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The Corvair second generation arrived for the model year 1965, noted for its lack of a "B" pillar and a new fully independent suspension replacing the original swing axle rear suspension. The Corvair used coil springs at each wheel. Car and Driver magazine's David E. Davis Jr. showed enthusiasm for the 1965 Corvair in their October 1964 issue: "And it is here too, that we have to go on record and say that the Corvair is in our opinion—the most important new car of the entire crop of '65 models, and the most beautiful car to appear in this country since before World War II." "When the pictures of the '65 Corvair arrived in our offices, the man who opened the envelope actually let out a great shout of delight and amazement on first seeing the car, and in thirty seconds the whole staff was charging around, each wanting to be the first to show somebody else, each wanting the vicarious kick of hearing that characteristic war-whoop from the first-time viewer." "Our ardor had cooled a little by the time we got to drive the cars—then we went nuts all over again. The new rear suspension, the new softer spring rates in front, the bigger brakes, the addition of some more power, all these factors had us driving around like idiots—zooming around the handling loop dragging with each other, standing on the brakes—until we had to reluctantly turn the car over to some other impatient journalist ... The '65 Corvair is an outstanding car. It doesn't go fast enough, but we love it." The standard 95 hp (71 kW; 96 PS) and optional 110 hp (82 kW; 112 PS) engines were carried forward from 1964. The previous 150 hp (112 kW; 152 PS) Spyder engine was replaced by the normally aspirated 140 hp (104 kW; 142 PS) for the new Corsa. The engine was unusual in offering four single-throat carburetors, to which were added larger valves and a dual exhaust system. A 180 hp (134 kW; 182 PS) turbocharged engine was optional on the Corsa, which offered either standard three-speed or optional (US$92) four-speed manual transmissions. The 140 hp (104 kW; 142 PS) engine was optional on 500 and Monza models with manual or Powerglide transmissions. All engines got some of the heavy-duty internal parts from the Turbocharged engine for better durability. New refinements appeared on the 1965 redesign. The Corsa came standard with an instrument panel featuring a 140 mph (230 km/h) speedometer with resettable trip odometer, a 6,000 rpm tachometer, cylinder head temperature gauge, analog clock with a sweeping second hand, a manifold vacuum/pressure gauge, and fuel gauge. A much better heater system, larger brakes borrowed from the Chevelle, a stronger differential ring gear, a Delcotron alternator (replacing the generator), and significant chassis refinements were made. Out back, a new fully articulated rear suspension virtually eliminated the danger of the previous generation's swing axles and was based on the contemporary Corvette Sting Ray (Corvair used coil springs while the Sting Ray uses a transverse leaf). AM/FM stereo radio, in-dash All Weather Air Conditioning, telescopically adjustable steering column, and a Special Purpose Chassis Equipment ("Z17") handling package, consisting of a special performance suspension and quick ratio steering box, were significant new options for 1965. The Monza and Corvair 500 Sport Sedans were the only compact cars ever available in the U.S. as pillarless four-door hardtops. Source: Wikipedia

