Test Your Automotive Knowledge.
| Q-205 What was the first American front-wheel drive car to be offered to the public? |
A-205 The Cord L-29, which came out in 1929 to the line by several months. Just 4,400 were sold before being discontinued in 1932. |
| Q-204 Between 1975 and 1976 Traditional Coach works built a couple bun-dred Cadillac “pick-ups” based on a customized Coupe de Ville. What were they called? |
A-204 Known as the Cadillac mirage, they were not endorsed by Cadillac but sold through Cadillac dealerships. Evel Knievel bought the firs one. |
| Q-203 What was the best selling American car in 1974? |
A-203 The Ford Pinto was tops that year, selling over 360,000. The Plymouth Valiant was second, with more than 337,000. Chevy’s Vega, Impala and Nova fill out the top six. |
| Q-202 In 1962, Chevrolet debuted the Chevy II models. The line consisted of three series – what were they called. |
Q-202 The lowest priced series was the Chevy II 100, next up was the Chevy II 300, and the top was filled with the Chevy II 400. |
| Q-201 The first car with a modern speed control system was the 1958 Imperial, called “auto-pilot”. Which company renamed and marketed it as “cruise-control”? |
Q-201 Cadillac. In 1965, AMC called it “cruise command” |
| Q-200 What models were the first 4-cylinder and the first 6-cylinder Ford? |
Q-200 The Model K (1906 – 1908) was Ford’s first 6-cylinder auto. The Model N (1906 – 1908) was Ford’s first 4-cylinder auto. The Model T debuted in 1908. |
| Q-199 What automaker offered a “Go Package (or “Go Pack”) on a variety of their cars between 1968-1974? |
A-199 AMC’s ‘Go ack” varied from year to year on the AMX (1968 – 1970). Javelin (1968 – 1974), Hornet SCI360 (1971) and Matador Machine (1971). |
| Q-198 The MoPar brand was not introduced into Canada until the late 1970’s. What were the equivalent brands used there before then? |
A-198 Chrysler parts were sold under the brands “Chryco” and “AutoPar” in Canada |
| Q-197 Hugh Chalmers was a wealthy businessman who formed his own car company in 1908 by buying out E.R. Thomas’s stake in Thomas-Detroit. Where did he make his fortune? |
A-197 Chalmers was Vice-President of National Cash Register, making $72,000 a year in 1907. Chalmers produced cars until 1924. |
| Q-196 In 1977, Oldsmobile offered a standard four cylinder engine for the first time since 1922. What subcompact model featured that engine? |
A-196 The Starfire,  in its third go around with Olds. It emerged again in 1975 with a Buick V6 before the switch to a four two years later |
| Q-195 What were the model names of the three cars Continental Motors offered when it tried to expand beyond engine building in 1933? |
A-195 Ace, Flyer and Beacon. Reportedly, just 3,310 cars of all three models were sold that year.
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| Q-194 The name of the cheapest Chevrolet available in 1958 was actually the name of a premium version of the Two-Ten in 1954. What was the name? |
A-194 Delray. While the name never appears on the car, magazine ads used the name in promoting it. Delray is a neighborhood in Detroit. |
| Q-193 What was the first American production car to reach 170 mph. |
A-193 A 1962 Studebaker Avanti, courtesy of a supercharged 289 and a series of speed runs at Bonneville with Studebaker president Sherwood Egbert at the wheel. |
| Q-192 Hanns Trippel designed an auto called the Trippel SG6 “Schwimmwagen” before World War II. He then designed a similar vehicle that was released in 1961? |
A-192 The Amphicar. The amphibious vehicle was marketed from 1961 through 1968, but production ended i1965.  |
| Q-191 What two pony cars were introduced within 16 days of each other in 1964? |
A-191 The Plymouth Barracuda (April 1) and the Ford Mustang (April 17). Ford sold 126,538 Mustangs that year versus 23,443 Plymouth Barracudas. |
| Q-190 Just as Cadillac introduced its companion LaSalle brand, so did Marmon in 1929. What was it called? |
A-190 The Roosevelt, named after named after President Teddy Roosevelt. Available in four body styles – sedan, coupe, Victoria Coupe and Collegiate Coupe – it was rebadged as the Marmon Model R after 1930  |
| Q-189 In 1954, Chrysler offered 20 body styles across five different models. Can you name the five models? |
A-189 1) The Windsor Deluxe (6 body styles) 2) The New Yorker (5 body styles) 3) The New Yorker Deluxe (4 body styles) 4) The Costume Imperial (3 body styles) 5) The Crown Imperial (2 body styles) |
| Q-188 What two automobile brands offered the first wind-up windows in 1919? |
A-188 Both Packard and Pierce-Arrow offered wind-up windows that year. Until then, leather strap window lift were used. |
| Q-187 Chrysler stopped offering convertibles following the 1970 year, and didn’t reintroduce one until 1982. Name the last two from ’70 and first from ’82 |
