On this day in motoring - Saturday 13th December 1913

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/2064

On This Day
Saturday 13th December 1913
108 years ago

The Lincoln Highway, the first improved coast-to-coast highway for motor vehicles across America, had its first section opened in New Jersey, between Jersey City and Newark. What had been known as the Jersey City Plank Road for over 100 years was rededicated as the Essex-Hudson Lincoln Highway after having been reconstructed as a boulevard 100-ft wide overall at a cost of $1,250,000. It was bordered by street lights and 10-ft wide sidewalks on each side. The traffic surfaces were of brick and concrete. Of its cost, $500,000 had been spent on its bridges. The new name for the road was adopted at the request of the Associated Automobile Clubs of New Jersey and the Newark Motor Club.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay #Construction

On this day in motoring - Monday 6th December 1897

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/15232

On This Day
Monday 6th December 1897
124 years ago

The London Electric Cab Company began regular service using cars designed by Walter Bersey. With a top speed of 9-12 mph, Walter Bersey’s taxis, which used a 40-cell battery and 3-bhp electric motor and could be driven 50 miles between charges, were the first self-propelled vehicles for hire on London’s roads. Cars on London’s roads got off to a slow start in Britain thanks to the “Red Flag Act” which stated that any vehicle other than a horse drawn must be preceded by a man carting a red flag as a warning to passers-by. Once repealed in November 1896, vehicles began to make their mark in Britain. The origins of the now annual London to Brighton road race have their roots in celebrating the repeal of the law. Walter Bersey shared the ideas that there were great hopes for electricity. He said: “There is no apparent limit to the hopes and expectations of the electric artisans…..in short [it] is the natural power which shall be the most intimate and effective of all man’s assets.” Rates were the same as horse drawn cabs. The cab could take two passengers and was fitted with electric lighting both inside and out. Electric illumination was not welcomed by all “for the comfort of people of a bashful disposition……[who felt] as conspicuous as if they were on the stage with the limelight.” The then Prince of Wales was said to have taken a taxi ride in a Bersey. Each taxi was licensed by Scotland Yard under four conditions: 1. each vehicle was accompanied by a driver 2. drivers were capable of stopping the carriage on demand 3. the taxi could turn in a small space 4. be able to climb the steepest hill in London, Savoy Hill The Bersey was known as the “Hummingbird” from the sound of the taxi and the yellow and black livery. Batteries were replaced using a hydraulic lifting system that took 2-3 minutes at the sole re-charging station in London. Electricity was expensive to generate so the company started producing their own at great expense. However, after 6 months of use, the noise and vibration escalated. Vibrations damaged the delicate glass plates, the tyres wore out incredibly quickly given the 2 tonne weight of the cab. Breakdowns were frequent. Horse drawn cabs were often faster as well. Two years after their debut the Bersey taxis disappeared from the roads. Taxis were not only vehicles Walter Bersey designed. He designed a range of private electric vehicles but none are know to have survived.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay

Excellent!

On This Day - What Happened Today In History | Britannica

https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day

Premiere of Casablanca
Set in occupied Morocco during World War II, directed by Michael Curtiz, and starring Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman, and Paul Henreid, Casablanca premiered this day in 1942 and became one of Hollywood's most-revered films.

#History #OnThisDay #Film #Entertainment #Casablanca

365 Days of Motoring

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The late George Harrison’s legendary Aston Martin DB5 was sold at auction for an impressive $464,736, exceeding its original sales estimate of between $250,000 - $300,000 U.S.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay #GorgeHarrison #DB5

On This Day - What Happened on November 1 | Britannica

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996
Holy Roman Emperor Otto III granted the Bavarian bishopric of Freising 30 “royal hides,” or about 8 square km (2,000 acres), of land in a deed that contained the first recorded use of the name Ostarrîchi, from which the name Austria is derived.