The 1963 Corvette Sting Ray not only had a new design but also newfound handling prowess. The Sting Ray was also a somewhat lighter Corvette, so acceleration improved despite unchanged horsepower. For the 1963 model year, 21,513 units would be built, which was up 50 percent from the record-setting 1962 version. Production was divided almost evenly between the convertible and the new coupe – 10,919 and 10,594, respectively – and more than half the convertibles were ordered with the optional lift-off hardtop. Nevertheless, the coupe wouldn't sell as well again throughout the Sting Ray years. The closed Corvette did not outsell the open one until 1969, by which time the coupe came with a T-top featuring removable roof panels. Equipment installations for 1963 began reflecting the market's demand for more civility in sporting cars. The power brake option went into 15 percent of production, power steering into 12 percent. On the other hand, only 278 buyers specified the $421.80 air conditioning; leather upholstery – a mere $80.70 – was ordered on only 1,114 cars. The cast aluminum knock-off wheels, manufactured for Chevy by Kelsey-Hayes, cost $322.80 a set, but few buyers checked off that option. However, almost 18,000 Sting Rays left St. Louis with the four-speed manual gearbox – better than four out of every five. All 1963 cars had 327cid engines, which made 250 hp standard, with optional variants that made 300 hp, 340 hp, and 360 hp. The most powerful engine was the Rochester fuel-injected engine. Options available on the C2 included AM-FM radio (mid-1963), air conditioning, and leather upholstery. Also available for the first time ever on a Corvette was a special performance equipment package the RPO Z06, for $1,818.45. These Corvettes came to be known as the "Big Tanks" because the package initially had a 36.5-US-gallon (138 l; 30.4 imp gal) gas tank versus the standard 20-gallon for races such as Sebring and Daytona. At first, the package was only available on coupes because the oversized tank would not fit in the convertible. In 1963 only 199 Z06 Corvettes were produced, usually reserved for racing, and of the 199 a total of six were specifically created for Le Mans racing by Chevrolet. One of the six 1963 Z06 Sting Ray's was built late in 1962 to race at Riverside on 13 October 1962. They were destined to compete in a different sort of race for sports cars, a NASCAR sanctioned event on the famous Daytona Oval, the Daytona 250 – American Challenge Cup. This meant the cars needed to be prepared for a different set of rules, the same as those for the big Grand National stock cars. The chassis was modified extensively and an experimental 427 cu in (7,000 cc) engine installed. The car was lightened in every way possible and weighed just over 2,800 lb (1,300 kg). Further prep was done by Mickey Thompson. Among other changes, Thompson replaced the fiberglass Z06 "Big Tank" with an even larger 50 US gal (189.3 l; 41.6 imp gal) metal tank. Driven by Junior Johnson, plagued by rain in the race, substitute driver Billy Krause finished third behind Paul Goldsmith's Pontiac Tempest and A. J. Foyt in another Corvette. New for the 1963 model year was an optional electronic ignition, the breakerless magnetic pulse-triggered Delcotronic, first offered by Pontiac on some 1963 models. Source: Wikipedia

The Buick Riviera is a personal luxury car that was marketed by Buick from 1963 to 1999, with the exception of the 1994 model year. As General Motors' first entry into the personal luxury car market segment, the Riviera was highly praised by automotive journalists upon its high-profile debut. The ground-up design that debuted in 1963 was also Buick's first unique Riviera model, and it pioneered the GM E platform. Unlike its subsequent GM E platform stablemates, the Oldsmobile Toronado and Cadillac Eldorado, the Riviera was initially a standard front-engine/rear-wheel-drive platform, only switching to front-wheel drive starting in 1979. While the early models stayed close to their original form, eight subsequent generations varied substantially in size and styling. A total of 1,127,261 Rivieras were produced. Source: Wikipedia, CarStyling.ru, OldConceptCars.com

William L. "Bill" Mitchell (1912 – 1988) was an American automobile designer. Mitchell worked briefly as an advertising illustrator and as the official illustrator of the Automobile Racing Club of America before being recruited by Harley Earl to join the Art and Colour Section of General Motors in 1935. Mitchell is responsible for creating or influencing the design of over 72.5 million automobiles produced by GM, including such landmark vehicles as the 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special, the 1949 Cadillac Coupe deVille, the 1955-57 Chevrolet Bel Air, the 1959-1984 Cadillac DeVille, the 1963-65 and 1966-67 Buick Riviera, the 1961-76 Corvette Stingray, the 1970-81 Chevrolet Camaro, the 1976-79 Cadillac Seville, and the 1980-85 Cadillac Seville. Mitchell spent the entirety of his 42-year career in automobile design at General Motors, eventually becoming Vice President of Design, a position he held for 19 years until his retirement in 1977. His design stewardship at General Motors became known as the 'Bill Mitchell era'. Bill Mitchell's Designs

