Winton Engines Building: Can Anyone Identify where this Photograph was Taken?

Can anyone help Jean with an identification of the location of this image?

Attached is a photo of an unidentified woman standing in front of a building with the name "Winton Engines" on it. It was in a group of old family photos associated with a caption sheet. For many of the photos, there isn't enough information on either the caption sheet or the photos, for me to be able to match the photo with its caption. 

This of course is yet another example of Why You Must Caption Your Photos Before You Forget What They Show - And Before You Die And Leave Your Heirs Wondering What/Who They Show.

I am playing a massive version of the old game show "Concentration". Unless I find another photo of her which identifies this woman, I'll never know who she was. She meant something to one of my parents. All are long dead. 

The reason I'm asking you about it is that I'd like to know where this photo was taken. Wikipedia has a lot of information about Winton Engines in its various name versions. It was sold to GM. Obviously, part of automotive history. 

I tried to find photos which might reveal the location of this building, but failed. Search engines don't understand syntax - and I still don't know how to enter a Search which would find any any possible online photos of this building. 

If you can help me find the city where this photo was taken, I'd very much appreciate it.

Those Who Control History Shape the Future

Confederate flags are no longer welcome and removed from NASCAR events. Statues that had survived to date are now toppled. Christoper Columbus has finally been removed from public history. Objects of racist oppression, no matter from what century or circumstance, are no longer are part of American, and indeed Western memory.  

This movement towards redefining the past and the taking away of "sensitive" material culture has not taken place overnight.  But over the last few days our American memory centering on the Civil War, other historical figures who were slave holders, and 1492  has been challenged with a form of  Electroconvulsive Shock Therapy. In graduate school I seem to remember that a good historian makes moral judgments by the standard of the time under consideration -- but that modicum has is now "gone with the wind."

As a former resident of New Orleans, I was always struck by the Statue of Robert E. Lee at Lee Circle,  Beauregard in front of the Art Gallery, the Confederate Museum on Camp Street, and more. The memorials placed me in a particular complex context during the 1970s. I had no relatives who fought in the civil war, who were slaveholders, or who were a part of the "Peculiar Institution." But the statues did situate me in a matrix of time and space.

Yes, it is a new world that is being ushered in during 2020. As a 71 year old man I realize that perhaps my time has passed. Will I move forward into a new present and future, or be stuck in the past?Was the past all that great anyway? Certainly not from my personal perspective. I have no love for the police, FBI, or the judicial system. So maybe it is time to be "revolutionary," and restructure an America with some very debilitating flaws. 

Let's embrace the new NASCAR, new race relations and diversity, a new American society. We can either move forward, enjoy the drive and benefit from it, or be relegated to an America that never was as free as it was intended to be. The automobile gave us an illusion of freedom; now it is time to explore ways for freedom  and greater equality to ring.

First Local Cruise-In in 2020 -- at the Horsepower Farm, Middletown, OH

Plenty of folks there this morning -- all that pent-up car enthusiasm burst on the scene. Thanks to Opie for opening his farm for this event.

A History: The Evolution of the Steering Wheel

The world´s first car race from Paris to Rouen, 22 July 1894. Alfred Vacheron´s vehicle with petrol engine. Vacheron was awarded joint 4th place in the contest.

1 – Precision: In 1894, the motorcar was fitted with a steering wheel for the first time. It celebrated its première in the first motorsport competition in history – the race from Paris to Rouen. French engineer Alfred Vacheron equipped his Panhard & Levassor vehicle, powered by a Daimler engine, with a steering wheel. Compared to the control levers that had been used up to that point, the steering wheel allowed him to steer more accurately – and therefore also to increase his speed. His steering wheel consisted of a circular grip ring connected to the steering column by spokes – a basic principle which is still valid to this day.

2 – Crank or handlebar: Before the steering wheel became the norm at the turn of the century, there were many solutions, including some that resembled bicycle handlebars. In his three-wheeled Patent Motor Car of 1886, Carl Benz used a rotary crank that transmitted the driver’s steering action to the steering column. Gottlieb Daimler equipped his four-wheeled motor carriage from 1886 with a cross-shaped handle.

3 – Importance: In the end, the steering wheel prevailed quite simply because it could be operated intuitively. Along with the pedals and seat, it is the most important interface between the driver and the car. Key advantage: It was possible to determine the exact driving direction much more accurately than with levers because the wheel principle allowed the steering lock to be translated through the gearing into several revolutions.

4 – Additional functionality 120 years ago: On the Mercedes-Simplex models, from 1902 on, the steering wheel was equipped with levers that were used to adjust important engine functions ─ in particular, ignition timing and mixture formation. In the 1920s, a steering wheel ring for operating the horn was added – an early implementation of Car-2-X communication, so to speak.

