The mission of the Northeast Classic Car Museum consists of educating the public on different aspects of the automobile and its history throughout the years. This is the 2nd in a series of 5, originally published in the Norwich Evening Sun in 2006.
In 1919, Sinclair Lewis wrote whimsically of his adventures in a Model T. One of the most famous books, which is now a standard text in high school and university courses on American literature in countries around the world, was F. Scott Fitzgerald’s, ‘The Great Gatsby,” which portrayed the cynicism of post-World War I by the use of Gatsby’s cream-colored Rolls-Royce. In 1962, William Faulkner wrote about human frailties against the backdrop of an early Winton Flyer automobile in his classic, “The Reivers.” Other books such as “Christine,” by Stephen King, were also centered on automobiles.
Even more than writers, composers of popular music were attracted to cars. Between 1905 and 1908, more than 120 songs were written in which the automobile was the subject. The automotive themes of these songs reflected the general culture of the automotive industry: sexual adventure, liberation from social control, and masculine power. Titles include “In My Merry Oldsmobile,” “Tumble in a Rumble Seat,” “On the Back Seat of A Henry Ford,” up to the contemporary songs such as “Mustang Sally,” “Little Deuce Coupe,” “Little Red Corvette,” and “Pink Cadillac.” Trucking songs, such as “King of the Road,” “On the Road Again,” and others too numerous to name are immensely popular. In 1929, American Paul Galvin, the head of Galvin Manufacturing Corporation, invented the first car radio. The first car radios were not available from car makers. Consumers had to purchase the radios separately. Galvin coined the name “Motorola” for the company’s new products, combining the idea of motion and radio.
The Los Angeles Music Center and Museum of Contemporary Art commissioned several playwrights to create original ten-minute scripts to be acted out in automobiles and the film industry has relied heavily on the automobile, ranging from “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad World,” “Bonnie and Clyde,” the “Dukes of Hazzard,” “Starsky and Hutch” and hundreds of other movies with chase scenes. Television made the automobile the star of the show in “My Mother the Car,” and “Knight Rider,” in which KITT was smarter than any of the rest of the cast. The Northeast Classic Car Museum has a 1981 DeLorean that visitors remember as “the Back to the Future Car.”
Artists followed Toulouse-Lautrec’s lead from his 1896 lithograph, “The Motorist,” to take up brushes and portray the essence of the automobile. Some used their brushes in cartoon fashion to show it as a toy for the idle rich. Andy Warhol saw art in a Campbell soup can and also painted a series devoted to gruesome car wrecks. Other artists see the automobile as a graceful, flowing form of man-made beauty, an art in itself.
Cars have been named after animals, stars, heroes and mythology and ownership came to be associated with independence, freedom, and increased status. The culture in the 1950s and 1960s often catered to the automobile with motels and drive-in restaurants. Americans tend to view obtaining a driver’s license as a rite of passage and most Americans of all ages and genders expect to own and drive cars.
Article written by Audrey Robinson and Richard Ellinwood of the NECCM Education Committee. Reprinted courtesy of The Evening Sun, Norwich, NY.
Showing posts with label classic car. Show all posts
Showing posts with label classic car. Show all posts
Monday, August 31, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
History of the Automobile, Part I
The mission of the Northeast Classic Car Museum consists of educating the public on different aspects of the automobile and its history throughout the years. Much of what the Museum offers intertwines with the criteria that can be assimilated with the New York State Learning Standards. This is the first article in a series of 5 that was published in The Evening Sun in November 2006to celebrate National Education Week.
The automobile flashed onto the scene like a meteor, changing the entire economy and the national way-of-life. No one was prepared for it. Generations of horse-drawn road transportation had created a complex system of industries on which the automobile had a damaging effect. The continuing changes and reasons for them were not so obvious to automotive pioneers. It was, after all, a learn-as-you-go process with no precedents.
Automotive history is generally divided into a number of eras based on the major design and technology shifts. Although the exact boundaries of each era can be hazy, they can be defined as follows: Veteran era (1800-1900), Brass era (1903-1920), Vintage (1919-1929), Pre-War (1930-1948), Post-War (1949-1970) and Modern (1970-on). Corresponding historical periods were: The Development of Modern America (1865-1920); Modern American and the World Wars (1914-1945) and Contemporary America (1945 to the present).
By 1900 mass production of automobiles had begun in France and the United States. Throughout the veteran car era automobiles were seen as more of a novelty than a genuinely useful device. Breakdowns were frequent, fuel was difficult to obtain, and rapid innovation meant that a year-old car was nearly worthless. New York became the first state in the US to require automobile license plates in April of 1901. Automobile owners were charged a fee of $1.