The third in a series of gas turbine-powered experimentals, Harley Earl, took his imagination to new places with his final dream car – the Firebird III. Harley Earl said, "I envisioned an entirely different type of car which, eliminating to launching site of a rocket to the moon." Under twin bubble tops, Mr. Early placed the first single-stick vehicle control system, eliminating the conventional steering wheel, brake pedal, and accelerator. Utilizing an ultrasonic key, the Firebird's large butterfly doors opened via high-frequency sound waves. With nine fins, the Firebird III remains the ultimate fin car. Harley Earl said, "I envisioned an entirely different type of car which a person may drive to the launching site of a rocket to the moon." General Motors' experimental Firebird III is the first space-age-inspired car. Beneath its missile-like shape, the tools of the space age-translators, computers, and electronics-are employed for the first time to give automatic guidance and improved passenger comfort to automobiles. Firebird III is the first car ever designed around a single stick control system which eliminates the conventional steering wheel, brake pedal, and accelerator. It is the easiest-to-drive automobile ever built. It is the third member of the GM Firebird family, which has become a famed symbol of the auto industry's continuous search for better transportation tomorrow. The car was conceived and built at the GM Technical Center near Detroit and is shown under high-speed test at the GM Proving Ground near Mesa, Arizona. The first Firebird, a single-seat car introduced at the GM Motorama in 1954, was the first gas turbine-powered automobile built and tested in the United States. Firebird II, a four-passenger vehicle introduced at the Motorama of 1956, carried forward gas turbine progress and featured significant advances in passenger comfort. The second Firebird also presented a concept of a car under automatic guidance on an electronically-controlled highway of tomorrow. The latest Firebird, shown above, carries the concept into reality. Through electronic "sniffers" located beneath the car, it can follow low-frequency power in a cable on the highway to automatically guide the car. Firebird III was designed and built jointly by Harley J. Earl, GM Vice-President in Charge of Styling, and Lawrence R. Hafstad, GM Vice President in Charge of Research, and more than 500 specialists from their staff with assistance from several other teams and 10 GM divisions. It has a fiberglass body and is pearlescent silver-gold. The car measures 44.8 inches at the top of the bubbles and 57.3 inches at the tip of the dorsal fin. Firebird III has two engines—an improved 225 horsepower Whirlfire gas turbine engine in the rear and a new ten horsepower aluminum engine in the nose which drives all accessories. The car has the first single-dial electronic temperature system, featuring the most advanced passenger compartment ever designed. Electronics can maintain a single temperature setting even though the vehicle is driven from the North Pole to the Equator. Large gull-wing doors swing diagonally up to offer effortless passenger entry. New Trub-Al brakes, an improved air-oil suspension system, a lighting system that turns on automatically when daylight turns to darkness, an "ultra-sonic key" that opens the doors by high-frequency sound waves, and a timer that can be set to start the accessory drive engine before passenger entry to pre-condition the temperature are a few of the other features of this revolutionary new automobile. Source: GM Press Release Images: GM Media Archives; www.conklinsystems.com; deansgarage.com

The Damsels of Design is another bold forward move by modern maverick-Earl and one newspaper writer penned, "Earl, being an adventurous man at heart and long an advocate of women's rights in the auto industry..." Well, his risk-taking "women's rights" move ruffled a lot of feathers in Detroit's staid "all-male" engineering world. Even though equality was the future, Harley's trailblazing stand for women being equals to his male designers of GM Styling Section created a firestorm of tension.

The 1953 XP-21 Firebird 1 was the first gas turbine automobile ever to be built and tested in the United States. Designed strictly as an engineering and styling exercise, Firebird 1 was intended to determine whether the gas turbine could be used as an efficient and economical powerplant for future vehicles. The idea for Firebird 1 originated with Harley J. Earl, the legendary GM Styling Vice President, who also designed the car's aircraft-inspired fiberglass-reinforced plastic body. The engine, termed "Whirlfire Turbo-Power," was developed under the direction of Charles L. McCuen, then general manager of GM Research Laboratories Division. Unlike a jet airplane, which develops thrust through the action of exhaust gas through a tailcone, the Whirlfire Turbo-Power engine propelled the Firebird 1 through a power turbine acting on the rear wheels via a transmission. The engine was capable of 370 hp at a power turbine speed of 13,000 rpm.

