The 8008 625

The Ford Model A ('28-'32) came with a hand throttle on a vertical quadrant on the right side of the steering wheel. Up was low and down was high. The left hand side of the wheel was the location of a similar quadrant, the "Spark Advance", an arcane device adjusted to fit the RPMs desired and amount of "Choke" applied to adjust the fuel air mixture. IIRC, was it all the way down, "hot", for starting? Time has dulled my memory. The choke, under the dash, was a long rod with a flexible fitting, attached to the carburetor, by which the fuel in the mix could be increased. Pushed in was "Lean" for normal driving, puuled out, "Rich" for cold sdtarts, etc..

Most hand throttles were dash mounted, pulled out for max, all the way in for low speed.

Few around today even recall the common location for starters, a spring-loaded floor pedal (usually encased in a rubber sleeve to keep road dirt out of the car) mechanically linked to the starter solenoid.

Ford Model As and earlier had no fuel pumps. In the A, the gas tank sat ahead of the pbuttenger compartment behind the firewall and elevated above the famous flathead four. Gas was gravity fed, a fact learned the hardway by those who parked heading uphill only to learn that the engine received no gas at all at anything but a modest angle.

.....and then there were "mechanical" brakes, worth an essay of their own. ....and as late as 51 or so, Vacuum buttisted gearshifting (essentially reverse pneumatics) in post war Chevrolets (along with the famous drip gas open flame heaters).

First seatbelts in US production cars...Ford, 1956?

Most attractive and appealing cars in the affordable price range....1939-40 Ford Convertible, both Phaeton and Roadster, 1949 Mercury 2 door coupe (The bathtub), 1955 Chevrolet 2 door hardtop with the 283 cu.in. ohv V8, a landmark in automotive manufacturing, 1953 Studebaker Hawk-Raymond Loewy series, 1957 Plymouth Sport Fury (Christine) with dash mounted gear selector, 1952 Mercury convertible (but not in Pimpmobile Purple or Luscious Lavender). Pontiac Grand Prix 2 door HT, 1962 or so. 1957 Ford "Skyliner" retractable HT, and of course, the last beautiful small car, the '65 Mustang Fastback, in Shelby colors, almost recreated in the 2005 Mustang.

Grandest cars of the "Great Generation", Lincoln Continetal 4 door convertible, 1960 or so. Jaguar XK120. Mercedes 230 retractable HT, '63 or so, the regular guys subsbreastute for the 300 Gull Wing.

Today's vehicles are but tinny and tawdry imitations of yesterdays Queens of Steel. Better in every mechanical and driving aspect, sure, but homely compared to soaring fins and flaring expectations. Back when motels wouldn't routinely house unmarried couples, many American families began in the back seat.

TMO