A-187 1970 convertibles from Chrysler were the “300” or the Newport. 1982 saw the LeBaron convertible join the K-Car ranks. |
| Q-186 What American auto executive once said, “A car should make people’s eyes light up when they step into the showroom. Rebates are merely a way of convincing customers to by bland cars they’re not interested in.”? |
A-185 John DeLorean, who began his career at Chrysler and Packard before long stints at Pontiac and GM. |
| Q-185 Wilhelm Karman GmbH in Germany, will-known for building the VW Karmann Ghia and other VW convertibles, also built what 3-door hatchback in the 1980’s? |
A-185 Karmann hand-built the Merkur SR4Ti, a U.S. version of the European Ford Sierra, from 1985-89. |
| Q-184 What 3 cars make up a new car brand called: N O V A?  |
A-184 OMEGA, VENTURA, APOLLO. |
| Q-183 Who invented invented the electric barber clippers, supplied engines for the Olds Motor Vehicle Company, and then went on to found both Cadillac and Lincoln |
A-183 Henry Leland. In 1902 he was hired by The Henry Ford Company to appraise it for liquidation. He instead suggested they reorganize, thus forming Cadillac. |
| Q-182 What tire company, founded in 1898, was named after the American inventor of vulcanized rubber,even though he died 38 years earlier |
A-182 The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. was founded by Frank Seiberling, but named after Charles Goodyear, a self-taught chemist who patented vulcanized rubber in 1844 |
| Q-181 What was the name of Oldsmobile’s version of the 1973 Chevrolet Nova?. |
Q-181 The Olds Omega was introduced that year, along with its sister, the Buick Apollo. The Omega ended up being a version of the Chevy Citation later on. |
| Q-180 1955-57 Thunderbirds are called Baby Birds, and 1958-60 Thunderbirds are called Square Bird. What is the nickname for the 1961-63 Thunderbirds? |
A-180 The styling of the 61-63 Thunderbirds have led them to be known as Bullet Birds. |
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Q-179 |
| Q-178 What car company marketed pun-filled colors like “Thanks Vermillion”, “Hulla Blue’, “Anti-Establish Mint”, and “Freudian Gilts”? |
A-178 The color names were used on 1970 Ford products, the same year the Maverick made its debut. Others include “Last Stand Custard” and “Big ‘Em Back Olive”. |
| Q-177 Only 35 buyers chose what option available on the 1958 Chrysler 300D, DeSoto Adventurer, Dodge D-500 and Plymouth Fury? |
A-177 This rare option was Chrysler’s “Electrojector” fuel injection set-up. It featured two dual-point distributors (one for ignition and another for the injectors). |
| Q-176 When was the checkered flag first used to signify the end of a race? |
A-176 The checkered flag was first used in the 1906 Glidden Tour, indentifying time check points at the end of each section. A checkered frag was also used to end the 1906 Vanderbilt Cup race. |
| Q-175 What historical automotive executive was responsible for choosing the name “Plymouth” for Chrysler’s low-priced entry in 1928? |
A-175 Joseph Frazer,  eventually of Kaiser-Frazer fame. While working at Chrysler, He suggested “Plymouth” as a good American name, leveraging the popularity of Plymouth Binder Twine among farmers. |
| Q-174 Chrysler debuted their Letter Car in 1955 with the C-300, and the 300B followed in 1956. How many letters were used in all through 1965? |
A-174 The letters in all were used, B through L, minus the letter I. |
| Q-173 The German automaker Opel, owned by GM from 1921 through 2017 and now owned by Stellantis, manufactures what English sister marque auto?  1922 Opel. |
A-173 Vauxhall. Like most other pioneering automaker that began making something else. Vauxhall was founded in 1857 as a pump and marine engine builder.  1922 Vauxhall |
| Q-172 Like Peerless, Pierce also had humble beginnings before turning to  bicycles and  automobiles. What were they best known for from 1865 – 1900? |
A-172 Under a company named Heinz, Pierce and Munschauer, they were best known for delicate guilded birdcages.  |
| Q-171 What automobile designer, who was a student of Harley Earl, is credited with the origin of Pontiac’s silver streak design theme as well as the ’55 T-Bird? |
A-171 Franklin “Frank” Hershey,  who was also responsible for the 1948 Cadillac tailfin. |
| Q-170 When the Graham brothers left Dodge, they acquired Paige in 1927. After WWII, they sold their car business to Kaiser-Frazer. What did Graham-Page eventually become? |
A-170 The Graham-Page Corp was renamed Madison Square Garden Corp. in 1962 as they were then operating MSG and some NY sports teams. |
| Q-169 What popular model name at Oldsmobile firs appeared on an experimental sports coupe in 1954 before appearing on a production car in 1961? |