Influenced by the English and European sports cars being raced on road racing circuits after World War II, Earl decided that General Motors needed to make a sports car. Design work on "Project Opel" began as a secret project. He first offered the project to Chevrolet general manager Ed Cole. Cole accepted the project without hesitation, and the car was offered to the public in 1953 as the Chevrolet Corvette.

Harley Earl authorized the Frank Hershey design for the 1948 Cadillac, which incorporated the first automotive tailfin. Many of the new 1948-49 cars such as Hudson, Nash, and Lincoln adopted fastback or "bathtub" styling. Although Earl considered this for Cadillac, he ultimately decided against it and went for a more sweeping aircraft-inspired look. This decision would prove a wise one as bathtub styling, a concept rooted in late 1930s-early 1940s design trends, quickly became dated. The styling of the 1948 Cadillac would prove far more predictive of 1950s trends and secured GM's place at the cutting edge of automotive design. Inspiration for the fins came from the Lockheed P-38 Lightning, but it extended beyond the war, during the age when space rockets captured the popular imagination in the 1950s and 1960s. The style caught on throughout Detroit and eventually led to competition between Harley Earl and his counterpart at Chrysler, Virgil Exner, over the size and complexity of tailfins, culminating with those on the 1959 Cadillac models.

Designed by legendary GM stylist Harley Earl, the LeSabre embodied the styling of early fighter jets in its basic design. This is especially prevalent at the nose of the concept, which strongly resembles a turbine intake, allowing the car to not only have a futuristic appearance, but to also have a level of aggression that was absent from production Buick models of the time. In addition to looking stylish, the LeSabre concept was also a technological showcase that included features such as a dual fuel system that burned alcohol and conventional gasoline, as well as a specially-designed moisture sensor that automatically raised the convertible top in the event of a sudden downpour. All of these features put the LeSabre way ahead of its time, while also making the car a herald of what would eventually become the modern iteration of the automobile.

In 1939, the Styling Division, under Earl's instruction, styled and built the Buick Y-Job, the motor industry's first concept car. While many one-off custom automobiles had been made before, the Y-job was the first car built by a mass manufacturer for the sole purpose of determining the public's reaction to new design ideas. After being shown to the public, the Y-job became Earl's daily driver. It was succeeded by the 1951 General Motors Le Sabre concept car.

Earl Automotive Works was bought by Cadillac dealer Don Lee, who kept Harley Earl as director of its custom body shop. Lawrence P. Fisher, general manager of the Cadillac division, was visiting Cadillac dealers and distributors around the country, including Lee. Fisher met Earl at Lee's dealership and observed him at work. Fisher, whose automotive career began with coachbuilder Fisher Body, was impressed with Earl's designs and methods, including the use of modeling clay to develop the forms of his designs. Fisher commissioned Earl to design the 1927 LaSalle for Cadillac's companion marque. The success of the LaSalle convinced General Motors president Alfred P. Sloan to create the Art and Color Section of General Motors, and to name Earl as its first director.

Harley J. Earl (1893 - 1969) was an American automotive designer and business executive. He was the initial designated head of design at General Motors, later becoming the Vice President. A coach builder by trade, Earl pioneered the use of free form sketching and hand sculpted clay models as automotive design techniques. He introduced the "Concept Car" as a tool for the design process and a clever marketing device. Harley J. Earl's Designs

"That's gotta be photoshopped" was my natural reaction, and maybe yours, too. But indeed, the 1959 Citroën U55 Cityrama Currus was very real. It was built upon a Citroën U55 truck chassis. It could be modified and used satisfactorily by the workers at Groupe Cityrama. This double-decker bus had stylishly curved, wrap-around glass on seemingly every surface – kind of like a Vista Cruiser station wagon on roids. The roof was a removable glass top used for open-air touring in the summer months. Not only was the Cityrama Currus seen around the streets of Paris, but it was also featured in the continental movies Le Corniaud and Zazie Dans Le Métro. Whatever the point of building this was, I hope they had air conditioning. It's got the glass area of a medium-sized greenhouse. Double-decker buses and sunroofs both took off, but not so much together. Would this have been a hit or miss?

