This Day in Auto History: 18 JUNE

This Day in Auto History: 6.18.1904 Lawrence Randolph Hafstad of General Motors is born in Minneapolis, MN 6.18.1936 Racer Denis Clive Hulme is born in Nelson, New Zealand 6.18.1943 Chrysler Corporation stylist Thomas Charles Gale is born in Flint, MI 6.18.1949 Robert P. Page, Jr., Chairman of the Autocar Company, dies in Bryn Mawr, PA at age 70 6.18.1966 Bruce McLaren and Chris Amon, driving a Ford GT40 Mk2, win the Le Mans 24-hour race, becoming the first to exceed 3000 total miles during the event

Source: Automobile History Day By Day, by Douglas A. Wick

Jeep's history coming down

(DAVE ZAPOTOSKY/Toledo Blade)

The smokestacks at the old Jeep plant in Toledo are to come down Monday. Preservationists hope at least one of them can stay. Overland represents Willys-Overland Motors, which made Jeeps in World War II.

June 17, 2007

The smokestacks at the old Jeep plant in Toledo will start coming down Monday. Preservationists hope to keep at least one of the three smokestacks standing as a monument to Jeep's history, but details have not been announced pending a 10 a.m. memorial at the site near I-75.

Paul Wohlfarth, a 30-year Jeep assembly line worker and Ottawa Lake resident, has been pushing to keep at least the smokestack that says Overland standing to honor Willys-Overland Motors, best known for making military Jeeps in World War II.

This Day in Auto History: 17 June

This Day in Auto History: 6.17.1885 William C. Durant marries Clara Pitt in Flint, MI 6.17.1899 The Automobile Company of America is formed in Bridgeport, CT by John Brisben Walker, Editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, and asphalt paving magnate Amzi Lorenzo Barber to produce the Locomobile steam car based on designs purchased from F. E. and F. O. Stanley 6.17.1907 The Brooklands motor course opens in Weybridge, England 6.17.1923 Enzo Ferrari records his first racing victory, winning a 166-mile event at the Circuito del Savio near Ravenna, Italy in an Alfa Romeo RL TF – it was at this race that Ferrari met the Count and Countess Baracca who suggested that he use the prancing horse emblem of their son, a World War I pilot, a logo that would grace all Ferrari cars in later years 6.17.1929 The Cord Corporation is organized in Chicago, IL with E. L. Cord as President, Lucius B. Manning as Vice President, Raymond S. Pruitt as Secretary, and Hayden Hodges as Treasurer

Source: Automobile History Day By Day, by Douglas A. Wick

This Day in Auto History: 16 JUNE

This Day in Auto History: 6.16.1895 Leonidas Theodore Barrow of the Humble Oil and Refining Company is born in Manor, TX 6.16.1913 Race promoter Joshua James “J.C.” Agajanian is born 6.16.1923 Walter E. Flanders dies at age 52 from injuries suffered in an automobile accident three weeks earlier 6.16.1937 The Long Island Motor Parkway Company dissolves after 31-years and deeds its pioneering toll highway to the public 6.16.1947 Henry Ford II announces that the 1948 Ford will be as different from the 1947 as the Model A was from the Model T

Source: Automobile History Day By Day, by Douglas A. Wick

Chrysler 300 Recalled — in China

(Enlarge photo)

Beijing Benz DaimlerChrysler is recalling this China-built Chrysler 300 to fix problems with the gearshift and oil cooler. (Photo courtesy of DaimlerChrysler AG)

BEIJING — Beijing Benz-DaimlerChrysler, a joint venture between Beijing Auto and the German automaker, has announced it is recalling 1,443 locally made Chrysler 300 sedans to correct problems with gearshifts and oil coolers.

The cars were assembled by the joint venture between March and May. Imported Chrysler 300s are not affected by the recall.

Authorized service stations of Beijing Benz will provide free replacement parts for customers.

What this means to you: Chinese automakers, even those partnered with Western firms, are still coming to grips with poor assembly and component quality.

Magnitude 5.7 - MOLUCCA SEA

Earthquake Details

Magnitude	5.7
Date-Time	Saturday, June 16, 2007 at 01:18:47 (UTC) = Coordinated Universal Time Saturday, June 16, 2007 at 9:18:47 AM = local time at epicenter Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones
Location	1.119°N, 126.394°E
Depth	46.2 km (28.7 miles) set by location program
Region	MOLUCCA SEA
Distances	115 km (70 miles) WNW of Ternate, Moluccas, Indonesia 175 km (110 miles) ESE of Manado, Sulawesi, Indonesia 1605 km (1000 miles) SSE of MANILA, Philippines 2325 km (1440 miles) ENE of JAKARTA, Java, Indonesia
Location Uncertainty	horizontal +/- 6.7 km (4.2 miles); depth fixed by location program
Parameters	Nst=142, Nph=142, Dmin=663.8 km, Rmss=1.11 sec, Gp= 58°, M-type=body magnitude (Mb), Version=7
Source	USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
Event ID	us2007drad

DaimlerChrysler Starts Certificate Offer

Associated Press 06.15.07, 1:36 PM ET - - DaimlerChrysler Co. LLC said Friday it launched a cash tender offer to buy outstanding Auburn Hills 12.375 percent trust guaranteed exchangeable certificates due 2020 and debentures due 2020, which will be issued on Thursday.

On Thursday, all outstanding certificates will be exchanged for an equal amount of debentures issued by the company, DaimlerChrysler (nyse: DCX - news - people ) Co. said. There currently is $225 million principal amount of the outstanding certificates.

The tender offer will expire on July 13 unless extended, the company said. The tender offer and consent solicitation are being made in connection with a contribution agreement signed May 14 between DaimlerChrysler AG, DaimlerChrysler North America Finance Corp., DaimlerChrysler Holding Corp. and an affiliate of Cerberus Capital Management LP.

J.P. Morgan Securities Inc. is the dealer manager for the tender offer and consent solicitation.

Shares of DaimlerChrysler AG rose $1.53 to $92.07 in afternoon trading.