Automobile History Archives - Page 2 of 2

History of Ambulance Vehicles

The ambulance is among the most recognizable and unique vehicles on the road. The history of the ambulance is long and developmental, dating to 15th century when in Spain wagons were used for the transporting the wounded. The modern word ambulance derives the French word ambulant. It means “ambulant field hospital” and its first known use was in 1809. Since then, ambulance vehicles have undergone a vast transformation. Ambulances in the Civil War A horse-drawn ambulance from the American Civil War (1861–1865) Prior to the 20th century, most emergency transportation was done with horse-drawn carts or wagons. During the American Civil War, these wagons were used to transport wounded soldiers from the battle field. It wasn’t until William A. Hammond

Automobile History, Rare-Vintage

Kaiser-Darrin: Odd, elegant sports car in demand

I’ve been fascinated by the Kaiser-Darrin for the past several years. It looks unlike any other sports car. Its prototype debuted in 1952 and it was available in dealerships two years later. Built from fiberglass, the Kaiser-Darrin is both odd-looking and elegant. It has odd-shaped front grille, sliding doors and its was the second carmaker after Nash to have seat belts. The 1954 Kaiser-Darrin also had bucket seats, full sports-car instrumentation, a floor shifter and cost $3,668, slightly more than the newly arriving Corvette. The buying public was at first enamored by the Kaiser-Darrin. It had a standard three-speed manual overdrive transmission and got 30 mpg delivered 30 mpg. Even though the Kaiser-Darrin had a top speed of about 100

Automobile History, Sedans

Chevrolet Impala: History of an icon, 1958-2014

The Chevrolet Impala was introduced as a 1958 model and was built by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. Fifty-five years later, the Impala has advanced to its 10th generation with the introduction of re-designed 2014 edition. It was recently honored by Consumer Reports as sedan of the year. Available in three trims as a coupe and convertible, the original Chevy Impala ranged in price from $2,586 to $2,724. The starting price for the 2014 model is just under $27,000. Named after the southern African antelope, the Impala became the best-selling automobile in the United States in 1965. Vying against the Ford Galaxie 500 and Plymouth Fury, about 1 million Impala units sold. (Double click on thumbnails to view full-sized

Automobile History

Chevrolet at 100: iconic cars, Dinah Shore and American Pie

From its iconic models, Corvette to Impala, Bel Air to Camaro, and its inclusion in pop songs sung by Dinah Shore, Don McLean and Bob Seger, Chevrolet has been in public consciousness for exactly a century. Which means, of course, the automaker, co-founded by Louis Chevrolet and William C. Durant on Nov. 3, 1911, is celebrating its 100th birthday today (Nov. 3, 2011). Nearly everyone or someone in nearly everyone’s family in the United States has a story to tell about a Chevrolet: a first date to family vacations. Beyond memories of driving experiences, the brand and its importance in popular culture has been absorbed into society with at least three massively popular songs. In 1956 The “Dinah Shore Chevy