Ford considered an array of names before settling with Bronco. Donald Frey, former Ford VP and General Manager, was keen on the equine theme and ultimately stuck with the vehicle’s original code name, but this list of would-be names is tantalizing - Bravo, Caballero, Custom, Explorer, Gaucho, Rustler, Sprint, Trail Blazer, and even Wrangler! Let’s dive into the conceptual history of how the Bronco arose. I find this especially interesting to learn, because the 2021 Ford Bronco is right around the corner! July, 1963: Ford completes an internal study on market and product plans for several long-haul trucks, including everything from highway tractors to half-ton pickups and Econoline. Sitting on page 10 of this report, titled “Light Utility Vehicles,” we see the first seeds of the Bronco beginning to germinate. Ford spoke to Jeep CJ and IH Scout owners for their feedback, learning about the customers they need to convert for a potential competitor. “Both the Scout and Jeep lack adequate performance and have poor comfort, ride, and vibration qualities,” reads the transcript. “The majority of the Scout and Jeep owners questioned in small group research discussions indicated that four-wheel drive conventional trucks are too large to suit their needs for, generally, a combination of business and pleasure.” October, 1963: Then, Lee Iacocca sent an executive notice (called “blue letters”) to Ford product planning committee members. The subject: Four-Wheel Drive Vehicles (0–10,000 GVW) and “...Code-named Bronco.” Iacocca’s instructions for the Bronco were clear and effective for several reasons. The Bronco would be a similar building experience Ford’s WW2 M-151 “Mutt”, they would save money by repurposing F-100 parts, and the design would lead to a jack-of-all-trades vehicle. November, 1963: Clay model feasibility reviews began and sketches resembled the soon-to-be Bronco. February, 1964: Ford had authorized expenditures of $300,000 ($2.5 million USD now) to continue development of the Bronco. Donald Frey posing with the '66 Ford Bronco. Photo by Ford. August, 1965: Then, the Bronco took the off-road market by storm when it launched for the ’66 model year. To quote Donald Frey, Ford VP and General Manager, “Another pony joins the stable.” He very much envisioned the Bronco as a sibling to the Mustang. '66 Ford Bronco Dune Duster. Photo by Ford. 1966: Ford showed off the funky “Dune Duster” Bronco concept at the 1966 Detroit auto show. None other than George Barris (of Batmobile fame and other wild customs) handled this build! Direct your attention to the: angled door sills, bed cover, NHRA-approved roll bar, convertible top, walnut-trimmed control knobs and steering wheel, suede- and leather seats, rear jump seats, and spectacular chrome. Two years, it was repainted with an “on-brand-for-1969" multicolored flower petal theme. The ’74 Bronco that never was. Photo by Ford. 1970s: The 2nd gen Bronco moved away from its initial design and began resembling the F-Series truck. Economically, this choice allowed for greater parts sharing and economies of scale to meet demand. The original plan, dubbed “Project Shorthorn,” was scrapped amidst the '70s oil crisis. The vehicle didn’t launch until 1978, just two years before the 3rd gen model launched in 1980. An almost beaten record. Photo by VPO. 1977: Hot air balloonist Karl Thomas, planned a promotional campaign with Ford called the “Limited Edition Sail,” to break the coast-to-coast ballooning record, in under 41 days. The 18-person ground crew was supervised by veteran Bronco racer Bill Stroppe. Naturally, the handful of Limited Edition Sail Ford vehicles under Stroppe’s command included two Broncos, one being a medical rig known as the "Balloon Chase Ambulance". Unfortunately, technicalities prevented the team from earning a Guinness record despite completing the trip in 18 days. Zuercher notes, “Unfortunately, no evidence exists that the sail affected vehicle sales.” Pope & Bronco. Photo by Thomas J. O'Halloran. October, 1979: Ford was tasked to supply the Secret Service with as many as three Bronco-based Popemobiles, according to the Chicago Sun Times. In September ’79, Ford announced that His Holiness would ride in one such 1980 Bronco, which would be “open in the rear so that the Pope may stand and greet his friends and followers.” The Bronco Popemobile was painted Wimbledon White with Wedgewood Blue interior. Although the archives contain these two renderings of the project, we have not been able to locate any real-life images of the Vatican-approved Bronco in Chicago. This shot of John Paul II at Yankee Stadium, appears to show him standing in a Bronco that matches the renderings. What a beauty! Promotional Bronco for the ‘80 Winter Olympics. Photo by Ford. 1980: Ford researched, but never executed, a cross-promotional Bronco for the 1980 Winter Olympics. This Bronco would have tied in with international festivities hosted in Lake Placid, New York, that year. Ford seems to have ultimately decided against the collaboration. This article just scratched the surface. There’s a mass of information stocked away in the archives, including old color swatches, fabric samplers, dealer brochures, period advertisements, accessory catalogues, and more. There are so many old chapter of Ford to explore. Still, a new page is turning and Ford’s 2021 Bronco is the new chapter.

