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Guest
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 Posted:
Mon Sep 26, 2005 4:40 pm Post subject:
Oldest faces? |
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We are intrigued about a philosophical question: When did the
automobile start to have a "face"? I mean, two eyes from the ligths,
and occassionaly evident nose and mouth from the radiator, the motor
trunk, and the start device (even a tongue!). But mainly two "eyes".
Most modern pictures of classic cars show the lights, but sometime I am
in doubt because they seem to be detachable, either optional devices or
perhaps late implementations due to posterior traffic regulations. So
the question should perhaps narrow to the drawing board: when do the
engineers start to include the "face" in designing cars.
Yours,
Alejandro Rivero
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George Patterson
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Sep 27, 2005 4:03 am Post subject:
Re: Oldest faces? |
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Al.Rivero@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | Most modern pictures of classic cars show the lights, but sometime I am
in doubt because they seem to be detachable, either optional devices or
perhaps late implementations due to posterior traffic regulations. So
the question should perhaps narrow to the drawing board: when do the
engineers start to include the "face" in designing cars.
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Early ones were detachable because they were either oil or acetylene and had to
be removed for service. The earliest gasoline car I've seen was an 1890 Benz
Velo. It had two headlights as standard equipment, though they were mounted on
the sides similar to those on horse-drawn carraiges.
Here's an 1894 model -- http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~adamw/1893benz.htm
One or two of the very early cars had single large headlights, but I think
you're barking up the wrong tree. The earliest cars were simply modified
horse-drawn carraiges. The old carraiges had two lights, so the horseless
variety also had two.
George Patterson
Give a person a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a person to
use the Internet and he won't bother you for weeks. |
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R. Murphy
Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Sep 27, 2005 1:11 pm Post subject:
Re: Oldest faces? |
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Earliest minis - with the slight hoods over the headlamps giving an eyelash
effect...
<Al.Rivero@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1127734849.714656.310930@g47g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | We are intrigued about a philosophical question: When did the
automobile start to have a "face"? I mean, two eyes from the ligths,
and occassionaly evident nose and mouth from the radiator, the motor
trunk, and the start device (even a tongue!). But mainly two "eyes".
Most modern pictures of classic cars show the lights, but sometime I am
in doubt because they seem to be detachable, either optional devices or
perhaps late implementations due to posterior traffic regulations. So
the question should perhaps narrow to the drawing board: when do the
engineers start to include the "face" in designing cars.
Yours,
Alejandro Rivero
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Guest
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| Posted:
Tue Sep 27, 2005 1:25 pm Post subject:
Re: Oldest faces? |
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George Patterson ha escrito:
| Quote: | Al.Rivero@gmail.com wrote:
perhaps late implementations due to posterior traffic regulations. So
the question should perhaps narrow to the drawing board: when do the
engineers start to include the "face" in designing cars.
Here's an 1894 model -- http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~adamw/1893benz.htm
One or two of the very early cars had single large headlights, but I think
you're barking up the wrong tree. The earliest cars were simply modified
horse-drawn carraiges. The old carraiges had two lights, so the horseless
variety also had two.
|
Yep you are right! The carriages had lateral lights because, obviously,
the horses were there behind, so a central light was not possible. I
had not thought about it. From the picture you point out, and anothers,
it seems that cars simply continued the tradition. Now, while I have
seen some pictures of early cars with a central light -as contemporary,
and modern, locomotives-, it seems that the traditional "eyes" position
was somehow favoured. I can not tell if favoured by public, by
regulations (as actually is), or by engineering (for the engine to
breath). |
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Robin Banks
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Sep 28, 2005 6:40 am Post subject:
Re: Oldest faces? |
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On 27 Sep 2005 01:25:25 -0700, Al.Rivero@gmail.com wrote:
| Quote: | seen some pictures of early cars with a central light -as contemporary,
and modern, locomotives-, it seems that the traditional "eyes" position
was somehow favoured. I can not tell if favoured by public, by
regulations (as actually is), or by engineering (for the engine to
breath).
|
You see a face in a car's front end because you want to. It's a known fact
that humans will see faces where there's none intended. Some psychologists
say that's why so many people keep seeing the face of Jesus on a potato chip,
or the Virgin Mary on a window, or whatever... it's human nature to want to
see faces.
--
~~R.Banks
Help the victims: https://give.redcross.org/ |
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Rabbit
Guest
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| Posted:
Wed Sep 28, 2005 7:36 pm Post subject:
Re: Oldest faces? |
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| Quote: | Yep you are right! The carriages had lateral lights because, obviously,
the horses were there behind, so a central light was not possible. I
had not thought about it. From the picture you point out, and anothers,
it seems that cars simply continued the tradition. Now, while I have
seen some pictures of early cars with a central light -as contemporary,
and modern, locomotives-, it seems that the traditional "eyes" position
was somehow favoured. I can not tell if favoured by public, by
regulations (as actually is), or by engineering (for the engine to
breath).
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Keep in mind that a train stays on a track and does not deviate from its
path. A car moves all over, and when you're approaching one on the road at
night, a headlight on either side of it helps you to judge how wide it is
and where it is. If you've ever approached a car with one headlight out,
you'll know what I mean -- it's tough to tell if it's on the right side of
the road, or is veering over into your path, especially if there are no
lines on the road.
Rabbit |
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Jim Warren
Guest
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| Posted:
Thu Sep 29, 2005 1:40 pm Post subject:
Re: Oldest faces? |
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<Al.Rivero@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:1127809525.043713.170270@g44g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
| Quote: | Now, while I have
seen some pictures of early cars with a central light -as contemporary,
and modern, locomotives-, it seems that the traditional "eyes" position
was somehow favoured. I can not tell if favoured by public, by
regulations (as actually is), or by engineering (for the engine to
breath).
I would guess that two lights were originally fitted so that when one failed |
(as it inevitably would) the driver could still see with the other.
Jim |
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Dan Crooks
Guest
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| Posted:
Fri Sep 30, 2005 2:25 am Post subject:
Re: Oldest faces? |
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Someone said:
Yep you are right! The carriages had lateral lights because, obviously,
the horse was there so a central light was not possible.
Now if you had a central light and your horse was having prostrate
problems...
Just maybe it would be of some use!
Dan
Milw |
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