Motor Shorts
Description: The Henry Ford Company was Henry Ford's first attempt at a car manufacturing company and was established on November 3, 1901. This became the Cadillac Motor Company on August 22, 1902, after Ford left with the rights to his name. The Ford Motor Company was launched in a converted factory in 1903 with $28,000 (equivalent to $950,000 in 2023) in cash from twelve investors, most notably John and Horace Dodge (who would later found their own car company).
Description: Harry Sinclair had his eye on a rival, Prairie Oil and Gas – a Rockefeller interest as big as Sinclair Consolidated. Sinclair held a half interest in the Ajax pipeline, which was jeopardizing the entire Prairie system by siphoning off most of their pipeline traffic. But in 1930, Sinclair sold its half to Standard Oil Company, along with its 50 percent interest in the Sinclair Crude Oil Purchasing Company, for $72.5 million cash.
Description: The Wakefield Oil Company was founded by Charles Cheers Wakefield in 1899. The brand "Castrol" originated after researchers added castor oil to their lubricant formulations. In 1966, Castrol was acquired by company Burmah Oil, which was renamed Burmah-Castrol. Burmah-Castrol was purchased by London-based multinational BP in 2000.
Description: Nobody expected much out of the '93 Tigers, but when Fielder, Fryman, Tettleton, and Trammell stood at home plate, folks just knew this season would be different. It was like a bolt of lightning struck the team to charge them up for greatness, and sent these four heavy hitters to unleash a 'Thwack Attack' that the opposing teams never saw coming.
Description: Founded as Charles Auto Supply in 1934, Charles would go on to open a dozen locations throughout the greater Washington Metro area, subsequently changing their name to Charles Auto Supply Stores. The retailer’s initial offerings were basic repair parts and supplies, but by the time the boys began coming home from WWII and began hot rodding their cars, the Charles stores began adding speed parts and go fast goodies. Streamline was Charles' house brand for several products, including their 'Hi-Speed Motor Oil.' By the late ’70s, dedicated speed shops and national auto parts supply stores were putting the squeeze on Charles Auto Supply Stores, and they struggled throughout the ’80s before closing up shop some time in the ’90s.