Imagine plopping a Ferrari Grand Prix engine into a boat...well, here's the story! The 1953 Timossi-Ferrari Arno XI Racing Hydroplane was designed by speedboat racer Achille Castoldi, who piloted the world record run on Italy's Lake Iseo. He and the machine set a world speed record for its class in 1953, going 150 mph! As you can see, the boat has a slick, solid wooden frame with a mahogany outer skin with strong metal for the subframe. The engine used in this boat was the same type used in Ferrari's Grand Prix race cars, including a car that won the first World Championship Grand Prix in 1951, which also soared at an astonishing 150 mph. This engine was modified to run on methanol, which allowed for much higher compression and more power. Additionally, twin superchargers were also added, raising its horsepower from the original 385 to 600. The 1950s were when John Cobb and Donald Campbell dared to break 200 mph using ridiculous jet-powered hydroplanes. Still, Timossi-Ferrari Arno XI Racing Hydroplane proved powerful speeds for a partially wooden boat that wasn't jet-powered. Would you dare get behind the wheel? If you have a few million lying around, then you can! Back in 2012, RM Auctions estimated the boat’s whopping value between 1,000,000 euros to 1,500,000 euros ($1,294,000 to $1,941,000). I'm left wondering how much it is worth now.

An unusual, yet unknown emergence of nautical Volkswagens washed up in the mid-1980s. Believe it or not, the idea of converting a Beetle into a boat isn’t as unusual as you might think! Unmodified, factory Volkswagens were so well-put-together and had a sheet of steel sealing the bottom so they were capable of floating in water for 30 minutes to an hour. Volkswagen proudly showed this off in this ad: By the way, let’s just take a moment and appreciate this ad a bit. Can you imagine a car company today making an ad like this for their cheap economy car? The car’s front end gets dropped five to the ground, the inner door panel is torn away, and then gets driven into a freaking lake. Honestly, I might buy a Pinto if Ford made an ad like this! Let’s take a look into two stories of innovators who took advantage of this aquatic feature. In one corner is the 1983 Volkswagen “Sea Golf” GTI Cabriolet and in the other corner is the 1985 Volkswagen “Sea Bug”! Beginning with the 1983 “Sea Golf”, imagine a German science professor looking out of his plane's window and seeing dense forests, meadows, and lakes. Being the engineering mastermind that he is, Dr. Ernst Fiala dreamt of a Volkswagen Golf that could not only romp among trees and bask in fields but one that could go swimming, too! Carrying his idea to Wolfsburg, Dr. Fiala and his four-member crew got to work. Three years later, Fiala's dream became reality, the “Sea Golf”. After undergoing increasingly difficult tests in the local reservoirs, the car was completed in time for its public debut at the 1983 Wörthersee GTI Treffen in Hamburg, at Kieler Yacht Harbor. Specifications: Two fiberglass floats connected to a hydraulic apparatus that raises and lowers them. Water-proofing for both body and drivetrain. "Snorkel" tail pipe. Special leather interior. Prop shaft connecting the rear propeller to the drivetrain. Secondary "gear shift" that couples/uncouples the prop shaft. 