5 – Additional functionality today: Today’s steering wheels are used to operate numerous systems, such as the on-board computer, voice control, telecommunications and multimedia. In addition, there are a number of stalks arranged in the immediate vicinity. In the summer of 2020, Mercedes-Benz will be presenting the next generation of the steering wheel as a command centre – the capacitive steering wheel with digital control zones.

6 – Ergonomics and emotion: There are considerable technical demands placed on the steering wheel – and the tactile experience. If the steering wheel is not perceived as pleasant to touch, this can have an effect on the way the vehicle is driven. In addition to the materials, the design also plays an important role.

7 – Ideal location: Steering wheel ergonomics also includes its position in the vehicle. The Daimler Phoenix racing car from 1900 and the innovative Mercedes 35 hp from 1901 had already proved this point: Their steering columns were inclined much more than before. This made it possible to steer the cars much more effectively and more dynamically. This contributed both to driving safety and also to the overwhelming sporting success of the Mercedes 35 hp in Nice Week in 1901.

8 – Size and weight: The first steering wheels provided a fair guide as to how big and heavy a vehicle was. Trucks, buses and representation vehicles initially needed enormous steering wheels. This was the only way to generate sufficiently large leverage from pure muscle power to achieve the necessary steering force. This can be seen very clearly on the Mercedes-Benz O 10000 in the Mercedes-Benz Museum (Collection Room 2, the “Gallery of Carriers”): The steering wheel is huge. It was not until the advent of power steering that it became possible to make steering wheels in large vehicles smaller. That development began in passenger cars. The Mercedes-Benz 300 was the first saloon car, in 1958, to be fitted with such a system. From the 1960s onwards, Mercedes-Benz commercial vehicles were also equipped to an increasing extent with power-assisted steering.

9 – Padding: Mercedes-Benz is a pioneer in passive safety. As part of the safety concept implemented in 1959 in the W 111 model series, the “tail fin” saloon was the first to feature a steering wheel with a large, padded impact cushion, which reduced the risk of injury. In 1967, Mercedes-Benz introduced safety steering with a telescopic steering column and impact absorber as standard equipment for all vehicles. Then, in 1981, the driver’s airbag fitted in the steering wheel was introduced. This world-first innovation in production cars was introduced by Mercedes-Benz in the S-Class model series 126.

10 – Research: A car without a steering wheel? Mercedes-Benz has toyed with this scenario at least in test and research vehicles. The F 200 Imagination concept vehicle presented in 1996 was controlled with the aid of side-mounted joysticks. The innovative system worked perfectly. However, the steering wheel remains the preferred option, which applies just as much to production cars as to modern racing cars with their highly complex control systems. Perhaps tomorrow’s autonomous cars will be able to do without a steering wheel completely. Until then, however, the new Mercedes-Benz capacitive steering wheel supports autonomous driving functions more comprehensively than ever before. A brief history of the steering wheel is also given in a press release from Mercedes-Benz Cars.

Porsche Wins at LeMans for the First Time, June 14, 1970

Ever since Porsche participated in this endurance classic for the first time in 1951 and took an immediate class victory with the 356 SL, this race has become indispensable for the sports car manufacturer. But it was a long way to the first big triumph. Until the late 1960s, Porsche skilfully played the role of underdog and successfully concentrated on the smaller displacement classes. So Porsche initiated a change in strategy in the late 1960s. In 1969 Porsche was only 75 metres or a good second short of victory in the closest Le Mans finish in history. But already in the preparation phase for the 1970 race much of what had been learned in the years before was incorporated: Gerard Larrousse and Willy Kauhsen in the Martini Porsche 917 LH, followed by Rudi Lins and Helmut Marko in the Porsche 908/02 took second and third places respectively, making it a triumph for Porsche.

In 1971 Gijs van Lennep and Helmut Marko also won the race in the 917 KH

This first win set a precedent: One year later, 33 of the 49 starters were driving a sports and racing car made in Stuttgart-Zuffenhausen – a record which is still held today. A Porsche 917 KH also won the race in 1971. In 1974, Porsche heralded the turbo era at Le Mans with the launch of the 911 Carrera RSR 2.1 Turbo. Porsche recorded the first turbo victory in the history of the race with the 936 Spyder in 1976 with the same car winning again with the works team one year later in 1977. A customer team first entered the list of winners two years later. The success with the Porsche 935 K3 marked the first-ever victory of a rear-engine racing car at Le Mans – and a production-series racing car based on the Porsche 911.

Between 1981 and 1987, Porsche racing cars remained unbeatable at Le Mans. The longest winning run in the history of the 24 Hours began with the third and last victory of the Porsche 936 Spyder. In 1982, the works team launched the new type 956, taking all three places on the podium on its début at Le Mans. The 956 featured Porsche’s first aluminium monocoque chassis and innovative aerodynamics which allowed a powerful downforce without any noticeable increase in air resistance. In the 956 and its successor, the 962 C, the sports car manufacturer drove forward the development of electronic injection and ignition systems as well as today’s very popular Porsche dual-clutch transmission (PDK). From 1983 onwards, Porsche customers also started the race in the 956 and 962 C. Nine Porsche 956 cars featured in the top ten winning teams in 1983 followed by eight in 1984 and 1985 respectively.

