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Weekend Trivia: Sunday

Good morning fellow gardeners,

Looks as though Nancy and I are on the same wavelength again this weekend: transportation. Mine is of the more mundane type however. :(

Do you know what is the longest continuously produced automotive model in the world?

I will be back with clues.

Cynthia

Comments (21)

  • thinman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Good morning to you, Cynthia. My first thought was a well-known car that was produced during the early 1900s, but now I'm thinking of a European model that is still being produced today. I've always wanted one.

    TM

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am thinking of model last produced I Brazil, I believe.

    Nancy.

  • aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Hmmmmmm,

    Annette

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Nope. This model was first produced in 1935 and is still in production. Same company, same model name.

    TM, there are more than a few European models I would like to own! The
    Citroën 2CV (Deux Chevaux) is a favorite. It was first produced in 1948. The one in question here is not nearly as exciting as those great European cars.

    Today is a spectacular one weather-wise. I swept the deck and should be planting outside, but I have this weird dizziness thing going on when I am sitting still, when I get up, turn my head, roll over in bed, etc. Very irritating. I googled it (didn't want to ignore it if it was a harbinger of a stroke or something!) and it turns out to actually have a name-BPPV for short. Very common apparently and ear- related. Sigh. Also, even though our town has 'city' in its name, it really isn't urban where we are, so lots of yard to take care of (not nearly as much as you have TM). Too bad Chuck is not a lover of gardening! I could just sit and direct! :)

  • mnwsgal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    If this is an American car I may know it. A big car when it was first produced.
    Sorry about your vertigo, Cynthia. Hope it clears up soon.

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Are any of you Grateful Dead fans?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Not exactly apropos, but sort of in-between

  • thinman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo? I looked that up myself not too long ago, though it am amazed that I remembered it.

    OK, if it's not a very exciting car, that rules out the Porsche 911, which was the second car I thought of. My third thought is a car that was also designed by Ferdinand Porsche.

    TM

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh gosh, TM, think American here. I am pretty positive that Porsche did not design this one. Not quite his style, I'm afraid.

    I am a huge fan of wagons. The one I have now is very small. Poor Clouseau is not happy. However, the car in question would be too big for me!

    I am one of those wimpy sorts. Neither urban nor rural, although I would not mind rural acreage as long as it was on water-river, lake, ocean. Sigh.

    Cynthia

  • thinman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    American, huh? I guess I'm back to my first thought, which was the Model T Ford. I believe they made them from 190? through 1927. That's a pretty long run. But is it long enough?

    TM

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My favorite car from my youth was my dad's Impala convertible. That car was so much fun to drive to school and to the shore.

    Cynthia

  • thinman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I owned two Impala convertibles, a '59 and a '64. I think the Impala name started in 1958. They had three tail lights on each side instead of the two on the Bel-Air. That's a run of 56 years, which makes it a really good candidate for our trivia question, I think. It's funny that I never thought of the Impala.

    TM

  • mnwsgal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    The car I am thinking of was a boat, big and heavy. Also expensive. In our area during the early 60s it was a status symbol.

    The car I remember from my youth was a Ford Mustang as one of the guys in my class picked up a bright red one during lunch break in April '64. We all waited by the windows to see him return with it.

    Tonight we went to a comedy improv show. They used different accents British, Jersey, Texan, and to add a continental flair, Italian. During the sketch the three comics would switch characters so each played each character and used each accent. Funny night.

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Ah, but the song is Truckin' - hmmmm. How about an F-150?

    Nancy.

  • mnwsgal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    My first thought was the Lincoln Continental but was told last night that it is no longer in production. Okay, back to the clues.

    Sorta in between a truck might be a jeep or SUV. Were SUVs originally wagons? Don't see many Jeeps around here and the only SUV I know is the Chevy Suburban as my neighbor has one. So my guess is Chevy Suburban.
    Ohh, that fits the clue neither urban nor rural.

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Anyone else???

    Bobbie, sounds like a fun night. I think we need to do things like that!

    TM, yes, you are right about that term. I am very impressed that you know what the initials stand for! It is so annoying to me. Sounds as though it is easily fixed, but it requires a doctor visit and that is annoying as well because our doctor is at Georgetown in DC. Love him, hate driving into town.

    I will wait to see if anyone else answers. The 'car' was put into production in 1934, but it was a 1935 model. Remember those days? It was always exciting to see the roll-out of the new models.

    Cynthia

  • aftermidnight Zone7b B.C. Canada
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I was thinking could it be a jeep? But then I know nothing about vehicles on four wheels, I don't even drive LOL.

    Annette

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    I am leaving in a few minutes for a yoga class. My son's sweetie talked me into it! What in the workd was I thinking? 7:40 on a Monday night. Yikes. I will probably fall asleep in the middle of a pose. Either that or my BPPV will hit and I won't be able to do a thing. Sheesh.

    Anyway, four stars for Bobbie. The answer is the Chevrolet Suburban.

    Have a marvelous week. I will link another article when I get back!