1,781cc Inline-Four, 175 PS engine. Capable of reaching an on-water speed of 22 knots. The “Sea Golf” is now a permanent exhibit in the Golf section of Volkswagen's Wolfsburg Museum, check it out: Now, let’s dive into the specifics of the 1985 “Sea Bug”! An Australian, Paul Greene, decided to take advantage of the floating “feature” of Volkswagen Beetles. Believe it or not, this car can still handle driving on land, even with its outboard motor hanging off the rear. Since the stock Beetle could only handle 30 minutes to an hour in water, Greene took the liberty of using fiberglass and 6 mm hardened glass to reinforce the body. Specifications: Fiberglass body and 6 mm hardened glass. Fiberglass floats. Amphibious: handles road and water. Stan Pobjoy 2.1 Litre. Super Mod with Holly Carb. Adjustable Z-Drive Outboard. This bug was the talk of Australia and quickly reached international attention after battling the waves of the Bass Strait crossing! Unfortunately, not much else is known about this particular craft apart from the fact that it was passed on to his son for safekeeping. Videos, like this one, can be found of this beastly bug tearing apart waves and providing further that bugs can float: After thinking about it for a while, it dawned on me: I’m pretty sure that Volkswagen has the only production cars to be piloted on land, sea, and air. These mind boggling capabilities have aghast me over the way I see Volkswagen. Though I’m impressed, it’s safe to say I won’t be paddling a Passat anytime soon!

Only one of these cars was ever built! The design borrowed many ideas from airplanes at the time. The car was created by a consortium of businessmen who hoped to sell replicas to wealthy sportsmen who would campaign them in European-style sports car races held in New York State. Tasco (The American Sportscar Company) shortened a 1948 Mercury chassis with a souped-up V8 engine. The Tasco featured an enclosed cockpit like that of a light aircraft. Above the heads of driver and passenger were lift-out glass panels in the first-ever rendering of the “T-bar” roof (first seen in production in the Chevrolet Corvette of 1968). The cast magnesium wheels were fully enclosed in their own fairings. The front two were made from fiberglass and turned with the wheels. The bodywork was built by Derham, one of America’s most respected luxury car bodybuilders, through his contacts. They employed Gordon Buehrig to design it, an extremely talented stylist who had worked all over the American car industry but was most closely associated with the 1935 Auburn Speedster and 1936 Cord 810. However, Buehrig was never happy with the Tasco, saying a committee designed it. Unfortunately, he compared it to the failed Edsel as another lame duck. No doubt, car and design students today would disagree! It can now be seen at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Auburn, Indiana! 1948 Gordon Buehrig Tasco 45

The "Belly Tank" Lakester hit a top speed of 198 mph in 1952 & this record still stands as the fastest speed ever achieved by a normally-aspirated flathead-powered car. But why is it shaped like that? Because of this car, the Southern California Timing Association (SCTA) created a special class for fuel tank cars, calling them "lakesters." The So-Cal Speed Shop "Belly Tank" was built using a 315-gallon surplus P-38 centerline fuel tank (belly tank) as its body. These tanks were aerodynamically "slippery" and were available as war surplus for only $5! The builder and driver, Alex Xydias, was an Air Crops veteran who knew belly tanks spent lots of time in the wind tunnel. Alex and his So-Cal Speed Shop team used the V8-60 to set a class record at 145 mph. They swapped out the V8-60 for a larger 259 inch Mercury flathead and set another class record at 181 mph. Still moving to larger engines, they put in a 296 inch Mercury flathead and set a one-way speed of 198 mph! At the 1952 Bonneville Speedweek, this car was voted the "Most Honored Car in the History of Bonneville," understandably. 1952 "Belly Tank" Lakester

