Ransom Eli Olds shipped his first (steam-powered) horseless carriage to India in 1893, making it America's first auto export. He incorporated Olds Motor Works in 1899, built the country's first dedicated auto plant and - despite a disastrous fire that destroyed the factory and all but one prototype car -- began cranking out single-cylinder Curved Dash Runabouts from a rudimentary assembly line in 1901. The $650 4-hp Curved Dash became America's best-selling car and Olds the country's leading maker. It peaked at nearly 4,000 units in 1903 before being phased out in 1907. ...next page >>