Named for the widespread use of brass in the United States, the Brass or Edwardian era lasted from roughly 1905 through the beginning of World War I in 1914. 1905 was a signal year in the development of the automobile, marking the point when the majority of sales shifted from the hobbyist and enthusiast to the average user. Cars of the period include the Ford Model T, the most widely produced and available car of the era. There were, however, scores of other small, start-up manufacturers (often businesses that made buggies and carriages) that started making automobiles.
The vintage era lasted from the end of World War I (1919) through the stock market crash at the end of 1929. During this period, the front-engine car came to dominate, with closed bodies and standardized controls.
The pre-war part of the classic era began with the Great Depression in 1930 and ended with the recovery after World War II, commonly placed at 1948. By the 1930’s, most of the technology used in automobiles had been invented. After 1930, the number of auto manufacturers declined sharply as the industry consolidated and matured.
Throughout the 1950’s post-war era, engine power and vehicle speeds rose, designs became more integrated and artful, and cars spread across the world. The market changed somewhat in the 1960’s, as Detroit began to experience foreign competition, the European makers adopted ever-higher technology, and Japan appeared as a serious car-producing nation. In America, performance was the hot sell of the 1960’s, with pony cars and muscle cars propping up the domestic industry. Everything changed in the 1970’s as the oil crisis, automobile emissions control rules, Japanese and European imports, and stagnant innovation wreaked havoc on the American industry. Throughout the decade, small imported cars gained in customer favor and the sale of the larger, American-made automobiles began to decline.
The modern era is normally defined as the 25 years preceding the current year. However, there are some technical and design aspects that differentiate modern cars from antiques. Without considering the future of the car, the modern era has been one of increasing standardization, platform sharing, and computer-aided design. Three types of body styles have changed in the modern era. The hatchback, minivan, and sport utility vehicle, dominate today’s market yet are relatively recent concepts. Modern cars include the Ford Taurus, which dominated the American market in the late 1980s and the SUVs and Vans so popular today.
Change is in the air, and once again we’re faced with choices. We’ve become a nation dependent on a method of individual transportation, yet we’ve discovered the choices of the past haven’t always led to the clear, bright future we imagined. The early car makers were powered by a need to develop a safe, economical and drivable automobile. Early inventors could not have imagined the population – of people and cars – in the world today. Still, as uncomfortable as it can be, change is often good. New ideas are generated and explored. New technologies and fuels may prove more fantastic than we had ever dreamed. But, by being willing to imagine and change, we can drive into the future in style.
Article written by Audrey Robinson and Richard Ellinwood of the NECCM Education Committee. Reprinted courtesy of The Evening Sun, Norwich, NY.
The automobile flashed onto the scene like a meteor, changing the entire economy and the national way-of-life. No one was prepared for it. Generations of horse-drawn road transportation had created a complex system of industries on which the automobile had a damaging effect. The continuing changes and reasons for them were not so obvious to automotive pioneers. It was, after all, a learn-as-you-go process with no precedents.
Automotive history is generally divided into a number of eras based on the major design and technology shifts. Although the exact boundaries of each era can be hazy, they can be defined as follows: Veteran era (1800-1900), Brass era (1903-1920), Vintage (1919-1929), Pre-War (1930-1948), Post-War (1949-1970) and Modern (1970-on). Corresponding historical periods were: The Development of Modern America (1865-1920); Modern American and the World Wars (1914-1945) and Contemporary America (1945 to the present).
By 1900 mass production of automobiles had begun in France and the United States. Throughout the veteran car era automobiles were seen as more of a novelty than a genuinely useful device. Breakdowns were frequent, fuel was difficult to obtain, and rapid innovation meant that a year-old car was nearly worthless. New York became the first state in the US to require automobile license plates in April of 1901. Automobile owners were charged a fee of $1.
Named for the widespread use of brass in the United States, the Brass or Edwardian era lasted from roughly 1905 through the beginning of World War I in 1914. 1905 was a signal year in the development of the automobile, marking the point when the majority of sales shifted from the hobbyist and enthusiast to the average user. Cars of the period include the Ford Model T, the most widely produced and available car of the era. There were, however, scores of other small, start-up manufacturers (often businesses that made buggies and carriages) that started making automobiles.
The vintage era lasted from the end of World War I (1919) through the stock market crash at the end of 1929. During this period, the front-engine car came to dominate, with closed bodies and standardized controls.
