Special thanks to the History Channel
and other web sites dedicated to the history of different forgotten parts of the history of the automobile
My own comments in Italics...not the views of the History Channel

Nothing Funny about this...

Milwaukee Mile opens

The oldest major speedway in the world, the Milwaukee Mile, opened today as a permanent fixture in the Wisconsin State Fair Park. The circuit had actually been around since the 1870s as a horseracing track, but the proliferation of the automobile brought a new era to the Milwaukee Mile. However, the horses stuck around until 1954, sharing the track with the automobiles until the mile oval was finally paved. At one point, the horses and autos also had to make room for professional football. The Green Bay Packers played in the track's infield for almost 10 years during the 1930s, winning the National Football League Championship there in 1939.

Often called the "war of the machines," World War I marked the beginning of a new kind of warfare, fought with steel and shrapnel. Automotive manufacturers led the way in this new technology of war, producing engines for planes, building tanks, and manufacturing military vehicles. Packard was at the forefront of these efforts, being among the first American companies to completely cease civilian car production. Packard had already been the largest producer of trucks for the Allies, but the company began devoting all of its facilities to war production on this day, just a few months before the end of the war. Even after Packard resumed production of civilian vehicles, its wartime engines appeared in a number of vehicles, from racing cars and boats to British tanks in the next world war.

September 11, 1970

The Ford Pinto was introduced on this day at a cost of less than $2,000, designed to compete with an influx of compact imports. But it was not the Pinto's low cost that grabbed headlines. Ford's new best-selling compact contained a fatal design flaw: because of the placement of the gas tank, the tank was likely to rupture and explode when the car was involved in a rear end collision of over 20mph. In addition, it was eventually revealed that Ford knew about the design flaw before the Pinto was released. An internal cost-benefit analysis prepared by Ford calculated that it would take $11 per car to correct the flaw at a total cost of $137 million for the company. When compared to the lowly estimate of $49.5 million in potential lawsuits from the mistake, the report deemed it "inefficient" to go ahead with the correction. The infamous report assigned a value of $200,000 for each death predicted to result from the flaw. Ford's irresponsibility caused a public uproar, and it 1978, a California jury awarded a record-breaking $128 million to a claimant in the Ford Pinto case.

They called it the Coast-to-Coast Rock Highway--3,000 and some miles of graveled road that would stretch from New York to San Francisco. Carl G. Fisher and James A. Allison announced their vision to the world on this day, a plan for America's first transcontinental highway. The new highway was to be finished in time for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco at a cost of a mere $10,000,000, collected from private sources. However, Fisher and Allison's plan began to go awry when they failed to win Henry Ford's support for the project, putting their fund-raising efforts in jeopardy. Henry Joy, president of Packard and a supporter of the highway project, came up with the idea of naming the road after Abraham Lincoln--an idea that would garner $1.7 million in federal funds for the project. The highway was eventually completed as a memorial to Abraham Lincoln, paved in concrete rather than gravel, and christened the Lincoln Highway. It was to become an American icon, the predecessor to Route 66.

Cannonball Baker, born Erwin G. Baker, discovered his special talent soon after buying his first motorcycle--he was capable of exceptional stamina and endurance on the road. His lean frame sat naturally atop his Indian V-twin, and his toughened stance and leather riding trousers seemed to announce to the world that he was ready to outride all challengers. Made a celebrity by his 3,379-mile cross-country motorcycle trek, "Cannonball" became a symbol of the American motorcycle rider, synonymous with wild cross-country journeys. His fame led to other tours and promotional trips, and he completed his most extensive tour on this day--a 17,000 mile, 77-day trip to all 48 state capitals--yet another testament to his legendary endurance.

He was just looking for a clean restroom...no easy feat in early years and almost impossible today!!!

Ford and Nissan announced plans to design and build a new minivan together in the hope of cashing in on an expanding market. The announcement came during the heyday of the minivan craze, when Dodge Caravans dotted the highways and station wagons became a thing of the past. Instantly popular, the spacious minivan replaced the wagon as the family car of choice, putting the old wood-paneled Country Squires to shame. But with the rise of the sport utility vehicle in the '90s, the minivan also began to fade.

The much maligned MummyVan has been replaced by...Station Wagons...big tall 4wheel drive station wagons that replace the poor gas mileage of the mini vanc with even worse gas mileage...I think we are starting to drive across history in reverse (see above story.)

At a time when driving across country was akin to climbing Mt. Everest, Lester L. Whitman and Eugene I. Hammond completed their coast-to-coast expedition on this day to national acclaim. Whitman and Hammond's journey, the third trans-U.S. automobile trip in history, contained a small detour, however. The two drivers decided to include a side trip from Windsor to Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada, in order to dub their trek "international."

