the top 10 largest international car corporations in 2016, but PSA just bought Opel, and switched up the list

Toyota Motor.
Volkswagen Group.
General Motors.
Renault-Nissan Alliance.
Hyundai Motor Group.
Ford Motor.
Fiat-Chrysler.
Honda Motor.
PSA Peugeot-Citroën
Suzuki

https://www.tharawat-magazine.com/facts/10-largest-car-companies/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/bertelschmitt/2016/01/27/nice-try-vw-toyota-again-worlds-largest-automaker/#785d03604165

Peugeot was nearly bankrupt in 2014, and was bailed out by the French govt and the Dongfeng car maker, each of them are 14% owners, along with the Peugeot family

but just this week PSA bought Opel and Vauxall from GM, as it's been losing money in Europe since 1999

Now VW is the biggest in Europe and PSA is 2nd

http://www.automobilemag.com/news/gm-sells-opel-2-3-billion-deal/

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First time I ever noticed that a Crosely had the rims bolted on, instead of using lug nuts

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yellow headlights.... it started in WW2 as a way to differentiate French cars from German cars

The main objective of the yellow lights (used first in military vehicles) was not to be such an easy target.

The Government enacted a law on the 3rd of November, 1936 stating that all vehicles put into production in 1937 are required to have yellow headlights. The French being who they are, didn't abandon these headlights until 1993 when forced by the European Unions conformity standards.



http://www.french-cars-in-america.com/why-did-france-have-yellow-headlights

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HP2 = stood for Hemi-Powered Plymouth

http://www.highdefforum.com/car-forum/115098-muscle-cars-1962-1972-a-141.html

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the recommended tire pressure for a Corvair was 15 psi fronts, and 26 psi rear

that's very weird

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20 automakers combined produce 99% of the cars in the USA.

And they just met with the NHTSA about automatic braking systems, and they will be standard equipment starting in 2022

Toyota has promised to have it on all of its vehicles by 2017, and many vehicles already have the sensors and technology in place.

AEB technology is available on more than half of new cars being sold already, and 9% of US drivers already have AEB in their vehicles, according to a AAA survey, even though the median package price that includes the technology is $2,775. And as with nearly all driver assist technology, people who’ve experienced AEB in action are more likely to trust it than those who haven’t (71% versus 41%).

https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/25/aaa-study-sheds-light-on-aeb-systems/

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Ever heard of a Larry car?

http://cokeovens.com/site/photos/

http://www.wvexp.com/index.php/File:Coke-larry-car.png

used in the process of heating up coal to make coke.

What makes coking coal distinct is that it is a fuel with few impurities. Most grades of coke are from 86 to 93 percent pure carbon and produce a clean intense heat when burned. Coke is made by heating coal in a controlled atmosphere, driving off most of the impurities, and leaving a porous structure strong enough to support the iron ore that coke is often used to heat.

http://www.blackdiamondnow.net/black-diamond-now/2013/03/bee-hive-ovens-and-the-production-of-coking-coal.html

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What is a company going to do when the contracts for govt jobs are written so only the favorite company can meet the specs for equipment? Build a replica of the equipment.

Not a lot of imagination went into building this grader. It appears to be a direct knock off of a Caterpillar #12 of the 1950's, presumably done so that they could bid against Cat on government spec bids and meet the spec's which were often written to attempt to exclude anything except a Cat grader.

http://www.vannattabros.com/road5.html

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four of the 427 Shelby AC Cobras did not get a 427 engine. They were delivered with 428s.... what a let down!

I'm not big on Fords, and don't respect very many Ford engines... and way up at the top of the list of the big blocks I'll refrain from every speaking well of is the 428.

But when Shelby American couldn't get 427s, he plopped (appropriate term) 428s into four 1966 Cobras.

CSX 3282 was one of them. CSX 3301 and 3305 were two more

http://www.highdefforum.com/1190325-post2019.html
https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0111-104119/

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did you hear about the automatic transmission they tested on the M38 Jeep during the 50s for the civilians? It had a push start ability

the Borg Warner T 90 was found to not be civilian friendly, so an effort was made to develop an automatic trans that would mount into the small Jeep.

The available space was one big problem, but Allison ( a division of GM since 1929) wanted to be the supplier for potential millions in profits if they snagged the contract to supply the transmission.

Their prototype was named the "Allison Automatic Torque Converter", and the 2nd oil pump at the rear of the trans allowed for it to be push started.

The prototype Jeeps were sent to Aberdeen Proving Grounds, but the auto trans was terrible, and broke down a lot. A quart of oil was leaking, on average, every 800 miles.

The Dispatcher Magazine, March 2015 issue http://norris-banonis.com/dispatcher.html

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