The pre-war part of the classic era began with the Great Depression in 1930 and ended with the recovery after World War II, commonly placed at 1948. By the 1930’s, most of the technology used in automobiles had been invented. After 1930, the number of auto manufacturers declined sharply as the industry consolidated and matured.
Throughout the 1950’s post-war era, engine power and vehicle speeds rose, designs became more integrated and artful, and cars spread across the world. The market changed somewhat in the 1960’s, as Detroit began to experience foreign competition, the European makers adopted ever-higher technology, and Japan appeared as a serious car-producing nation. In America, performance was the hot sell of the 1960’s, with pony cars and muscle cars propping up the domestic industry. Everything changed in the 1970’s as the oil crisis, automobile emissions control rules, Japanese and European imports, and stagnant innovation wreaked havoc on the American industry. Throughout the decade, small imported cars gained in customer favor and the sale of the larger, American-made automobiles began to decline.
The modern era is normally defined as the 25 years preceding the current year. However, there are some technical and design aspects that differentiate modern cars from antiques. Without considering the future of the car, the modern era has been one of increasing standardization, platform sharing, and computer-aided design. Three types of body styles have changed in the modern era. The hatchback, minivan, and sport utility vehicle, dominate today’s market yet are relatively recent concepts. Modern cars include the Ford Taurus, which dominated the American market in the late 1980s and the SUVs and Vans so popular today.
Change is in the air, and once again we’re faced with choices. We’ve become a nation dependent on a method of individual transportation, yet we’ve discovered the choices of the past haven’t always led to the clear, bright future we imagined. The early car makers were powered by a need to develop a safe, economical and drivable automobile. Early inventors could not have imagined the population – of people and cars – in the world today. Still, as uncomfortable as it can be, change is often good. New ideas are generated and explored. New technologies and fuels may prove more fantastic than we had ever dreamed. But, by being willing to imagine and change, we can drive into the future in style.
Article written by Audrey Robinson and Richard Ellinwood of the NECCM Education Committee. Reprinted courtesy of The Evening Sun, Norwich, NY.
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Great Feedback!
A professional group recently visited the Northeast Classic Car Museum for a tour and luncheon. The group had the following feedback:
"I just wanted to reiterate to you how enjoyable our time was at the museum last week. Our boss said, “It was absolutely superb. I had never been at the museum before and enjoyed it immensely. The food and entertainment were right on the money as well.”
Now that it’s on my mind, I came back in on Friday and purchased a couple of tickets for a birthday gift for my brother-in-law who is into cars. He has actually been there before, but I was able to inform him of your new room you plan to open in the Spring, so he’ll have something new to look forward to. He also has a gorgeous MG he has been restoring; maybe he’d share his little treasure at your place when he’s completed his project.
Thanks so much for you efforts in making it a fun and relaxing time for all of us; including the committee, since all we had to do is tell you what we wanted, and you delivered. Thanks!"
-C. W., Organizing Committee Chair
"I just wanted to reiterate to you how enjoyable our time was at the museum last week. Our boss said, “It was absolutely superb. I had never been at the museum before and enjoyed it immensely. The food and entertainment were right on the money as well.”
Now that it’s on my mind, I came back in on Friday and purchased a couple of tickets for a birthday gift for my brother-in-law who is into cars. He has actually been there before, but I was able to inform him of your new room you plan to open in the Spring, so he’ll have something new to look forward to. He also has a gorgeous MG he has been restoring; maybe he’d share his little treasure at your place when he’s completed his project.
Thanks so much for you efforts in making it a fun and relaxing time for all of us; including the committee, since all we had to do is tell you what we wanted, and you delivered. Thanks!"
-C. W., Organizing Committee Chair
Monday, February 23, 2009
Waverley Electric Car at Northeast Classic Car Museum
In 1910, many things were happening. Haley’s Comet was visible, the Boy Scouts were created, King Edward II passed away, and Ford sold almost 10,000 gasoline-powered motor vehicles. In comparison to the gasoline standard, electric cars were gaining attention, due to their lack of a hand crank and gear shifter. The design of the electric car made things much easier for the average woman of the time, making them an ideal target for advertisement.
One model of electric car that was popular in 1910 was the Waverley Coupe. The 1910 Waverley Coupe was a luxury car that combined quality, value, efficiency, and convenience, making it one of the premier electric cars of the early 1900’s. It seated 4, and was quite easy to customize, allowing for different colors, tops, batteries, and even tires. On top of this, it was relatively affordable, selling at $2,250 - almost $300 less than the popular Detroit Electric.
