This day in history post is not about some famous person, or anything related to an epic event, like WWII or such.

This one is about the marriage of automotive technologies and something great coming out of that.

On Dec. 19, 1994, Rolls-Royce told the world that it would start using BMW 12-cylinder engines in its cars.

In other times. Rolls-Royce supplied great airplane and auto engines.

Hey, I always find it interesting when smart people do smart things....together! And it is a great thing when smart companies do too!

And, for a great video of the BMW museum, take a look at this video from our Motortopia member, Saboianeto, from Brazil.

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The company, and the car, we now know as SAAB, also had a very funny name in the beginning. Before SAAB was SAAB, it was Svenska Aeroplan Aktiebolaget. And it stayed that way until 1965 when it changed its name to SAAB.

Today, in 1949, SAAB produced its first car. Hey, have a look at the prototype for this car. It really is pretty cool looking and certainly shows the "AEROPLAN" background of SAAB, as in its first name.

For those of you who have been around car lots lately, you know that SAAB makes some pretty cool looking cars.

General Motors now owns SAAB automotive operations. But, they still make a pretty great jet figthers!

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Daytona Beach, Florida. A very nice place to visit.

Also, the birthplace of NASCAR on Dec. 14, 1947.

The moonshine runners get some respect!

Speaking of moonshine running, take a look at The Bandit Run, here on Motortopia.

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The ice splintered from my car door like a Schwarzenegger throwing a bad guy through plate glass window.

I needed to get out of the house for groceries, some food for the cat, and some other errands. But on this icey day in Nebraska, it took a lot of scraping and "warming up the car" to get the icey sheet off my car, but I got it done in about 30 minutes.

Actually, I enjoy the snow and ice. And since most of us at Motortopia work at home a lot; everyone could stay home and focus on coding up the next great thing for the site.

Hope you all stay warm!

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I remember that my first tricycle had hard tires, and it was a pretty bumpy ride. But then again, at 3 years old, I was glad to be out racing down the sidewalk, but I do remember that the bumps came straight through the frame and into my little torso.

Well, maybe that is why pneumatic tires were invented. We all know they make a ride a lot smoother and safer, but I sure didn't know a lot about the tire until I learned that today is the day that Mr. R. W. Thompson received his patent on the pneumatic tire way back in 1845.

Back then they called them carriage wheels, and they were mostly helpful on horse-drawn wagons and carriages. But, they sure became popular on cars.

You know, I'm gonna go look. Do trikes have still have hard rubber tires?

I was fascinated this morning to read more about tire technology and how pneumatic tires work.

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I have been on a WWII theme for the last blog posts (see my previous post about the automotive industry in Japan following WWI), so I thought I would highlight an impact that WWII had in the USA.

Some of you may remember, and some of you remember your parents or grandparents telling you storage of rationing and shortages on basic items during WWII. Unlike the "War on Terror" in which we are now involved, WWII was an all out war in which the American people participated through War Bonds and rationing, among other things.

Well, that had a particular impact on racing and racing clubs. With the shortages of things like gas, batteries, tires, and many other automotive parts, the Automobile Racing Drivers Club of America could no longer function, so shut down on , December 8, 1941. And, it never reopened.

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Yesterday, December 7, we remembered Pearl Harbor, a day "that will live in infamy" as President Roosevelt told the nation in 1941.

The Allies defeated the Japanese in 1945. The auto industry in Japan began its rebuilding on this day, Dec. 8, 1945 when the U.S. lead occupation government gave Toyota permission to start production -- but only of civilian vehicles.

The picture in this post, you would think, could be from somewhere in Indiana. Nope, this is from Tokyo. Enterprising Japanese started fixing up old war vehicles for sale to the occupying troops for their personal use.

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On this day, December 6, 1955 the federal gub'nent stepped in and told all the states that they had to use a standard size license plate.

Gosh, wasn't it more fun with all the various sizes?

Oh well, some are still better than others. Who has the best license plate? Which state.

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Well, after stumbling on to the first American car race in Chicago on my previous blog post, I thought I would try my hand a a bit of automotive history today.

And, today's piece involves a boat, a BIG boat, so I thought it might be perfect for Motortopia, to post in the car and boat portals.

Henry Ford made a lot of cars and a lot of money. But, most folks know that he also tried to make peace. Now, I like folks with big ideas, and here is a pretty big one. Henry Ford tried to end WWI. How about that?

Yep, he took a bunch of folks on a boat that he chartered, the Oscar II, and sailed them to England to talk some sense to the politicians and end the silly and deadly war.

And, the left on this trip on December 4, 1916. It is a day in history.

Well, they didn't succeed, but you have to admire a guy for trying.

So, if you own or drive a Ford, you can think of it as a peacemobile today.

f you would like to read more, read this piece from KU History.

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Yesterday my son headed back to Chicago for school after the Thanksgiving Holiday. And this was cause for me to learn something about automotive history; something especially of interest to those who like gas powered vehicles, and even MORE interesting to those who like RACING in those gas-powered vehicles.

My son, Aaron, keeps telling me I need to get up to Chicago to visit him more. After all, Dad, he says...it is a short flight and we can have some fun. So, on this trip home he packed along some guides about Chicago and Chicago history.

Thumbing through these "come to Chicago" brochures, I came across an interesting fact for car buffs....the first-ever gas-powered automobile race occurred in Chicago, Illinois on this very day, November 28, 1893.

Now, that might seem like a small fact, but the interesting thing was that the make up of the group of cars also included electric cars and cars manufactured in Germany, by, guess who . . . . Benz.

But, it was an American, a fellow named Frank Duryea, who built a two-cylinder car and won the race. Two cylinders, mind you.

Well, now I know it is not only the windy city, but also the high-powered two-cylinder, gas-powered city as well.

Aaron, I'll be up to see you soon. Maybe I'll drive up ;-). Dad

P.S. For those of you who like history, take a look here

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