Sir Malcolm Campbell set yet another speed record on this day, reaching 76.27mph over a half mile. His thirst for speed developed early in life, and he won three gold medals in the London-Edinburgh motorcycle trials as a young man, before developing an interest in airplanes. Campbell later became intrigued by automobile racing, gaining fame through his 30-year domination of the land-speed trials. He set six new land-speed records in various types of vehicles, all christened Blue Bird by Campbell. After he broke the 300mph barrier at age 50, he turned to boat racing and broke several water-speed records. Campbell's racing magic proved to be genetic; his son, Donald, was the first person to set land and water speed records in the same year.

In 1985, a car that had evolved from a first-class chassis was introduced in the form of the Bentley Turbo R. Superior suspension for road handling, firmer shock absorbers, and crisper steering were meant to entice sporting motorists--just in case the Turbo R's top speeds were not enough. Still, Bentley's turbo-charged model needed nothing but speed on this day, breaking 16 records for speed and endurance at the Millbrook, Bedfordshire, high-speed circuit in England.

Mr. and Mrs. Charles Glidden completed the first crossing of the Canadian Rockies by automobile on this day, arriving exhausted from their 3,536-mile trip. The couple had driven from Boston, Massachusetts, to Vancouver, Canada, in their 24hp Napier.

The Ford Motor Company produced its 2,000,000th V-8 engine on this day, 23 years after the first Ford V-8 was manufactured. The popularity of the V-8 engine began in the late 1940s, when the engines of the time failed to satisfy the industry trend toward increased horsepower, experiencing vibration and size problems at the high pressures that accompany high horsepower. Engineers began developing a stiff, V-shaped configuration to combat the new problems, and the V-8 became the preferred choice for auto manufacturers. Trends began to reverse somewhat during the late 1960s with the advent of smaller cars, and four and six cylinder engines began to gain on the popularity of the V-8.

Since its conception in 1926, Route 66 has permeated every aspect of American culture, from literature to gas station architecture. One of its most beloved manifestations, the TV show Route 66, rode into the sunset on this day, bringing an end to the roadside adventures of Buz and Tod in Tod's Corvette. But it also brought an end to an era. Immortalized in Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath as the "Mother Road," Route 66 was a symbol of opportunity, serving as an escape route from the misery of the Depression-era Dust Bowl. Its two lanes wove in and out of Middle America, connecting hundreds of rural communities to the great cities of Chicago and Los Angeles. And above all, it symbolized the open road and Americana, complete with autocamps, motels, and roadside attractions. By 1970, nearly all segments of the original Route 66 were replaced by a modern four-lane highway, and the revived Route 66 TV show of 1993 lasted less than a season. America's love affair with the "Mother Road" had come to an end.

Birth of a ratings man

Dr. Graham Edgar, developer of the octane rating system, was born in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on this day. Although he may not be a household name, evidence of Edgar's work lines every highway in America. His rating system measures a fuel's ability to resist any form of abnormal combustion, in other words, its ability to burn cleanly. Eighty-eight and 90 are the normal ratings for everyday unleaded gasoline, while racing gasoline will often have a rating as high as 115. Almost every gas pump in America sports an octane rating sticker.

The Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah have been the site of dozens of world speed records, but Ab Jenkins set a new kind of record in Bonneville today. Jenkins completed the first 24-hour solo run, driving 2,710 miles nonstop in a single day. His stock Pierce Arrow V-12 averaged 112.94mph.

Wary of the unpopularity of "German-sounding" names after World War I, August Beuck began using the name Buick rather than Beuck for the first time when he christened the new post office in his Colorado hometown. The new name of the General Motors (GM) marque seemed assuredly all-American in a time when anti-German feelings dominated the nation. The wave of intolerance had begun with the United States entrance into World War I, resulting in many a Schmidt becoming a Smith. Throughout the country, hundreds of German newspapers and publications were forced to shut down, and German language instruction came to an end in most states.

Automotive manufacturers had been at the heart of a seamless war machine during World War II, producing trucks, tanks, and planes at astounding rates. But only after the last shots were fired did auto factories begin to produce cars again, focusing their sights on the booming postwar market. A month after the surrender of Japan, Packard followed the lead of every other company and ceased military production, turning out its last wartime Rolls-Royce Merlin engine on this day.

After being fired from the Ford presidency, Lee Iacocca was elected chairman of the failing Chrysler Corporation. Despite dire predictions from his critics, Iacocca succeeded in rebuilding Chrysler through layoffs, cutbacks, hard-selling advertising, and a government loan guarantee. He became the epitome of the "can-do" executive, famous for his strong work ethic and no-nonsense style. During Chrysler's crisis years, Iacocca reduced his salary to $1 per year to set an example for the rest of the company, explaining that everyone must be willing to sacrifice a little in order for Chrysler to survive. By 1983, Chrysler had moved from the verge of bankruptcy to a competitive force in the automobile market, paying back all of its government loans in less than four years. "We at Chrysler borrow money the old- fashioned way. We pay it back," said Iacocca. His autobiography Iacocca became a best-seller in 1984, breaking all records for a business book.

