Bytes: AUTOMOBILE FACTS

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The following item was sent to me by Byter John P, a regular contributor.

Thanks, John.

It is very much American based but will be of interest to petrol heads, trivia nerds (like myself and John) and those who like looking at old photographs (Wayne).

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By the way:

The word "automobile" is derived from the Greek words "auto" (self) and "mobile" (movable), which together mean "self-moving." This term was initially used to describe early vehicles that were powered by internal combustion engines and could move independently without being pulled by horses or other animals.

Over time, as automobiles became more common and integrated into everyday life, people started to seek more convenient and informal ways to refer to them. "Car" is believed to have originated from the word "carriage," which was used to describe horse-drawn vehicles used for transportation before the invention of automobiles. As automobiles replaced horse-drawn carriages as the primary mode of transportation, the term "car" gradually became synonymous with automobiles.

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Automobile Facts

Q: What was the first official White House car?

A: A 1909 White Steamer, ordered by President Taft

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Q: Who opened the first drive-in gas station?

A: Gulf opened up the first station in Pittsburgh in 1913.

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Q: What city was the first to use parking meters?

A: Oklahoma City , on July 16, 1935.

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Q: Where was the first drive-in restaurant?

A: Royce Hailey's Pig Stand opened in Dallas in 1921.

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Q: True or False? The 1953 Corvette came in white, red and black.

A: False. The 1953 'Vettes were available in one color, Polo White.

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Q: What was Ford's answer to the Chevy Corvette and other legal street racers of the 1960's?

A: Carroll Shelby's Mustang GT350.

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Q: What was the first car to be offered with a "perpetual guarantee"?

A: The 1904 Acme, from Reading, PA.

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Q: What American luxury automaker began by making cages for birds and squirrels?

A: The George N. Pierce Co. of Buffalo, which made the Pierce Arrow. They also made iceboxes.

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Q: What car was first referred to as a convertible?

A: The 1904 Thomas Flyer, which had a removable hard top.

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Q: What car was the first to have its radio antenna embedded in the windshield?

A: The 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix.

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Q: What car used the first successful series-production hydraulic valve lifters?

A: The 1930 Cadillac 452, the first production V16.

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Q: Where was the World's first three-color traffic light installed?

A: Detroit , Michigan in 1919. Two years later, they also tested synchronized lights.

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Q: What type of car had the distinction of being GM's 100 millionth car built in the U.S. ?

A: March 16, 1966 saw an Olds Tornado roll out of the Lansing , Michigan plant with that honor.

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Q: What autos were the first to use a standardized production key-start system?

A: The 1949 Chryslers

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Q: What did the Olds designation 4-4-2 stand for?

A: 4 barrel carburetor, 4 speed transmission, and dual exhaust.

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Q: What car was the first to place the horn button in the center of the steering wheel?

A: The 1915 Scripps-Booth Model C. This car was also the first with electric door latches.

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Q: What U.S. production car has the quickest 0-60 mph time?

A: The 1962 Chevrolet Impala SS 409 did it in 4.0 seconds.

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Q: What was the only car to appear simultaneously on the covers of both Time and Newsweek?

A: The Mustang.

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Q: What was the lowest priced mass produced American car?

A: The 1925 Ford Model T Runabout. Cost $260, $5 less than in 1924.

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Q: What is the fastest internal-combustion American production car?

A: The 1998 Dodge Viper GETS-R, tested by Motor Trend magazine at 192.6 mph.

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Q: What automaker's first logo incorporated the Star of David?

A: The Dodge Brothers.

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Q: Who wrote to Henry Ford, "I have drove Fords exclusively when I could get away with one. It has got every other car skinned, and even if my business hasn't been strictly legal it don't hurt anything to tell you what a fine car you got in the V-8"?

A: Clyde Barrow (of Bonnie and Clyde fame) in 1934.

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Q: What car was the first production V12, as well as the first production car with aluminum pistons?

A: The 1915 Packard Twin-Six. Used during WWI in Italy, these motors inspired Enzo Ferrari to adopt the V12 in 1948.

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Q: What was the first car to use power operated seats?

A: They were first used on the 1947 Packard line.

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Q: Which of the Chrysler "letter cars" sold the fewest?

A: 1963, 300J's. Only 400 were sold.

(They skipped the Model "I" because it looked like a number 1.)

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Q: What car company was originally known as Swallow Sidecars (aka SS)?

A: Jaguar, which was an SS model name first used in 1935, adopted for the whole company in 1945.

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Q: What car featured the first production V12 engine?

A: The cylinder wars were kicked off in 1915 after Packard's chief engineer, Col. Jesse Vincent, introduced its Twin-Six.

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Q: When were seat belts first fitted to a motor vehicle?

A: In 1902, in a Baker Electric streamliner racer, which crashed at 100 mph on Staten Island.

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Q: In January 1930, Cadillac debuted it's V16 in a car named for a theatrical version of a 1920's film seen by Harley Earl while designing the body. What was that name?