The Waverley Company, formed from a merger of the American Electric and Indiana Bicycle Companies, boasted quality and convenience in comparison to its price. For example, the silence of the Coupe was one of the company’s main points for advertisement, along with its appearance. The Waverley Company prided itself on using premium materials and brilliant designs to make a ride that rode as smooth as it looked.
The manufacturers of the Coupe showed a great attention to detail, not only by employing multiple inspectors, but by taking each vehicle through a twelve week, twenty-eight step operation for the paint job which used sixteen coats of paint. That’s detail!
In addition to its look, the Waverley Coupe was known for the quality of the ride. The ride of the vehicle was lower,and added drop sills enabled easier access to the vehicle. The vehicle’s body was made primarily from aluminum, providing a weight that would put less wear on the tires than conventional bodies. Dust-proof casings were used to ensure the longevity of parts, while broad windows allowed for complete visibility while driving. On top of this, the Waverley had a patented controller, for the purpose of driver safety. Thanks to this, the vehicle could only be started if it was not moving. For convenience, the reverse speed lever was placed behind the forward lever, and prohibited from being used until the forward speed lever was off.
Despite sales to wealthy individuals such as Thomas Edison, Emile Berliner (inventor of the disk gramophone), and William E. Horlick (creator of malted milk), the company soon went out of business, competing with newer, greater technologies, and the lack of facilities to charge batteries. The Waverley Company closed in 1916.
The Coupe contained a battery that held a charge that could last 50 miles. Today, car companies are researching ways to extend that range, and increase the speed of the electric car. Currently, the Tesla Roadster boasts a range of 220 miles per charge and a top speed of 125 miles per hour. Chevrolet plans to introduce the Volt in 2010, designed for drivers who travel fewer than 40 miles per day. Numerous other automakers are using new technology to jump on the electric car bandwagon. They owe it all to one of the first – the Waverley Electric Coupe.
The 1910 Waverley Electric Coupe shown above can currently be seen at the Northeast Classic Car Museum, Norwich, NY. www.classiccarmuseum.org
Article by Adam Munio
One model of electric car that was popular in 1910 was the Waverley Coupe. The 1910 Waverley Coupe was a luxury car that combined quality, value, efficiency, and convenience, making it one of the premier electric cars of the early 1900’s. It seated 4, and was quite easy to customize, allowing for different colors, tops, batteries, and even tires. On top of this, it was relatively affordable, selling at $2,250 - almost $300 less than the popular Detroit Electric.
The Waverley Company, formed from a merger of the American Electric and Indiana Bicycle Companies, boasted quality and convenience in comparison to its price. For example, the silence of the Coupe was one of the company’s main points for advertisement, along with its appearance. The Waverley Company prided itself on using premium materials and brilliant designs to make a ride that rode as smooth as it looked.
The manufacturers of the Coupe showed a great attention to detail, not only by employing multiple inspectors, but by taking each vehicle through a twelve week, twenty-eight step operation for the paint job which used sixteen coats of paint. That’s detail!
In addition to its look, the Waverley Coupe was known for the quality of the ride. The ride of the vehicle was lower,and added drop sills enabled easier access to the vehicle. The vehicle’s body was made primarily from aluminum, providing a weight that would put less wear on the tires than conventional bodies. Dust-proof casings were used to ensure the longevity of parts, while broad windows allowed for complete visibility while driving. On top of this, the Waverley had a patented controller, for the purpose of driver safety. Thanks to this, the vehicle could only be started if it was not moving. For convenience, the reverse speed lever was placed behind the forward lever, and prohibited from being used until the forward speed lever was off.
Despite sales to wealthy individuals such as Thomas Edison, Emile Berliner (inventor of the disk gramophone), and William E. Horlick (creator of malted milk), the company soon went out of business, competing with newer, greater technologies, and the lack of facilities to charge batteries. The Waverley Company closed in 1916.
The Coupe contained a battery that held a charge that could last 50 miles. Today, car companies are researching ways to extend that range, and increase the speed of the electric car. Currently, the Tesla Roadster boasts a range of 220 miles per charge and a top speed of 125 miles per hour. Chevrolet plans to introduce the Volt in 2010, designed for drivers who travel fewer than 40 miles per day. Numerous other automakers are using new technology to jump on the electric car bandwagon. They owe it all to one of the first – the Waverley Electric Coupe.
The 1910 Waverley Electric Coupe shown above can currently be seen at the Northeast Classic Car Museum, Norwich, NY. www.classiccarmuseum.org
Article by Adam Munio
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