#History #OnThisDay #Austria

On this day in motoring - Saturday 14th September 1985

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/7012

On This Day
Saturday 14th September 1985
36 years ago

The stunning MG EX-E concept was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The EX-E was a mid-engined sportscar inspired by the Ferrari 308 and designed by Roy Axe and Gerry McGovern. The car's drivetrain and chassis were derived from the mid-engined MG Metro 6R4 rally car. The EX-E concept car did not lead to a production version, although Gerry McGovern did go on to style the later, smaller MG F sportscar. The car is now preserved in the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon, England.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay #MG #England

On this day in motoring - Tuesday 14th September 1982

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/2835

On This Day
Tuesday 14th September 1982
39 years ago

Princess Grace of Monaco (52), also known Grace Kelly, died of injuries sustained in a car crash. Her Rover P6 3500 V8 plunged down a 45-foot embankment after the Princess suffered a stroke and lost control of the vehicle. Known as America's princess, Kelly's life had been a true fairy tale. She was born into a rich Irish Catholic family in Philadelphia where she attended private schools before enrolling in the Academy of Dramatic Art in New York. She soon rose to stardom both on Broadway and in Hollywood, winning the public's affection in such films as Rear Window and The Country Girl. However, she abandoned her acting career in order to marry Prince Rainier of Monaco, making her a real-life princess.

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On this day in motoring - Thursday 14th September 1967

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/1543

On This Day
Thursday 14th September 1967
54 years ago

The futuristically styled 112-mph NSU Ro 80, the most technologically advanced production car in the world at the time, was launched. Most notable was the powertrain, a 113-bhp, 995-cc, twin-rotor Wankel engine driving the front wheels through a 3-speed semi-automatic gearbox, featuring a torque converter and an automatic clutch triggered by a microswitch on the gearstick. It received much praise and was voted ‘Car of the Year 1968’. Unfortunately, its engine was also the cause of its failure, which killed not only the car but also its maker NSU. Reliability and durability problems led to huge warranty expenses, while poor reputation drove customers towards rivals Mercedes and BMW. NSU was rescued by Volkswagen in 1969, and then merged with Auto-Union to form the modern Audi. The Ro 80 somehow survived until 1977.

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On this day in motoring - Wednesday 13th September 2006

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/7028

On This Day
Wednesday 13th September 2006
15 years ago

A pink 1961 Cadillac once owned by Elvis Presley was sold at auction for £21,000 in Derbyshire. The 20ft long 8-litre Coupe de Ville was bought new by the rock-and-roll legend but was later purchased by a Yorkshire collector. The Cadillac, which was white with a pink roof and pink and white upholstery, had travelled 76,099 miles. It was originally valued at between £15,000 and £18,000.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay

This is not an SUV. :-)

On this day in motoring - Wednesday 13th September 1961

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/12725

On This Day
Wednesday 13th September 1961
60 years ago

The first Ford Thunderbird Sports Roadster, a 1962 model, was produced. The Sports Roadster was a limited production version of the convertible which added 48 spoke Kelsey-Hayes designed wire wheels, special badges to the front fenders and a passenger side grab bar to the front dashboard. The most striking addition to the Sports Roadster was a fiberglass tonneau cover which covered the back seat of the car and created a two seater appearance. 1,427 Sports Roadsters were produced in 1962, including 120 models with the special M Code option noted below. Early models suffered from problems related to their specially-designed wire wheels. The problem was quickly corrected when Elvis Presley was involved in an accident in which one of the Kelsey-Hayes wheels collapsed during hard turning.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay

I wonder if oiled himself as well as the bike :-).

On this day in motoring - Monday 13th September 1948

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/15923

On This Day
Monday 13th September 1948
73 years ago

Rollie Free broke the US national motorcycle speed record at Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah riding the first Vincent Black Lightning. During test runs Free reached average speeds of 148.6 mph (239.1 km/h). To reduce drag, Free stripped to his swimming shorts for the final run, which he made lying flat with his legs stretched out and his head low, guiding the Vincent by following a black stripe painted on the salt bed. The stunt worked as Free covered the mile in 23.9 seconds, passing the 150 mph (240 km/h) barrier and on the return run he reached a record average speed of 150.313 mph (241.905 km/h). This led to one of the most famous photographs in motorcycle history, known as the "bathing suit bike". The American Motorcyclist Association certified Free's record. Innovative features of the bike included the first-ever Vincent rear shock absorber, the first Mk II racing cams and horizontally mounted racing carburettors. In 1950, Rollie Free returned to the Bonneville Salt Flats and broke his own record, averaging speeds of 156.58 mph (251.99 km/h) on the Vincent despite a high-speed crash during those speed trials.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay

On This Day - What Happened Today In History | Britannica

https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day
1959
The Soviet Union launched Luna 2, the first space probe to hit the Moon.

#Space #OnThisDay #SovietUnion #Moon #Luna2

On This Day - What Happened Today In History

On This Day In History: anniversaries, birthdays, major events, and time capsules. This day's facts in the arts, politics, and sciences.

