On July 15, 1903, the newly formed Ford Motor Company took its
first order from Chicago dentist Ernst Pfenning: an $850 two-
cylinder Model A automobile with a tonneau (or backseat). The
car, produced at Ford’s plant on Mack Street (now Mack Avenue)
in Detroit, was delivered to Dr. Pfenning just over a week later.

Henry Ford (July 30, 1863 – April 7, 1947)

The last Thunderbird, Ford Motor Company’s iconic sports car,
emerges from a Ford factory in Wixom, Michigan on July 1, 2005.

Ford began its development of the Thunderbird in the years
following World War II, during which American servicemen
had the opportunity to observe sleek European sports cars

On May 15, 1942, gasoline rationing began in 17 Eastern states
as an attempt to help the American war effort during World War
II. By the end of the year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had ensured     
that mandatory gasoline rationing was in effect in all 48 states.      

On April 21, 1967, General Motors (GM) celebrated the manufacture
of its 100 millionth American-made car. At the time, GM was the
world’s largest automaker.

General Motors was established in 1908 in Flint, Michigan, by
horse-drawn carriage mogul William Durant.