Think "Henry
Ford" and what pops into mind? Quadricycle, Model T, Model A, even Assembly
Line? Well, how about Sweepstakes? What might this word association called
Sweepstakes be, you ask? Step, now, inside the Trivia Zone to investigate
Sweepstakes: A significant yet often overlooked marker in history.
Sweepstakes was
Henry Ford's 26 horsepower racing vehicle. To view the vehicle, one would
never guess it to be a racer, as it resembles a topless buggy with four rubber
tires, and a steering wheel. The vehicle may be viewed in the Henry Ford
Museum. Sweepstakes is powered by a 2-cylinder, 539 cubic inch engine. It is
rear-wheel driven by a chain . . .and the engine has an OPEN crankcase!
Anyone for an oil bath?! There is one pedal to engage reverse, along
with hand-operated low and high gears, throttle, choke, brake lever and spark
control. All of these hand controls made it necessary for the driver to take
on a riding partner, and Henry Ford had help from mechanic Ed "Spider" Huff.
Aside from all
of these interesting features, why should we familiarize ourselves with the
Sweepstakes? Read on!!
In October of
1901, Henry Ford and his riding mechanic entered the Sweepstakes into a racing
competition against Alexander Winston's 70 horsepower Bullet. Lo and behold,
Ford's Sweepstakes was faster than that speeding Bullet! The
ceramic-insulated sparkplugs gave the Sweepstakes the edge, providing a more
stable spark.
Ford's triumph
landed him the $1,000 grand prize, and it was THIS $1,000 cash award that laid
the foundation for a major automotive industry; Yes, the fame and the money
attained from the Sweepstakes victory was used by Henry Ford to find investors
to form the Ford Motor Company in 1903.
Friends In
Thought,
Roberta L.
Beauchamp
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Requests, thoughts or comments may be made
to Roberta at:
bighummer2@webula.org
Reproduction of part or all of "Roberta's
Trivia" without permission is strictly prohibited and protected by copyright
laws.
