Join us for our 1st of 5 lectures highlighting the American Automobile Evolution. Click here to register.
“THE KALEIDOSCOPE OF AMERICAN AUTOMOTIVE EVOLUTION”
JIM CRABTREE, AUTOMOTIVE HISTORIAN
PHIL SKINNER, EDITOR OF KELLEY BLUE BOOK/OLD CARS
MODERATED BY TOM FEHN, ADM DIRECTOR OF PRESERVATION
SHOP TALKS FROM 1:00 PM TO 2:30 PM IN THE RESTORATION SHOP ADJACENT TO THE ADM
600 LAIRPORT STREET EL SEGUNDO, CA 90245
SUGGESTED DONATION $10 PER ADULT $8 PER SENIOR
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2015
THE AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE-INCEPTION TO 1929
CHAPTER 1 “TILLER TO TREMOR”
The first lecture on October 10th will be covering the earliest years of automotive development—1800s to the end of the 1920s.
Who invented the car? How did the long history of actual horse power slow the paradigm shift and limit innovation? The battle of propulsion between gas, steam and electric will be covered: Why did gasoline win? Who was the first person to drive an automobile across the USA and why did he do it? Why do horses always seem to pull cars out of the mud and not the other way around? Automotive innovation seemed to slow during the 1920s, what was actually going on? How did a soldier crossing America in 1918 lead to one of the greatest public works projects in the history of the world?
Join us on October 10th to gain a better understanding of these early years in the history of the automobile.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015
THE DEPRESSION AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE-1929 TO 1942
CHAPTER 2 “STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL”
The second lecture on November 7th starts with the complete collapse of the world
economy leading to the decade of the Great Depression. Despite these oppressive conditions the auto industry was able to create the most beautiful cars ever made. At a time when unemployment was 25%, the luxury automakers were locked in a horsepower and cylinder race: A race that lead to the death of the upper-crust of car makers. Body styles proliferated in these years. The differences between them were obvious when they were new but few can correctly identify them today. This presentation will work to clarify the distinctions. Make-work programs paved most of the roads in the country: How did this work affect wheel size and the design of a car’s side windows? The transmission is under the floor, why did the industry and public feel that it was it important to move the shifter to the steering column? What was the greatest advancement in ease of operation since the self-starter? This lecture ends with the World War II years. The only model year that was halted by the government and how the auto industry made it possible for America to do something that had never before been done in the history of the world: Win a two-front war.
Join us on November7th to learn more about how the most trying times in world history seemed to bring out the best in the auto industry.
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2015
THE POST WAR AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE-1946 TO 1972
CHAPTER 3 “REVIVAL AND RECOVERY”
SATURDAY, JANUARY 9, 2016
THE MODERN AMERICAN AUTOMOBILE-1973 TO TODAY
CHAPTER 4 “TECHNOLOGY TRIUMPHS”
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2016
COLLECTOR CAR VALUATION
CHAPTER 5 “MARKET OR MAYHEM”