Okla-homey
11/17/2008, 07:05 AM
November 17, 1906: Honda founder born in Hamamatsu, Japan
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5518/hondasgv7.jpg
Soichiro Honda, 1906-1991
102 years ago on this day in 1906, and approximately one year before Oklahoma statehood, Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda was born the son of a blacksmith in Hamamatsu, Japan, about 150 miles southwest of Tokyo.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2905/hondasoichiro2be0.jpg
Honda, who displayed remarkable mechanical intuition even at a young age, began working in an auto repair shop in Tokyo at age 15. In 1928, Honda returned to Hamamatsu to set up another branch of the repair shop, and also began pursuing his youthful passion for motor car racing.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8832/hondapho011ne0.jpg
In 1936, Honda won his first racing trophy at the All-Japan Speed Rally, but nearly died when his car crashed shortly after setting a speed record. After a prolonged recovery, Honda left racing, and during World War II constructed airplane propellers for his country.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2695/55524939ov5.png
Kawasaki Ki-61 (Tony) Type 3 Fighter. Propeller by Honda.
When the war was over, Japan's industry was in shambles, and Honda saw an opportunity to beat swords into plowshares by starting an automotive company of his own. He bought a surplus of small generator engines from the military at a bargain price and began attaching them to bicycle frames.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/955/hondandextopjp1.jpg
Honda's fuel-efficient vehicles were popular in a time when fuel was scarce, and in September of 1948, with only $1,500, Honda formed the Honda Motor Company in Hamamatsu. The company began building a full line of powerful and well-made motorcycles that by 1955 led motorcycle production in Japan.
Honda proved as effective a company manager as he was a talented engineer, and by the early 1960s, Honda was the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles. From this immense success, Honda was inspired to begin automobile production in 1962.
Honda's first vehicle, the pint-size S-360, failed to make a dent in the American market, and it was not until 1972, and the introduction of the Civic 1200, that Honda became a serious contender in the industry.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/345/hondapho01rq6.jpg
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8734/hondas600convad66yo3.jpg
America said, "meh" initially. That all changed in 1973.
The fuel crisis of 1973 was the catalyst that thrust Honda and other Japanese auto manufacturers into the forefront of the international market. Cars like the Honda Civic proved far more durable and fuel efficient than anything being produced in Detroit at the time, and American consumers embraced Japanese-made automobiles.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5903/honcivicmk111972ai7.jpg
1972 Honda Civic
In 1973, Soichiro Honda retired from the top position at Honda, but the company he founded went on to become an industry leader, establishing such successful marques as the Accord, which by 1989 was the best-selling car in America.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6804/2008hondaaccordexl45atash7.jpg
2008 Honda Accord. The Accord was the first Japanese car manufactured in the US
Honda began US manufacture of several of its popular models in the US and Canada in 1982. Its North American plants are not unionized and operate profitably. In January of this year, Honda announced its US automobile plants produced a record number of vehicles in 2007 (1,015,462 units) including all-time best performances by four of its six auto plants here. It was the third straight record result and fourth consecutive year of continuous production growth for Honda in the US, and the first time that US auto production exceeded 1 million units in a single year.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, Acura is the luxury marque of Honda. Kinda like Lincoln is to Ford, Lexus is to Toyota, or Infiniti is to Nissan.
Honda died in 1991 and was ceremonially cremated in accordance with his Shinto religion.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5518/hondasgv7.jpg
Soichiro Honda, 1906-1991
102 years ago on this day in 1906, and approximately one year before Oklahoma statehood, Honda Motor Company founder Soichiro Honda was born the son of a blacksmith in Hamamatsu, Japan, about 150 miles southwest of Tokyo.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2905/hondasoichiro2be0.jpg
Honda, who displayed remarkable mechanical intuition even at a young age, began working in an auto repair shop in Tokyo at age 15. In 1928, Honda returned to Hamamatsu to set up another branch of the repair shop, and also began pursuing his youthful passion for motor car racing.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8832/hondapho011ne0.jpg
In 1936, Honda won his first racing trophy at the All-Japan Speed Rally, but nearly died when his car crashed shortly after setting a speed record. After a prolonged recovery, Honda left racing, and during World War II constructed airplane propellers for his country.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/2695/55524939ov5.png
Kawasaki Ki-61 (Tony) Type 3 Fighter. Propeller by Honda.
When the war was over, Japan's industry was in shambles, and Honda saw an opportunity to beat swords into plowshares by starting an automotive company of his own. He bought a surplus of small generator engines from the military at a bargain price and began attaching them to bicycle frames.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/955/hondandextopjp1.jpg
Honda's fuel-efficient vehicles were popular in a time when fuel was scarce, and in September of 1948, with only $1,500, Honda formed the Honda Motor Company in Hamamatsu. The company began building a full line of powerful and well-made motorcycles that by 1955 led motorcycle production in Japan.
Honda proved as effective a company manager as he was a talented engineer, and by the early 1960s, Honda was the world's largest manufacturer of motorcycles. From this immense success, Honda was inspired to begin automobile production in 1962.
Honda's first vehicle, the pint-size S-360, failed to make a dent in the American market, and it was not until 1972, and the introduction of the Civic 1200, that Honda became a serious contender in the industry.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/345/hondapho01rq6.jpg
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/8734/hondas600convad66yo3.jpg
America said, "meh" initially. That all changed in 1973.
The fuel crisis of 1973 was the catalyst that thrust Honda and other Japanese auto manufacturers into the forefront of the international market. Cars like the Honda Civic proved far more durable and fuel efficient than anything being produced in Detroit at the time, and American consumers embraced Japanese-made automobiles.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/5903/honcivicmk111972ai7.jpg
1972 Honda Civic
In 1973, Soichiro Honda retired from the top position at Honda, but the company he founded went on to become an industry leader, establishing such successful marques as the Accord, which by 1989 was the best-selling car in America.
http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6804/2008hondaaccordexl45atash7.jpg
2008 Honda Accord. The Accord was the first Japanese car manufactured in the US
Honda began US manufacture of several of its popular models in the US and Canada in 1982. Its North American plants are not unionized and operate profitably. In January of this year, Honda announced its US automobile plants produced a record number of vehicles in 2007 (1,015,462 units) including all-time best performances by four of its six auto plants here. It was the third straight record result and fourth consecutive year of continuous production growth for Honda in the US, and the first time that US auto production exceeded 1 million units in a single year.
Oh, and in case you're wondering, Acura is the luxury marque of Honda. Kinda like Lincoln is to Ford, Lexus is to Toyota, or Infiniti is to Nissan.
Honda died in 1991 and was ceremonially cremated in accordance with his Shinto religion.