Last updated on .
Driving America is the largest exhibit at The Henry Ford in Dearborn, Michigan. It contains vehicles dating back to 1865 and is located at the Henry Ford Museum of American Innovation.
Driving America is a complete history of the American automobile, dating back to 1865 and covering such topics as style, safety, and speed. There are cars of all classes, and it delves into everything from racing to road trips.
Cars
The first cars in the exhibit are some of the oldest American cars ever produced.
You’ll find everything from iconic cars…
…to luxury vehicles…
…to service vehicles.
A section on race cars contains some of the most famous ever produced in that category.
You’ll also find the very first Japanese car ever to roll off an American assembly line, which was the 1983 Honda Accord LX.
Road Trips
Another section on road trips displays plenty of pieces of Americana, including a replica motel room, McDonald’s sign, Holiday Inn sign, and even a Texaco station. The first traffic light ever created, which was developed by a police officer in Detroit, is also on display.
Kitchen Sink Engine
Perhaps the most important artifact in the Driving America exhibit isn’t a car at all. It’s Henry Ford’s kitchen sink engine. On December 24, 1893, Ford clamped an engine he made with scrap metal to his kitchen sink. He wired a spark plug to an overhead light and spun the flywheel while his wife, Clara, fed gasoline through an intake. The engine came to life and changed automotive history forever.
Three years later, Ford built his first ever car, the Quadricycle, which sold for US$200. He used the profits to develop his second car.
