Quiz:
What's the first year Volkswagen was imported into the US?
What is the first year of the Chrysler Hemi-Head engine?
What was the first year for V8's for Chevrolet?
What was the first year for Overhead Valve V8's for Ford?
What was a "Cranbrook?"
When did the Corvette get the name Stingray? (Trick question)

16 responses total.

 A Cranbrook was an ancient Chrysler product, also the name of
the estate in Bloomfield Hills.

Good!  Cranbrook was a plymouth model in the early 50's.

My Answers:
       First Volkswagen in US - 1949
       First Corvette "Stingray" - 1963 (inclduing the famous split rear
       window fastback coupe).

Just a trivia item in response to bruin (#3 above):
Corvettes were called Sting Rays from 1963 to 1967, but the name was dropped
for 1968.  Chevrolet resurrected the name in 1969, when it became
one word:  Stingray.
(from Car Spotter's Encyclopedia, 1940-1980, by the editors of consumer guide.

This probably also qualifies as a Little Known Fact.

The HEMI came about in the late 50's, I beleive it was in 1957 as a product of
Chrysler Co.'s drag racing efforts.  On the subject of hemi's, what was the
smallest CID hemi?

254 cu in in the 1953 dodge red ram.
How's that grab ya!

Saw a Corvair today.  I had never seen an automatic Corvair before and I wa
s surprised by the transmission shift lever.  This was a 1965 or newer model
and the interior was a bench seat, a flat floor, a brake pedal, a gas pedal,
and that was about it.  On the dash was a very small chrome t-bar coming out
on the right side of the steering wheel.  It was the transmission shift lever
and it indicated R,P,N,D,L.  

What was the first year that a radio was offered as a factory option?  And,
in what make/model was it first offered?

1929, in the Model A Ford.

What are your sources?  Mine (Ford) says different.

RE #10 Just a wild guess, mcpoz.

 I would guess a Packard. (based on the fact that Packard had the most
"firsts" of all the car companies)

Hint:  Made in USA but not in Michigan.

In the November 17th (Sunday) Ann Arbor news there is a graphic of a car near
the bottom of page #C-6.  This is a very accurate picture of a specific make.
Can you name the make and year?

RE #14 It's a 1953 Dodge

Wow, what a guy.  That Bruin is a walking car encyclopedia.  He's right!

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