John Boyd Dunlop — in the flesh — accepted entry Tuesday night for his great-grandfather in the Automotive Hall of Fame in Dearborn, Mich., joining the likes of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison.

Dunlop, an architect in Ireland, accepted the award on behalf of Dunlop, inventor of the first successful pneumatic tire and namesake for the Dunlop tire brand. His air-filled tire was patented in 1888.

Great-grandson Dunlop recounted the story of John Boyd Dunlop's invention in his Hall of Fame speech. “As some of you may know, the idea came while watching his son ride a tricycle, and noticing his discomfort when riding over cobbled ground.”

“He knew the tricycle's solid tires were to blame and he did his best to find a solution. What he did was to wrap the wheels in thin rubber sheets, glue them together and inflate them with a football pump to provide a cushioning effect.”

“This became, in effect, the world's first commercially viable pneumatic tire. He went on to patent the idea, giving the Dunlop company a head start over the competition. Within ten years his invention had almost entirely replaced solid tires,” Dunlop said. His Scottish great-grandfather died in 1921.

Choose A Country>>>

©2008 Dunlop Tires