A-169 Cutlass,  introduced as the top trim level on the F-85 line before evolving into its own series, and branching out into such models as 442, Supreme, Calais, and Ciera. |
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| Q-168 Alice Huyler Ramsey was the first woman to drive an automobile across the U. S. from coast to coast in 1909. What kind of car did She make the trip in? |
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A-168 Alice drove a Maxwell Model DA touring car. She left NYC on June 9th. and reached San Francisco on August 7th. |
| Q-167 What name, introduced in 1950 by Ford, referred to station wagons with woodgrain exterior trim? |
A-167 Country Squire. The name lasted through 1991. Squire versions of the Ranchero and pinto were also built. |
| Q-166 What was the name of Pontiac’s rebadged version of Chevy Vega? |
A-166 The Astre.  which debuted in the United States for the 1975 model year. It and the Vega were cancelled after the 1977 model year. |
| Q-165 A 2001 Corvette paced this year’s Indy 500. What was the last year that something other than a Chevrolet did so, and what kind of vehicle was it? |
A-165 In 2001, an Oldsmobile Bravada  was the pace “car” for the Indy 500, even though it was an SUV. |
| Q-164 In 1966, Ford debuted a new performance package for the Galaxie .What was it called? |
A-164 It was known as the 7-litre. It came with a 427 and a mandatory four-speed, or the newer 428 witch could pair with an automatic. Only 38 out of 11,000 were built with the 427. |
| Q-163 What famous truck company originated out of Fallesen & Berry carriage builders in Brooklyn, NY? |
A-163 Mack Truck, started by Jack and Gus Mack, who bought the carriage company in 1893. Their first motor vehicle was a 20-passenger bus  built in 1900 that toured Prospect Park. |
| Q-162 What GM Motorama show car is featured on the Harley J. Earl Trophy, which is presented to the winner of the Daytona 500? |
A-162 The Firebird XP-21, now known simply as, Firebird I. It was developed in 1953, as the first gas turbine-powered car tested om the U.S. It’s basically a jet on wheels.  |
| Q-161 One man is credited with founding both Cadillac and Lincoln. Who is He? |
A-161 Henry Leland. In 1902 He was brought in to the failing Henry Ford Company and convinced them to reorganize as Cadillac. He started the Lincoln Motor Co. in 1917 to build Liberty aircraft engines, retooled it as an automaker in 1920. |
| Q-160 What animal did Plymouth executives want to name their new sporty compact before designer John Samsen prevailed with “Barracuda”? |
A-160 Panda. (Only slightly better than Sloth, in My opinion). |
| Q-159 In the early 1960’s GM was developing a new model that was originally called the LaSalle II. When it was shifted away from Cadillac, what did it become? |
A-159 Early mock-ups of a personal luxury coupe first badged as the LaSalle II eventually became the 1963 Buick Riviera. |
| Q-158 Chrysler F-Bodies like the Volare and Aspen gave way to what new platform in 1981? |
A-158 The famous “K-cars” debuted in 1981, sporting new names like Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries. |
| Q-157 Who is the French Bicycle racer who went on to manufacture porcelain spark plugs? His name endures within the brands of two popular plugs today. |
A-157 Albert Champion, Ignition Company and AC Spark Plug Company. Today, his name is behind those of ACDelco and Champion Spark plugs. |
| Q-156 Ford’s Fox-body typically is associated with 1980’s Mustangs, but the platform underpinned what other cars coming from, the Ford corporate family? |
A-156 The midsize, unit-body Fox platform was also under the Ford Fairmont, Granada, Thunderbird; Mercury Zephyr, Capri, Monarch, Cougar; and Lincoln Mk VI and VII. |
| Q-155 The 1973 Gremlin offered an optional Levi’s interior package that featured spun nylon upholstery made to look like denim. Why didn’t they use real denim? |
A-155 Real denim is spun from cotton, and fire safety regulations prohibited its use in interiors. |
| Q-154 The popularity of Mercury’s Cougar led them to choose what name for their version of the Ford Pinto (which was inspired by the Mustang nameplate)? |
A-154 Bobcat.  Mercury built over 224,000 Bobcats from 1975 to 1980. It was replaced by another feline, the Mercury Lynx. |
| Q-153 Which independent auto manufacturer is generally credited as the first to offer four-wheel brakes? |
A-153 Duesenberg. Their innovation began on race cars as early as 1915, and in 1921 they were the first production car to offer four-wheel hydraulic brakes. |
| Q-152 Along with the Thunderbird, what other models were available from Ford in 1980? |
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A-152 Mustang, LTD, Granad |