In 1994, the 962 Dauer Le Mans GT developed on the basis of the 962 C in Weissach won the race

The 1990s saw four overall victories by the works team and Porsche customers in three different types of racing car, starting in 1994 with the Porsche 962 Dauer Le Mans GT, developed in Weissach and based on the 962 C, followed by the TWR Porsche WSC Spyder developed by Porsche, in which a customer team won in 1996 and 1997. In 1998, the Porsche 911 GT1 `98 entered the race with the first carbon fibre monocoque designed by Porsche as well as the first carbon fibre brakes used by the works team – and won to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Porsche receiving an operating permit for the first sports car, the 356 “No. 1” Roadster.

Following this success, Porsche turned its attention in motorsport to developing close-to-production race versions of the Porsche 911 and its support of private teams. At Le Mans, this commitment was rewarded with eleven class victories between 1999 and 2018. 2014 saw the works team return to compete for the overall victory. Designed "from scratch" in Weissach, the Porsche 919 Hybrid featured unique technical solutions. Only the Porsche generated electric power for the high-performance battery by converting kinetic energy produced when braking and additionally by means of a turbine generator unit in the exhaust gas stream of a V4 turbo engine. The overall system comprising the electric motor and combustion engine delivered around 900 PS. This avant garde solution proved to be a success: from 2015 to 2017, Porsche scored a hat trick at Le Mans.

With 108 class wins and 19 overall victories under its belt, Porsche is the most successful manufacturer in the almost 100-year history of Le Mans. In 2020, Porsche continues the unique tradition of a Porsche sports car taking part in Le Mans every year since 1951: In the virtual 24 Hours of Le Mans, the newly created Porsche Esports Team will take to the start on June 13-14 with four Porsche 911 RSR cars (model year 2017). On the Twitter channel @PorscheRaces current information about the race is shared. A historical review of the 1970 race can be followed on the anniversary weekend on the Twitter channel @PorscheNewsroom.

The Virus and the Change in how Cars are Purchased in the U.S.

From the Detroit Free Press, May 29,2020

At some point, we've all felt like a chump in a car dealership showroom, waiting for the salesperson to emerge from a shrouded back office where they presumably spent the last 20 minutes pushing a hard-nosed manager to chip another hundred bucks off the price of that car you're haggling over.

After hours at the dealership, it feels like an endless game that you're destined to lose.

But that exhausting and enigmatic car-buying process at bricks-and-mortar stores will be a relic of the past in the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, industry experts predict. Mandated stay-home orders have forced car buyers and dealers to adopt a new 'bricks-and-clicks' model instead. "I can order my groceries to my door, I can order new running shoes to my door ... every part of our life right now is delivered," said Jessica Stafford, general manager of Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book. "Our studies have shown that in the COVID-19 world, I want to be able to have a virtual walk around the car and be able to talk to the dealer. You bring it to my house, it’s clean and I can test it. If I do buy it, you bring it back to my house for final delivery."

Many dealers already do some sales online, but few had offered home delivery prior to the pandemic. The emerging car buying model puts the buyer in the driver's seat with transparent pricing and more options. Those dealers who can't adapt to it will die, industry observers said.

In control

Jonathan Winingham, 34, of Cartersville, Virginia, likes being in control when he's buying a car. Winingham knew he wanted a 2020 Honda Pilot SUV to replace his 9-year-old Toyota Sienna minivan.

So in early May, Winingham, a firefighter and paramedic who works 72 hours a week, shopped online and found a Pilot in silvery blue. He closed the deal largely online and was prepared to drive nearly two hours to Carter Myers Automotive’s Valley Honda in Staunton, Virginia, to get his new car. But he didn't have to.

"They offered to deliver it and they showed up with gloves and masks on to my home and everything was sanitized," Winingham said. "They let me test drive it at my house and it was perfect. We signed the paperwork and that was it.

For Winingham, price is the determining factor in a purchase. He has used online shopping in the past to find the best deal, once saving $4,000 on a past purchase, then driving to a Kentucky dealership to take delivery.

But this experience, with home delivery, has convinced Winingham there's no other way to buy a car in the future.

"I can sit in my home," Winingham said. "I don’t have to go to a dealership and go through that eight-hour process and then wait to sign the paperwork."

Winingham secured a 60-month loan at 0.9% interest from Honda and he got a $500 discount as a first responder and $1,000 off on another promotion. Valley Honda accepted the most deals, he said.

“Because of the coronavirus, the deals are very good,” Winingham said. “I searched Honda’s website and I looked at different websites and what dealers priced it at. You have to do your homework. Just because there’s a deal out there doesn’t mean you have to rush out and make a purchase.”