Goofing around tonight, I came up with a few automotive milestones. Listed in chronilogical order are a few. Feel free to dispute, rebutt, or otherwise call BS on my list as I have not thoroughly researched them for authenticity. Makes for a good story though 1. 1929 First car radio 2. 1938 First electric turn signal-Buick 3. 1940 First refrigerated air conditioning-Packard 4. 1948 First electric windows 5. 1951 First commercially available power steering 6. 1958 First cruise control-Chrysler Imperial 7. 1968 Mandatory side marker lights on all U.S. vehicles 8. 1973 Start of 5 year program to phase out leaded gasoline
Good Thread ! Lessee : I guess you mean factory installed turn signals right ? in the teens and twenties they had first semaphore typ turn signals , operated by electric solenoids , then Brand ' F ' had the world famous " It's It " dash mounted turn signal with one combination lamp in the mniddle of the spare tire , it had two curved arrows , one pointed left . t'other pointed right . For a few years , the T. Sig. switch was the shift knob , you'd simply twist it left or right as needed . Chevy had power steering in 1949 .... Studebaker offered it's fabulous " Hill Holder " in...'34 ? (IIRC) , this prevented the car from rolling back when you stopped on a hill , as long as the car was in gear and your foot was on the clutch , it couldn't roll backwards , no need to touch the brake pedal ~ nifty , eh ? . Chevy added freewheeling then realized how dangerous it was and dropped it again . the list goes on , let's see who chimes in next .
Yep on the 40 Packard a/c. The valves in the lines, I guess to keep from losing refrigerant while working on the compressor, were big and had handles on them like an outdoor water faucet. The condenser had round heat dispersing discs on the tubes like those on an air compressor. All this from a very foggy memory of a 1940 Super Eight or it might have been a 180. I do remember there was room to hold a dance between the front and back seat and probably well suited to other physical activities also.
Remember heck, I use the one on my 37 Special everytime I drive it. I have regular plates on it so it has to be inspected every year. I forget and when I return to pick it up some young guy is still trying to figure out how to start it. They don't have much luck with the 51 Studebaker pickup either (push clutch pedal firmly against floor).
Not nearly as old as they all wish they could live to be, and have been around when cars and trucks were cars and trucks, in that order. Just for grins, Nate is younger than me, I met Ken the other day, we are pretty close if I were guessin'. Evan, he might be King (eldest, most learned, etc)! I just hang around to read their mail, I might pick up something I can use myself. Jim
Yep I'm a young sprat myownself ~ in the early 1960's when all the other kids were out looking at Mustangs and the New '64 Le Mans etc. , I was up to my elbows in a '37 John Deere Model B tractor , or doing brakes on Cookie's '49 Chevy pickup , or trying to make one of the old Packards down in that swampy field get up and run for just another few seasons.... I got my first pickup truck , a 1959 F-100 in.... hm , 1968 IIRC ~ I rebuilt it with all used parts from various dead farm vehicles and I loved it . 6-Banger and three on the tree , only rich folks had Chevys back then and GMC's were but a dream to use poor folks (we did have a 1929 Chevy fire truck tho') Much fun and I am glad I had that opportunity as it's nearly all gone now Lately I've been going out with a buddy of mine to look at Airflows , mostly DeSotos , it is hard to believe that an unrestored Airflow with bad interior is now worth over $10,000.00
This deserves a new thread! "How old are you". Never short on words, I think I'll start it! Stay tuned!
