A History of Vintage Automobiles From 1916 Through 1924

Before cars were around, people usually traveledimprovements not only made automobiles more
distances using horse-drawn carriages. But as early asstylish, but also safer and more comfortable for both
1335 several bright minds have been trying to comepassengers and drivers. Driving was slowly becoming
up with a "horseless carriage". In Italymore pleasurable.
there were quite a number of designs for wind-drivenApart from increased comfort and security, another
vehicles, none of which were ever built. Leonardo daimportant characteristic of cars that became
Vinci designed a clockwork vehicle, but that tooemergent during this period was the increase in
remained just a concept. In America there were twodurability and affordability. Automobile manufacturers
prominent figures who would be remembered aslike Ford, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Buick, Plymouth,
forefathers of the modern automobile--Ransom E.and Oldsmobile were mass-producing durable cars on
Olds and Henry Ford. Olds was the first massassembly lines, which made it possible for more
producer of gasoline-powered automobiles in America,people to travel around at an affordable price. In
while Ford built several prototypes and began sellingaddition, smaller companies began producing specific
cars in 1903.car components, adding to the ease of production
However, these cars were really nothing more thanand sustainability, and further lowering prices, which in
crude horseless carriages, and they looked a lot liketurn increased the popularity of the automobile as
them too--the open body, the large, wooden wheelsthe preferred mode of travel for everyone.
all screamed "carriage without a horse".As the automobile's popularity rose, so did the
But by 1916 certain developments enabled thesenumber of manufacturing companies. Some
carriages to become viable means of transportation,experimented with electricity and steam--and
with better mechanics, increased power andelectricity is still being experimented with to this
efficiency, and most of all, safety and comfort.day--but internal combustion engines were clearly
During the 1916-1924 period, most automobile designspreferred with Packard's development of the V-12.
have improved drastically. The dangerous hand crankOther manufactureres produced V-8s and V-16s, and
was replaceed with electric starters, and keroseneby the end of this period the market had hundreds
lanterns were replaced by electric lighting. Enclosedof manufacturers each producing several hundred
bodies were also becoming more popular, and thedifferent models, with a variety of engine
windows can be raised or lowered at will. Theseconfigurations.