It’s a story that sounds as though it were ripped from the pages of fiction or the basis for a harrowing World War II drama directed by Steven Spielberg. The remarkable story of Helene Rother is far from fictional, however, despite bordering on the fantastic.
In honor of the 15-Millionth Ford being on display from April 3-9 on the National Mall as part of this year’s Cars at the Capital, we take a look at a few other heavy-hitters and break it down by the numbers.
At the time of its release in November 1983, much was made of the Plymouth Voyager. It was seen as a revolutionary new vehicle that would change the American consumer market and help save a flagging corporation. And while much of this was true, it was not the first “mini” van. It was, however, the first most commercially successful, arriving in the right place at the right time to truly take off. In honor of those that came before it, we take a look back at some of the precursors to the latest addition to the National Historic Vehicle Register.
In 1910, world champion boxer Jack Johnson issued a challenge to any race car driver willing to face off against him. Barney Oldfield took him up on it. Here’s the story of the unlikely race between the boxer and the racer.
February 12, 2018 marks an important anniversary in automotive history. It was 110 years ago a race began which changed the perception of the “horseless carriage” from a novelty for the rich, to a viable means of transportation for everyone.
By late October in 1966 Steve McQueen had Hollywood on a string. His company, Solar Productions, inked a six-film deal with Warner Bros., and McQueen was now in the driver’s seat, hired to produce and star in his own films. He and director Peter Yates were intent on bringing real, almost documentary-like action to the screen, and they succeeded with Solar’s first film, Bullitt.
The pages of history are lined with failed attempts to create an automobile in the 19th century. One such “orphan” that remains with us today is the Benton Harbor Motor Carriage.
HVA President Mark Gessler relates the story of Amos Northup, the Graham Blue Streak and the integral role both played in the next phase of the Historic Vehicle Association’s move to preserve automotive history and heritage.
Everybody knows that success is often the result of being in the right place at the right time with the right idea. The Graham brothers of Evansville, Indiana, are a perfect example. Read on to learn more about how their ingenuity at the dawn of the automotive revolution led to the creation of icon and the latest vehicle to be documented and added to the National Historic Vehicle Register.