Twelve people were killed today when a suicide car bomber attacked the U.S. embassy complex in Beirut, Lebanon. Unfortunately, these deaths were not an isolated tragedy. Car bombs have become the weapon of choice for terrorists in recent years, used by militant groups all over the world. The car bomb method has sadly proven an effective way of achieving mass destruction, as it is much easier for a terrorist to find a parking space than bypass a building's internal security. From Beirut to Oklahoma City, entire buildings have been destroyed from car bomb blasts, and countless lives have been lost. Among the most recent tragedies were the dual U.S. embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania, where two car bombs killed 257 people, and reduced several buildings to rubble.

Henry Ford II, grandson and namesake of Henry Ford, succeeded his father as president of the Ford Motor Company on this day, inheriting a company that was losing money at the rate of several million dollars a month. After recovering from the shock of his father's unexpected death, Henry Ford II was effectively given a crash course in management, but fortunately for the company, he turned out to have the magic touch. He quickly set about reorganizing and modernizing the Ford Motor Company, firing the powerful Personnel Chief Harry Bennett, whose strong-arm tactics and anti-union stance had made Ford notorious for its bad labor relations. He also brought in new talent, including a group of former U.S. Air Force intelligence officers, among them Robert McNamara, who became known as the "Whiz Kids." During his tenure as president, Henry Ford II nursed the Ford Motor Company back to health, greatly expanding its international operations and introducing two classic models, the Mustang and the Thunderbird.

Driving his Talbot-Lago across the finish line in Lyon-Parilly, Louis Chrion emerged victorious at the French Grand Prix of 1947. The race was a continuation of the Grand Prix's long history and France's first major post-World War II race. The event had been suspended for several years during the war, along with almost all other car racing. In a side note, the Albert Lory designed CTA-Arsenal made a disgraceful debut at the Grand Prix that year, and was never raced again.

The first Plymouth Valiant was produced on this day at a plant in Hamtramck, Michigan, although it was not known by that name until 1961. Originally code named "Falcon" after the 1955 Chrysler Falcon, plans for the new model went awry when the Chrysler marketing team found out at the last minute that Ford had already registered the name "Falcon" for its compact car. The news resulted in a wild scramble, for the logo castings had already been made and marketing plans finalized. A company-wide contest was held for a new name, and "Valiant" emerged the winner. However, there was no time to make new logo castings, so the car was simply introduced as the Valiant, featuring only a mylar sticker on the engine for identification. It wasn't until 1961 that the Valiant became the Plymouth Valiant, new logo castings and all.

In a move that sent ripples throughout the automotive world, the Chrysler Corporation sold 50 percent of its interest in the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. The decision came at a time when most other American automobile manufacturers, including Chrysler's top rivals Ford and General Motors (GM), were eagerly buying up shares of Japanese automobile stock and strengthening ties with Japanese manufacturers. Chrysler claimed that it was taking advantage of a bullish Japanese market at a potential gain of $310 million, but industry pundits speculated that the motive went much deeper. Chrysler's audacious move likely stemmed from disagreements between the two companies over Mitsubishi's U.S. sales and distribution. In many cases, Mitsubishi-made products were being sold under the Chrysler name, often in direct competition with the Mitsubishi marque.

Sort of reminds me of this amazing cover of an old National Lampoon Magazine...But still it is hard to rmember a time when the Big Three could buy other car manufacturers, when now they are having trouble buying Office supplies!!!

More amazing National Lampoon Covers

Los Angeles is widely known for its traffic and smog, miles of freeway stretching in every direction--the ultimate automobile city. Indeed, its highway system is one of the most extensive in the nation, famous for its criss-crossing interchanges. The first of these interchanges, the world's first four-level interchange structure, was opened on this day. The massive concrete structure connected the freeways of Hollywood, Harbor, Santa Ana, and Arroyo Seco.
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From Wikipedia...

The Four Level Interchange (officially Bill Keene Memorial Interchange) was the first stack interchange in the world. [1]Completed in 1949 and fully opened in 1953 at the northern edge of downtown Los Angeles, California, USA, it connects U.S. Route 101 (Hollywood Freeway) to State Route 110 (Harbor and Pasadena Freeways). In July 2006, the freeway interchange was officially named after Bill Keene, former KNX and KNXT traffic and weather reporter, although the new name is rarely used. Keene referred to the interchange as "The Stacks" and the "4-H Interchange". During the 1960s, Dick Whittinghill on radio station KMPC sometimes called it the Four Letter Interchange.[2]

The interchange was constructed as a stack interchange because surrounding buildings and terrain made construction of a cloverleaf interchange impractical. Also, the mainline traffic of US 101 is at the top of the interchange, above the ramps, a rarity in stack interchanges. Its distinctive architecture has long made it a symbol of Los Angeles' post-World War II development, and it appears on numerous postcards of the 1950s and 1960s.[3]

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