    Cynthia

    Here is a link that might be useful: Suburban timeline

  • midnightsmum (Z4, ON)
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Of course - a Texas Cadillac!! Couldn't think of any GM truck names - good fun!!

    Nancy.

  • mnwsgal
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Thanks for the link, Cynthia. Interesting to see the changes from year to year. What was it called before the term SUV was introduced. It wasn't really a truck....maybe a paneled truck?

    Wouldn't have gotten the answer without your good clues! Fun.

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    Original Author
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    From Wikipedia:Several automotive companies in the United States used the "suburban" designation to indicate a windowed, station wagon type body on a commercial frame including DeSoto, Dodge, Plymouth, Studebaker, Nash, Chevrolet, and GMC. Chevrolet began production of its all-steel "carryall-suburban" in 1935. GMC brought out its version in 1937. These vehicles were also known as the "Suburban Carryall" until GM cut the name to simply "Suburban."

    And in case that isn't overload for you and more than you ever wanted to know...from Jim Carter website (Old Chevy Trucks)
    The First 1935 Suburban

    Owner: Ed Brouillet


    It’s 1935! With the encouragement of the US Army, the first Chevrolet Suburban is introduced. The Army wanted an enclosed vehicle to carry officers with a driver at their military bases. Of course, it would be a boost to Chevrolet for people to see they were doing so well during the Great Depression that they could even introduce another body style! Now looking back over 75 years ago there must have been some guarantees by the Army to encourage General Motors to create a new body design in the middle of bad economic times. Sales were down drastically in all brands of automobiles and trucks. Over half of the makes would be gone forever before the end of this disastrous economic downturn.

    Trying to boost slow sales and save their dealers, the Chevrolet Division introduces the “standard” car in 1935. It was less expensive than the “master” car which was the full size body. The “standard” was slightly smaller, less appointed, and some mechanical features were less complicated than their full size car.

    Sales of the GMC line (big trucks) had dropped so much that many of their dealers were out of business. General Motors attempted to counter this by introducing their first ½ and ¾ ton pickups. They even created the “Trail-a-bout”, a small utility trailer for pulling behind passenger cars using their pre-existing pickup box.

    With all this gloom and doom for the auto industry, what a surprise when Chevrolet introduces their new 1935 Suburban.

    When you look close you realize this new body is set on the pre-existing ½ ton chassis, a major cost cutting feature. The chassis, doors, front sheet metal, wheels, radiator, bumpers, and cowl are all from the ½ ton. The Suburban was new in body only. This lesser investment probably helped seal the agreement between the US Army request and General Motors.

    Our feature truck of the month is owned by Ed Brouillet of Fairfield, Connecticut. Ed states his first year Suburban is one of only 5 remaining of that year. The body’s wood framework covered in sheet metal did not survive well when year’s later water began leaking from the canvas top and began to reach the interior. As the Suburban aged, few owners had the money or interest to make any major repairs. With the large scrap metal drives during WWII, most were donated for their metal value.

    Ed proudly mentions his Suburban is not only from the first year but it is the “first” one from the Chevrolet factory! This may be the reason why it was painted Swifts Red in a conservative era. Most vehicles were blue, green, and black. It was driven by a General Motors executive and kept it at its very best during the time it was assigned to him. Being seen driving such a unique shaped body was great advertising.

    It is considered the “first” Suburban for two reasons:

    There is no rear lift gate and no evidence of a place for hinges or the latch. There is only a roll-up canvas curtain. The other 5 remaining 1935 Suburban’s have these stampings for a metal lift gate.

    There are no body tags on the firewall or stamped serial numbers on the engine block. No grinding or filling the holes or stamped numbers can be seen.

    We assume the new Suburban was introduced toward the end of the 1935 as only 75 were made that year. Many more were produced in 1936.

    Ed bought it over 20 years ago from the second owner, Walter Deck of Illinois, who was also a well known professional auto restorer. This person realized the rarity of owning the first Suburban and completed this ground up restoration just right. Because of being the first, all was done just like it left the factory.

    The vehicle has not been in local shows for about 4 years. Because 2012 is Chevrolets 100th Anniversary, it is temporarily on display in the Antique Automobile Club of America Museum in Hershey, PA. For a close up view of the Suburban, visit this museum while in town at the famous Hershey Swapmeet in October 2012.

    Note: Ed has hinted he is considering selling this “number one” Suburban. It has been appraised at $150,000.00! Bids are being considered starting at $125,000.00. See it at the museum or contact us for a contact.



    This entry was posted on Monday, October 1st, 2012 at 8:48 am

    Have a marvelous week everyone!

    Cynthia

    Here is a link that might be useful: Suburban

  • thinman
    9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Can't believe I forgot to check back in here until now. I was traveling Tuesday and then just got involved with other things, I guess. Oddly, I saw a news bit on TV a day or two ago about the Chevy Suburban being the longest-running model and thought " Hey, that's the answer to Cynthia's question!"

    Sure enough, it was. I feel like I should have got this one, but I'm not quite smart enough, apparently. Great question, Cynthia, and thank you. I'll be more on top of things this week.

    TM

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