REAR VIEW MIRROR

137 YEARS AGO

On July 5, 1865, the British government enacted the infamous Locomotives and Highways Act. Also known popularly as the “red flag act,” it required three operators for any “locomotive” operating on public roads, one of them to proceed on foot at least 60 yd. (55 m) ahead of the vehicle carrying a red flag (red lantern by night) to warn drivers of horse-drawn vehicles of the “locomotive's” approach. The act also restricted the speed of the steam coaches and traction engines then operating on main turnpikes to 4 mph (6 km/h) in open areas and 2 mph (3 km/h) within town limits. The act was seen by many as an attempt by politically powerful railroads to eliminate competition from the road coaches.

The law was revised in 1878, cutting the distance of the man on foot to just 20 yds. (18 m). A license was now required for each county through which the vehicle traveled and allowed counties to restrict hours of operation. When cars were introduced in the 1890s many drivers ran afoul of the law for operating vehicles without being proceeded by a man on foot.

In 1896 the requirement for having three operators was repealed. The speed limit was set at 14 mph (22 km/h), but gave local governments authority to reduce it to 12 mph (19 km/h), and vehicles weighing less than 2 tons (1,814 kg) no longer needed a license.

In celebration, some 30 motorists gathered in London on Nov. 14, 1896, and drove to Brighton. The trip has been re-enacted annually in most years, beginning in 1897. In 1930 the “Old Crocks Race” became an official event of the Royal Automobile Club and later became known as the London to Brighton run.

57 YEARS AGO

Plans for what turned out to be the last attempt by a new company to break into the U.S. auto industry as a volume manufacturer were set in motion on July 25, 1945. That's when steel and shipbuilding magnate Henry J. Kaiser and Joseph W. Frazer, a descendant of Martha Washington and head of moribund Graham-Paige Co., announced plans to form a new auto maker: Kaiser-Frazer Corp. (K-F). Capitalized at $5 million, the new manufacturer launched production in 1946 with '47 models. Differing mainly in trim and luxury appointments, the Kaiser at first was marketed by K-F, while the upscale Frazer was sold through Graham-Paige. High costs soon prompted the merger of the two organizations.

In its nine years of car production K-F built some 750,000-plus cars, including several unique models, the first of which was the 3-door Traveler. Introduced in 1949 and sold under both nameplates, it was arguably the industry's first hatchback-type body style.

Based on a conventional 4-door sedan, the lower half of the rear deck lid folded down, while the upper half, including the window, lifted up. For maximum car room, the rear seat folded down and the spare tire was mounted to the welded-shut left rear door.

The compact Henry J was introduced as an entry-level car in 1951, by which time Frazer had left the company and output of Frazer cars ended. In a deal with Sears Roebuck & Co., a version of the Henry J was sold through selected Sears stores as the Allstate in 1952-53, but less than 2,500 were built.

OTHER DATES IN HISTORY

July 7, 1928 — Chrysler Corp. introduced the low-cost Plymouth in an effort to compete with Ford and Chevrolet.

July 19, 1934 — Harold T. Ames filed for a patent on his “retractable headlight design.” First used on the '36 Cord, a variation of the principle was used on the short-lived '42 model DeSoto. The styling device reappears on the '63 Corvette.

July 14, 1955 — Volkswagen introduced the sporty Karmann-Ghia. It is based on a Type I (Beetle) platform with a body built by Karmann from a design adapted by Ghia from one first developed for a Chrysler show car.