Here is your weekly installment of Auto Factoids.
This week we are highlighting a few milestones and a birthday and a corporation formation.
Starting out with big Happy Birthday to Ferruccio Lamborghini , born 4/28/1916 in Italy. What many don’t know is Ferruccio brought about Lamborghini, because he was happy with his Ferrari due to frequent and poorly done repairs. They say he confronted Enzo Ferrari and that meeting didn’t go well and Ferruccio decided to build his own cars.
Ferruccio Lamborghini
On the same day in 1953 Kaiser-Frazer purchased Willys. By 1955 Kaiser Industrial (name changed) stopped building cars in the U.S. (only with the exception of Jeep production in Ohio.
’55 Willys Jeep Wagon
’55 Willys Bermuda
4/29/1959 Fords 50 millionth car. It was assembled from specially designated parts shipped to Dearborn from Ford plants throughout the country. It is powered by the 292 cubic inch 200 horsepower V8 backed by a three speed automatic transmission. It sported triple tone gold, black and white interior. It is now privately owned.
1959 Ford Galaxie.
5/2/1918 Chevy becomes part of GM. How did this come about? Here is the short version:
Billy Durant started General Motors after taking control of Buick. He incorporated a we more car brands in with GM including Oakland, Olds and Caddilac. He was forced out of GM and started Chevrolet with partner Louis Chevrolet. Chevrolet did well and Billy began buy more stock in GM (he had kept his shares when he was ousted). He completed his take over of GM by offering current GM stockholders a smoking deal on Chevy stock (7 shares) for one GM stock.
5/3/48 Willys Jeep Phaeton debuted.
1948 Jeepster Phaeton
5/3/49 Packards 50th Anniversary 2000 gold Packards. Yes that did happen. They were painted in a special paint code of Gold. Each were powered with 327 c.i.d., 150 hp engine.
1949 Packard – None of the 2000 were convertibles – only about 600 verts were produced.
Thanks for reading.
Tim
