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StateLibQld 1 200339 1902 Trevethan, the first car made in Queensland.
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1902 Trevethan, the first car made in Queensland..
The Trevethan is a motor buggy based around a 1 1/2 horsepower, single cylinder De Dion engine, and is thought to be the first Queensland-made car. It was made by Thomas and Walter Trevethan in their Coach Works in Neil Street, Toowoomba in 1901-2, largely to their own design. In 1903 it was driven down the Toowoomba range and on to the coast at Redcliffe, north of Brisbane. The lack of suitable oils for engine lubrication and a primitive transmission brake which operated through a chain to the rear wheels made such extended journeys a great challenge. The car was seriously damaged after being charged by bullocks in 1915 and subsequently spent many years lying in sheds and under houses, but has now been restored by veteran car enthusiast Ross Flewell-Smith, and is part of the RACQ's 'Bulldust to Bitumen...and Beyond' touring exhibition. The photo caption reads: 'The car in Toowoomba after completion'.
The automobile was first invented and perfected in Germany and France in the late 1890s. Americans quickly came to dominate the automotive industry after WWI. Throughout this initial era, the development of automotive technology was rapid. Hundreds of small manufacturers competing to gain the world's attention. Key developments included the electric ignition system, independent suspension, and four-wheel brakes. Transmissions and throttle controls were widely adopted and safety glass also made its debut. Henry Ford perfected mass-production techniques, and Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler emerged as the “Big Three” auto companies by the 1920s. Car manufacturers received enormous orders from the military during World War II, and afterward automobile production in the United States, Europe, and Japan soared.
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