Automotive Experts Explore Past to Shed Light on Future
WARRENDALE, Pa., Jan. 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Why did automakers pick Detroit
as the car capital of America? Michael J. Kollins, automotive historian guru
who has worked in the industry since 1932, has the answer and will share it
with attendees during the SAE 2002 World Congress, March 4 - 7, Cobo Center,
Detroit, Michigan, USA.
Kollins' oral-only presentation, "Why Detroit?" is part of the annual SAE
Congress Historical Session, featuring tidbits about the automotive industry
that the average person probably doesn't know, but would find interesting.
"Almost anything you want to know about your favorite old car or truck is
archived at the National Automotive History Collection (NAHC), Detroit Public
Library," says Michael W. R. Davis, retired Ford Motor Company public
relations executive. Davis will present "Duryeas to P/T Cruisers: Inside the
World's Largest Public Collection of Automotive Data."
"Owner's manuals, advertising brochures, technical data, repair manuals,
annual reports and photos - it's all there and I will tell the story about how
it all came about," says Davis, author of "General Motors: A Photographic
History" (Arcadia Books, 1999) and "Chrysler Heritage: A Photographic Century"
(Arcadia Books, 2001).
"There's a lot to learn from exploring the past," says Anthony J. Yanik,
author of "The E-M-F Company: The Story of Automotive Pioneers Barney Everitt,
William Metzger and Walter Flanders." Yanik's SAE presentation focuses on the
personalities and events that make up his book, telling the story of three
automotive pioneers and the impact they had on the auto industry in Detroit
prior to World War I.
Everitt, Metzger and Flanders formed their own company in 1908. In three
short years, it became Detroit's largest employer. The only company to
out-produce it in 1911 was the Ford Motor Company. Although purchased by the
Studebaker Brothers Manufacturing Company in 1910, it retained its identity as
EMF until 1912.
The historical session will take place at 9 a.m., Tuesday, March 5,
Room D0-04C. Kollins, Davis and Yanik, all trustees of the NAHC, will sign
copies of their books after their oral-only presentations.
SAE World Congress, the world's largest showcase of automotive engineering
technologies, attracts attendees from more than 50 countries. For more
details, including registration and special events, visit the SAE 2002 World
Congress web site at http://www.sae.org/congress or call 1-877-SAE-CONG (723-2664);
outside the U.S. and Canada, call 1-724-772-4027.
SOURCE Society of Automotive Engineers
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Related links:
http://www.sae.org
http://www.sae.org/congress
CONTACT:
Mark D. Burd of SAE Corporate PR,
+1-724-772-4052, or mburd@sae.org
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