2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:41
Cars filled the planet. They pursue man, crossing oceans, being transported by trains. Every moment approaching its owner, who, counting the money, is looking at the garage along the way.
You know perfectly well what a representative car means to its owner. Having car keys in your pocket can make anyone feel good.
Man got all this thanks to the evolution of mechanical engineering. No, cars weren't as good from the start as they are today. They have been improved and refined. Inventing new technologies, they eliminated certain shortcomings that affected the machines of that time.
Vintage cars
It's hard to imagine, but something like a car was created back in the 17th century. Of course, in our understanding, this is not a machine at all. It was a small device, made especially for the Emperor of China. Unfortunately for him, he was unable to fit into this creation. A feature of this toy was a steam engine. This invention is believed to be the first steam powered car.
The most ancient cars were something like a children's bicycle with three wheels. Unless the dimensions were much larger, and, of course, there was an engine, yesalso internal combustion. Gaseous mixtures were used instead of liquid fuels. Only in 1870, by placing a tank of fuel on an ordinary cart, Siegfried Markus went down in history as the first person to use gasoline on a vehicle.
Start of mass production of cars
At the beginning of the 20th century, auto concerns began to produce cars, the so-called vintage cars we now call. France has achieved the greatest progress among other competitors. So, in 1903, more than 30,000 cars were created, which accounted for 48% of the total number of cars produced worldwide. The United States, in turn, was the leader in the number of people using the car.
Progress
Let's try to figure out exactly which models "moved" progress, turned the entire auto industry upside down. So, old cars, the names of which brought to life all the innovations of the designers:
1902 Mercedes Simplex: different from its predecessorsfour-cylinder engine. The maximum power that was given to this model was calculated at 33 horsepower. The introduction of ball bearings, gas adjustment was done manually. The gearbox consisted of 4 front stages and one rear. With a mass of 900 kg, the accelerometer needle reached 80 km/h.
"Oldsmobile Cavd Dash" (1902): This 320 kg car did not have such a great engine as the previous exhibit. The maximum that a single-cylinder could boasta four-stroke engine is a power of 4.5 horses. Also, "Kavd Dash" had a two-speed gearbox.
Its price compared to other four-wheelers was very modest. It is noteworthy that Oldsmobile was a pioneer in the production of cars in large series. And their creation of the 43A series has long been a model of successful innovative solutions. Forced water cooling of a closed cycle was used for the first time on this particular model.
"Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost": was nicknamed so thanks to journalists. The latter watched the course of the incredible test that fell on the wheels of the Silver Ghost: he had to go 15,000 miles. With an attractive appearance, the car reached a speed of 120 km / h. The engine ran very quietly. Equipped with a six-cylinder engine with a capacity of 48 l / s. The box consisted of four steps.
Let's get back to the test. Glasgow track in London. The quality of the road on it would have been a nightmare for modern motorists for a long time. The test drive lasted 48 days. Finally, after overcoming the test, the technical commission approved the issuance of the certificate. This document was more effective than advertising. After this event, the concern managed to sell a total of about 8 thousand copies.
Vintage cars that have influenced overall auto progress by no means end on this short list. In fact, almost every brand has introduced something new or improved what was already there.
Domestic auto industry
So we come to the most interesting part. Meet - vintage cars of the USSR. Of course, there are no such significant achievements and great breakthroughs as Western concerns. There were not so many cars in the Soviet Union. It is noteworthy that in the middle of the 20th century, 1 car accounted for one Soviet person out of 200. Meanwhile, in America, every second was a happy owner of a car. Prior to World War II, cargo vans dominated the country. Only respectable persons had a private car. An ordinary Soviet person did not have to rely on driving comfort - the only way to get a car was lottery tickets.
"Victory" and company
After the end of the Great Patriotic War, the development of the automotive industry began. Stalin's order gave impetus to the creation of the latest cars that meet modern requirements.
Victory car is coming soon. Initially, the designers intended to give the car the name "Motherland": Stalin did not like this option at all. After reviewing the possible options, they chose the only correct one.
"Victory" cost 16,000 rubles - an unbearable price for many at that time. The average salary of a worker was about 400 rubles. "Moskvich-401" at a price of 9,000 rubles looks more affordable. Despite this, Pobeda was truly an ideal, a dream car.
"Muscovites" gained popularity in the early 60s. New series of these wonderful machinesfound their customers. The popularity of "Moskvich" went through the roof. Being a hit of its time, it remained adored by everyone for a long time.
Found their customers and "Cossacks". Notable for their low price, they were somewhat unusual: the design implied the location of the engine in place of the trunk. The trunk, located at the beginning of the body, was small in size, so it was not necessary to count on the transportation of relatively large items. "Zaporozhets" performed an important function - it made passers-by smile.
Vintage cars still get a lot of attention to this day. Their value as rarities only increases with time.
Cars from the past in the present
Everyone knows that there are plenty of collectors these days. They come in different colors: someone likes to collect rare coins. Someone appreciates the fine arts, buying up paintings by prominent authors. But even here it was not without people who revere old cars. Prices usually do not have significant significance for fans of vintage vehicles. Ready to shell out a tidy sum at any moment, they are waiting for the "legend".
Reconstruction of such cars, giving them their original appearance and subsequent sale bring a huge income to auto repair shops. The cost may exceed the price of a solid modern car.
Based on this, we can confidently conclude: a retro car will never lose its fans. There will always be lively discussions, hysterical disputes - the reason for this is the origins that gave rise to the progress that in this centuryconsidered normal.
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