Auto Factoids for 8/8/2010

8/8/55 – test of first solar car.  William Cobb  created a prototype, but it was only a 15 inch model. Basically, an electric current was produced that in turn powered a tiny motor. The motor turned the vehicle’s driveshaft, which was connected to its rear axle by a pulley. I couldn’t find a pic of this one.  However, Alan Freeman developed the solar-powered car  in 1979 that you could actually put a human in.  Here’s the pic.  (It’s really just a bike…I think.)

Alan's Solar Car.

 

8/11/66  Chevy introduced the Camaro.  There is some discussion on whether there is such an animal as a 1966 Camaro, they  were, build in 1966 but sold in 1967.   Here a  pic.

8/15/56 Packard no longer producing cars in Detroit.  Previously the Packard company bought Studebaker and tried to keep the Packard name a live in 1957 by reworking a Studebaker and give it the Packard name.

1956Packard

 

1957 Packard...looks alot like Studebaker

8/21/1897  Oldsmobile becomes a company. Of course the company is no longer in business another icon gone.

1897 Olds

Thank’s for reading.

Tim

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3 Responses to Auto Factoids for 8/8/2010

  1. JEFF says:

    1963 CHEVY HOT ROAD CUSTOM BIG 350 TREAD LIFTED

  2. Steve Sears says:

    I think the reverse it true with Packard. I think Parkard and Studebaker merged instead of bought. The 57 Packard is based on the basic Studebaker structure but the big rear tailights and fins were “added” on to the Studebaker body along with the larger headlight brows. In addition the Packard was still using their exclusive Packard V8s vice Studebakers and Packard had a much upscale interior as compared to Studebaker. They actually tried to maintain exclusivity but by the late 50’s Packard was all but dead. The economy was a mess and Packard was not able to survive as they had lost way too many sales for Studebaker to keep Packard models. It was a shame but $$$ is what drives industry. Studebaker was a very inovative company but along with a labor strike in the mid-50s and GM and Ford cutting profits in order to sell more cars Studebaker simply could no longer survive. Studebaker’s lawnmowers and appliances were what kept the company open for as long as they could. Automobiles simply were not making money for a long time before they finally gave up after the move to Canada in 1966.

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