1922 – Swallow Sidecar Company Is Formed in Blackpool
William Lyons and William Walmsley signed their partnership papers in Blackpool and opened the Swallow Sidecar Company on September 4, 1922 — a small coachbuilding concern that would, through rebadging and reinvention, grow into the car marque we now know as Jaguar. The pair began by attaching stylish, wood-framed sidecars to motorcycles and quickly moved into custom coachwork for standard cars, blending disciplined craftsmanship with eye-catching lines aimed at buyers who wanted more than factory bodies. That emphasis on hand-finished elegance and a knack for coachbuilt conversions set the design ethos that carried forward into Swallow’s later coachbuilding, Swallow coachbuilding’s automobile production, and eventually the Jaguar nameplate.
1950 – Johnny Mantz Wins NASCAR’s First 500 Mile Race at Darlington
A grueling new test for stock cars debuted at Darlington Raceway on September 4, 1950: the Southern 500, NASCAR’s first 500‑mile event. Seventy‑five entries tackled the then‑novel distance on Darlington’s egg‑shaped oval, and it was Johnny Mantz, piloting a specially prepared Plymouth and leveraging his experience with tires and long runs, who emerged victorious. The race cemented Darlington’s reputation as a demanding superspeedway—its unusual turns and abrasive surface punished both drivers and equipment—and established the Labor Day weekend slot that would become a cornerstone of NASCAR’s seasonal rhythm.
1957 – ‘E‑Day’: The Edsel Rolls Out to Dealerships
Dealers opened their showrooms to a new badge on September 4, 1957 — the day Ford’s much‑publicized Edsel line was put on sale in what the company called “E‑Day.” After a late‑August press reveal and an advertising blitz, prospective buyers could finally sit in the 1958 Edsel models, which ranged across the anticipated Edsel range and showcased distinctive styling details aimed to set the nameplate apart. The rollout was staged nationwide, with local papers listing dealership openings and eager customers arriving to see how Ford’s new marque would fit into the booming late‑1950s American market.
1980 – White Motor Corporation Files for Chapter 11
On September 4, 1980, White Motor Corporation and several affiliates entered Chapter 11 reorganization in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Ohio, initiating a complex legal process that encompassed White Motor, White Motor Credit, White Farm Equipment, and related subsidiaries. The voluntary petitions flagged an industrial conglomerate in deep financial distress and set in motion extended bankruptcy proceedings and court supervision. For a company long known for heavy trucks and farm equipment, the filings represented a formal break with the firm’s independent operations and began what would be a protracted legal and financial unwinding of White’s corporate structure.
2006 – Bentley Starts Production of the Continental GTC Convertible
Bentley’s Crewe plant began serial production of the Continental GTC convertible on September 4, 2006, adding an open‑top expression to the Continental family that combined the GT’s twin‑turbo W12 power and luxury appointments with a power‑operated fabric roof. Built alongside Continental GT coupes at Crewe, the GTC aimed to deliver high‑speed grand touring in drop‑top form, with the engineering to match—the same long‑stroke W12 and sophisticated chassis tuning that gave the coupe its brisk performance. The start of production brought Bentley’s convertible flagship into showrooms for the 2007 model year and broadened the marque’s appeal to buyers seeking a luxury convertible with genuine sporting capability.
