The history of the first car, car maintenance and everything connected with them

Today it is difficult to imagine a world without cars. Mankind owes a lot to Karl Benz (photo 1), who is the creator of the first car. An interesting fact is that at first the public was little impressed by the invention of the German engineer.

From bicycle to car – the history of the first car

Benz loved to ride a bicycle, so it is not surprising that in 1885 he decided to install an internal combustion engine on a wheeled cart. The inventor purchased some of the spare parts from the Adler company, which produced bicycles. Therefore, the history of the appearance of the first cars is closely connected with this two-wheeled transport.

The engineer secretly worked on the invention because he didn’t want anyone to steal his idea. After all, it was he who wanted to patent the first car in history. On the first prototype, he only rode at night near his factory. Even under such conditions, the talented inventor was well aware of the behavior of the developed model and gradually improved it.

In 1886, when the invention was finalized, Benz received a patent for it. This year is considered the date when the first car appeared in the world, the history of which began with a simple bicycle.

The demonstration of the invention to the public took place about six months after the receipt of the patent. An engineer drove a car around the old defenses near Mannheim. German newspapers wrote about this event. The first race of the car can hardly be called a triumphant spectacle. Some passers-by were frightened by the unusual “bicycle” driven by Benz driving around the city. His son was running nearby with a bottle of gasoline, who, if necessary, refueled the car.

This photo shows the first car created by Benz (photo 2).

Engine

The history of the creation of the first car would be incomplete without a detailed description of its engine.

The “heart” of the first car had a volume of 954 cm3. The intake was carried out due to eccentric thrust. To produce an exhaust, a disk, a rocker arm and a pusher were used. The fuel was in the carburetor, the volume of which was 4.5 liters. The engine was started by spinning the flywheel located below. This engine weighed about 100 kg.

A galvanic battery was responsible for igniting the engine. The cooling system was as simple as possible: a casing made of metal was placed on the cylinder, inside of which there was water. A car with such a motor could accelerate to 16 km / h. This photo (photo 3) shows the restoration of the first engine.

Chassis

A frame made of steel pipes was used as a chassis. In front was a steering fork with one wheel. Behind was an axle equipped with springs.

The transmission of torque from the power unit to the gear was carried out using a flat belt. The chain was responsible for the further transmission from the gear to the rear wheels. You can see the structure of the drive in detail in this (photo 4) photo.

The car was stopped using a hand brake with a belt mechanism. He interacted with the drive belt pulley. The invented vehicle did not have a foot brake.

The history of the first car in the world is also interesting because it had three wooden wheels equipped with spokes. The model developed by Benz had only one bench, which could accommodate two people.

Help from a loving wife

In the early days after receiving the patent, Benz had difficulty creating a marketing strategy. His wife Bertha, pictured in this photo (photo 5), believed in the financial success of the new vehicle.

In order to instill confidence in her husband and make the invention popular, she decided to make a car race. Therefore, the history of the first car is closely connected with the name of the engineer’s wife.

In 1888, Bertha, together with her two sons, aged 14 and 15, went to her mother, who lives in Pforzheim, in the third car designed by her husband. She had to overcome 104 km. At the same time, Berta decided not to tell her husband anything about her trip.

Various problems arose during the trip. For example, when the car could not overcome the slope, Berta put one son behind the wheel, and together with the other she began to push the car. When the chain broke, a local blacksmith came to the rescue and fixed it. Bertha purchased gasoline from pharmacies, which at that time was used to treat skin diseases.

In the evening, the wife telegraphed to her husband that the journey had been successfully completed. This rally has become an important part of the history of the first car. He made it possible to identify the shortcomings of the vehicle, which Benz was able to eliminate. Also, the rally was an excellent advertisement for the invention of her husband. After this story, many men are unlikely to mockingly pronounce the well-known proverb about a woman and a monkey with a grenade.

Museum exhibit

In 1906, Benz decided to donate the first model of his car to the Munich Museum. She is still there, and everyone can come and admire her. Or you can see a photo (photo 6), which shows the first car, the history of which was probably interesting to everyone.

As already mentioned, many people at first were wary of Benz’s invention. The loud sound of a running engine frightened the horses and caused discontent among the inhabitants of the city. But gradually they became interested in the model. Benz continued to improve his invention. In 1893, he had already created a four-wheeled model. Unfortunately, sad events are also associated with the invention. There were the first accidents in the history of the car. For example, in London in 1896, a woman was accidentally knocked down by a car company employee who was demonstrating to the public the capabilities of a new car model. But still, the invention of Benz should be recognized as the greatest in history. Thanks to him, today many people can comfortably get to work, go on business to another city or even a country in their own car.

A little about our project

In the words of a classic:

“Everyone who does not have a car dreams of buying it. And everyone who has a car dreams of selling it. And he does not do this just because having sold it, you will be left without a car” (: yes

Surely a quote from the good old movie (“Beware of the car” 1966) accurately reflects the train of thought of motorists. Understanding this need, we try to collect the most reliable information about models, their pros and cons. So that our users can understand all the features of the car “of their dreams.”

Our site is dedicated to the topic of cars and everything connected with them. News from the automotive world, do-it-yourself repair and maintenance, the history of each of the brands, as well as a constantly updated selection of reviews of various models and brands.

A car for many is not just a means of transportation, but a real hobby. And it’s a worthwhile endeavor. In addition to comfortable movement and trips out of town, your car can give you the joy and pleasure of driving. At the same time, we want to note that these feelings can be felt on any machine. The main thing here is just the mood.

Understanding the scale of the topic of the automotive industry, we have created a website where new articles and reviews are constantly published. From myself I would like to add that we will only be happy if users leave their opinion on the issues covered in the article.

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