Ferrari Mailing List: Re: Car babble, little Ferrari content

[Doug & Terri (dnt]

rick notes “. . . and the wings on the rear or the '59-'60 Chevrolets.”

 

VERY interesting Rick – thank you.

 

And as rumored - - - the duel head lamps designed into the early 60’s Corvette resembling B-52 engine pods.  Harley J. liked B-52’s.

 

Stirs up some of the early car guys like Henry Ford who thought world peace could be achieved if the poor farmer working 8 days a week could get some spare time to go to church, have a picnic with his family and visit neighbors.  Ergo, the Model T that with proper adapters could split wood, thrash wheat, and other farm jobs thus replacing the recalcitrant, dangerous, and highly immobile steam engine.

 

But before that, after ol’ Henry BK’d his first company, he convinced an investor group for a second bite at the automobile apple - ol’ Henry said he could build a family sized car.  Too bad but because of his duel nature he frittered his time away with racing cars.  Fired from his own company for a second time, the backers took his design and turned it over to fellow named Henry Leland.   Leland put his engine in it, and renamed the car after the first French explorer in the area – Antoine Laumet de La Mothre, sieur de Cadillac.  Ergo, the Cadillac which used his family crest as the cars is crest.

 

Another favorite read is the autobiography of Eddie Rickenbacker.  Yes, the WWI ace.  After the war, and at the ripe age of 32 he too got into the car manufacturing business.  Based on his experience as an Indy racer his top drawer auto boasted - - - FOUR wheel brakes for his touring car when everyone else had only two wheel brakes.  That caught the completion by surprise – but not the evil mud slingers from said corporations.  ‘Drive one of those cars and you’ll tip over’ or ‘if you ever press on the brakes too hard you will be squased against the fire wall and suffer terrible injuries.’  Rickenbacker went broke.  But by the age of 37 he had paid back his debts AND arranged financing and bought the decrepit and dilapidated Indianapolis Motor Speedway which recused it from oblivion.  The book, titled Rickenbacker, is a good read.  For less than $8.00 you too can find a copy on Abebooks.com.  Rickenbacker was quite a fellow.

 

So Rick – what airport hangar do you have to store your menagerie?  Thanks again for the thoughts and sharing your stable.

 

Onward

 

DOUG