilometer in an electric Jeantaud in 57 seconds, an average speed of 63.13 km/h (39
Dusty & Rusty – 1936 Dodge Touring Sedan
Mid depression era vehicles have always been fascinating to me. At a time when the nation, and much of the world, was suffering inconceivably, many automakers never yielded in their attempt to make a statement. While people lost their jobs and their livelyhood, cars of the era were were
December 17, 1903 – The Wright Brothers’ first powered flight
On this day in 1903, at approximately 10:35 a.m., Wilbur Wright watched as his brother Orville Wright took off from the beaches outside Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, marking the first time a powered, heavier-than-air machine would achieve controlled, sustained flight with a pilot aboard. While the first flight lasted
December 16, 1949 – Saab’s first car
Saab’s first production passenger car, the 92, began rolling out of the Trollhättan Assembly plant on this day in 1949, four days after the line started to move. Originally an airplane manufacturer, Saab began its automotive branch in 1945 when engineers initiated work on a prototype, known as the
December 15, 1969 – The last Plymouth Superbird
The story of the Plymouth Superbird is fairly well-known, so we won’t get into heavy details. But in brief, it was designed and introduced following the on-track success of its older sibling, the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, so that Plymouth could race its own highly engineered winged car in
December 14, 1909 – The last brick is laid at Indy
The original track surface at Indianapolis Motor Speedway was a cruel mixture of limestone, gravel, tar and oil. The resulting plane was so rough it shredded nearly all of the tires of the motorcycles that took to it on opening day, bringing competition to a halt. Before races resumed
December 13, 2003 – Historic Hat n’ Boots gas station is saved
Cover: Hat n’ Boots during operation. A publicity phenomena took over American highways and byways in the 1950s as gas stations became more than a place to refuel your car. Roadside attractions were lit with neon and often included outstanding feats of architecture or featured novelties such as huge
December 12, 2000 – GM announces end of Oldsmobile
At the time Oldsmobile closed its doors in 2004 it was the oldest surviving American car brand at 107 years old. It was a fate that was first announced on this day in the year 2000 when General Motors (GM) stated its plans to phase out Oldsmobile, a brand