The year was 1930. Ferdinand de Vazeilles of Nanterre, France, had been asked by the makers of Gergovia spark plugs to produce a promotional item to advertise their product. His design of a spark plug on wheels, complete with fenders and running boards, was manufactured by a local foundry. It sparked several series of miniature vehicles in the 1930s, produced by de Vazeilles under the name of Solido, the firm he founded in 1932. This truly classic...