On this day in motoring - Monday 12th September 2005

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/16342

On This Day
Monday 12th September 2005
16 years ago

At the IAA Motor Show in Frankfurt, Bentley Motors revealed the production version of the new 168 mph Azure. The luxurious four-seater Azure, which went on sale in the Spring 2006, was the latest in a portfolio of wonderfully desirable ‘dropheads’ stretching back many decades and reaffirmed Bentley’s reputation as creator of the world’s most elegant convertibles. Like its iconic predecessor, which was in production from 1995 to 2002, the new Azure became the flagship of the Bentley model range. Britain’s fastest hatchback, the 255PS Vectra VXR was also unveiled at the show. The supercar priced at £25,000 was capable of 161 mph.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay

On this day in motoring - Tuesday 12th September 1995

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/1537

On This Day
Tuesday 12th September 1995
26 years ago

Possibly the world’s most advanced sports car for its time was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show – the new Lotus Elise. Featuring a futuristic, yet practical and proven, epoxy-bonded aluminium spaceframe chassis, clothed in a stunning composite body shell, the Elise was small, strong, ultralight, efficient, very fast and great fun to drive – the next-generation pure supercar.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay

On this day in motoring - Sunday 12th September 1993

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/11899

On This Day
Sunday 12th September 1993
28 years ago

The rebuilt Lacey V. Murrow Bridge over Lake Washington opened in Seattle. This new floating bridge, which was actually the eastbound lanes of Interstate 90 (the westbound lanes cross the lake on a separate bridge), connects the city and its eastern suburbs. It replaced the original Murrow Bridge, the world's first floating concrete bridge, which was destroyed by a flood in November 1990. The original bridge, which had opened in 1940, was almost two miles long, contained 100,000 tons of steel, floated on more than 20 hollow concrete pontoons, and carried 5,000 cars each day.The Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge is the second-longest floating bridge on Earth at 6,620 ft (2,020 m), whereas the longest is the Governor Albert D. Rosellini Bridge—Evergreen Point just a few miles to the north on the same lake, opened 76 years later. The third-longest is the Hood Canal Bridge, also in Washington State, about 30 miles (48 km) to the northwest of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge.

#Cars #Motoring #Automotive #OnThisDay #Construction

On this day in motoring - Thursday 12th September 1991

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/9271

On This Day
Thursday 12th September 1991
30 years ago

Interstate 90 became the final coast-to-coast Interstate Highway (Seattle, Washington to Boston, Massachusetts) to be completed with the dedication of an elevated viaduct bypassing Wallace, Idaho. This section was delayed after residents forced the cancellation of the originally planned at-grade alignment that would have demolished much of downtown Wallace. The residents accomplished this feat by arranging for most of the downtown area to be declared a historic district and listed on the National Register of Historic Places; this succeeded in blocking the path of the original alignment. After the dedication residents held a mock funeral celebrating the removal of the last stoplight on a transcontinental Interstate Highway.

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Our victory over Japan

#history #Victory #USSR #japan #WWII #war #Stalin #СССР #история #OnThisDay

#OnThisDay 1913 The Dublin Strike and Lockout began. This dispute, which lasted until January, was over workers' rights, conditions & ability to form unions. The Irish Citizen Army was formed to protect strikers demonstrations from heavy-handed police charges.
#Ireland #History
https://twitter.com/irelandbattles/status/1430666833485520897?s=20

On this day in motoring - Monday 19th August 1985

http://www.365daysofmotoring.com/showonthisday/article/6629

On This Day
Monday 19th August 1985
36 years ago

Robert E Barber broke the 79-year-old speed record for a steam car when Steamin Demon, built by Barber-Nichols Engineering Co. [US] reached 145.607 mph (234.331 kmph) at Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah, USA. The wedge-profile car, weighing about 5,000 pounds, had a stainless steel boiler, weighing 1,000 pounds. when floorboarded, the steam at 1,000 pounds per square inch pressure was fed into a turbine of just 5 inch diameter, spinning at 6,000 rpm. The power from the turbines was transferred to the wheels. On its record run, Steamin Demon carried 60 gallons of water and 12 gallons of kerosene. This record however, is not FIA approved.
Steamin Demon

Steamin Demon

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Hell.

On This Day - What Happened Today In History | Britannica

https://www.britannica.com/on-this-day

• Atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima On this day in 1945, the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan—the blast killed more than 70,000 people and destroyed most of the city—in an effort to hasten the end of World War II.

#War #WWII #Japan #Hiroshima #OnThisDay #History