1965 Datsun Truck (Mn. Craigslist)

[Petros]

from "history of the electric starter"

"Before the invention of the electric starter in 1911, automobiles had to be started using a handcrank. This device was usually located on the front of the car and required enormous amounts of efforts to turn. The device was also dangerous. Henry Leland, head of the Cadillac Motor Car Company, found this out the hard way. In 1910, a friend of Leland's stopped to help a lady whose car had become stalled on Detroit's Belle Isle Bridge. While trying to turn the crank, it kicked back, breaking the man's jaw. He later died from the injury. Shocked from hearing the news, Leland told Kettering that if he could produce a self-starter, then he would use it in next year's Cadillacs."

[rer233]

Back in the day, had a few rear -engined renaults (was a lot younger and more stupider? then.) They all had crank starters along with electrical starter motors. Once i was visiting a GF in westport conn and the generator took a dump in my r-8. Started it with the crank in westport and drove it back to baltimore MD (250 miles) with no charging system. By the time i got to the balto beltway, if i turned the lights on, the car would die- but i made it home! Ahh-to be young and dumb...as opposed to old and dumb!