1851 – Electric-Motor Pioneer Thomas Davenport Dies
American inventor Thomas Davenport died on this day in 1851, just three days before his 49th birthday. A Vermont blacksmith with little formal education, Davenport developed an early direct-current electric motor powered by batteries and received the first U.S. patent for an electric motor in 1837. He demonstrated its potential with a small electrically powered vehicle running on a circular track and envisioned motors eventually powering machinery and transportation, but the batteries of his era were too limited for widespread commercial use.
1903 – George Wyman Completes the First Motorized Transcontinental Crossing
George A. Wyman arrived in New York City on this day in 1903 after traveling approximately 3,800 miles from San Francisco aboard a 1.25-horsepower California motor bicycle. The difficult journey took about 50 days and included frequent mechanical failures, poor roads and long stretches where Wyman had to push or pedal the machine, including roughly the final 150 miles after its engine failed near Albany. His achievement made him the first person to cross the United States in a motor vehicle, finishing nearly three weeks before Horatio Nelson Jackson completed the first transcontinental automobile journey.
1958 – Juan Manuel Fangio Competes in His Final Grand Prix
Five-time Formula One World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio made his final Grand Prix start on this day in 1958 at the French Grand Prix in Reims. Driving a Maserati 250F, the 47-year-old Argentine finished fourth in the race, bringing an extraordinary Formula One career to a close after 24 victories and five championships earned with Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Mercedes-Benz and Ferrari. Fangio’s five-title record stood until Michael Schumacher surpassed it in 2003.
1961 – Renault Builds the Final 4CV
The final Renault 4CV rolled off the assembly line on this day in 1961, ending a production run that had begun shortly after World War II. The small, rear-engine automobile became the first French car to exceed one million units and ultimately reached total production of more than 1.1 million vehicles. Affordable, economical and simple to maintain, the 4CV helped put postwar France back on wheels and established Renault as a major producer of accessible family cars before being succeeded by models including the Dauphine and Renault 4.
1971 – Pontiac Produces Its 15-Millionth Automobile
Pontiac reached a major manufacturing milestone on this day in 1971 when its 15-millionth automobile was completed. The landmark vehicle was a black Grand Ville four-door hardtop, representing Pontiac’s new flagship full-size luxury line for the 1971 model year. The occasion reflected the division’s enormous growth from its introduction in 1926 through its performance-driven years under General Motors, when cars such as the Bonneville, Catalina, Grand Prix, GTO and Firebird helped give Pontiac one of the strongest identities in the American automobile industry.