The 1942 L'Oeuf Electrique Concept Car is a one-off creation by Paul Arzens, an industrial designer. Electric cars have almost made a mainstream debut, and we are getting used to the new silent mode of transportation. But things were not quite so in the mid-1900s and an oddity when your electric car looked like a ball! The French were always great with art and automobile, and it showed up quite well in whatever they made. And they were fluidic with welding metal. The L'Oeuf Electrique Concept Car is a one-off creation by Paul Arzens, an industrial designer. He had a keen interest in alternate fuels, and electricity was his choice. This Egg was his personal vehicle, and only one was ever made. So, it is quite a rarity by all means. The L'Oeuf Electrique Concept Car was what Arzens thought of the future. And he was partially right, and we believe that this oddity was in some way or the other inspiration for the Smart ForTwo. This classic car is currently in its untouched crude state and hasn't been repaired, making it even more special. The whole car was built by hand, and Arzens's artistic touches can be seen all over the body. Paul Arzens was a French industrial designer of railway locomotives and cars. He was primarily known for his artistic skills, which are very well visible in all his automotive creations. His first ever automobile product was a 6-Speed automatic transmission for an old Chrysler. Robert Peugeot was also very impressed with this transmission, but it didn't make it into the Peugeot 402 as many expected then. Pictured Above: Paul Arzens first fully-constructed car which was christened 'La Baleine,' meaning 'The Whale'. His first fully-constructed car was christened 'La Baleine,' meaning 'The Whale'. It was a bulbous creation built on the chassis of an old Buick in 1937. Soon after this, the Germans invaded, and gasoline was disappearing. He then created an all-electric model of 'The Whale' based on the chassis of an old Fiat. It was packed in a pack of accumulator batteries that weighed over 2425 lbs. Not so practical and not the power-to-weight ratio you want! This EV had a claimed 10 hp and a range of 125 miles. Because of the gas crunch, Arzens shifted his ideas to the exact opposite of what he had applied in the La Baleine. And so, the L'Oeuf Electrique Concept Car was born. The main reason for this oddity's creation was the German invasion and the sudden disappearance of gasoline for public use. His 'Whale' wasn't so efficient in tackling the crunch. And so, Arzens built the L'Oeuf Electrique ( The Electric Egg). The whole vehicle was built by the main man, by hand, and was an EV. It packed an electric motor and battery pack that churned out 63 miles to a change with a top speed of 44 mph. With two people on board, the top speed shrunk to 37 mph. The body of the L'Oeuf Electrique Concept Car weighed in at just 66 lbs! Adding the electric motor bumped up its weight to 198.4 lbs. After the battery pack was added, the total weight came to 771 lbs. It was one of the lightest road-going cars made. The major reason for its extremely lightweight layout was an aluminum shell with Plexiglass covering almost more than half of the exterior. Arzens loved to pick his Electric Egg up! There wasn't anything fancy about the cabin. It has a huge steering wheel sticking at the driver's face. Seating was confined to 2 occupants and was rather comfortable for a car of such proportions. Thanks to its bubble shape, there was no headroom or shoulder room shortage. The most interesting fact was the 270-degree crystal clear view of the outside world with no pillars to disrupt your view. Paul Arzens had a wonderful time behind the wheel of his unique creation. The exterior is composed of aluminum sheets when not covered in Plexiglass. Arzens had hand-beaten every panel on the L'Oeuf Electrique Concept Car. It had a fair share of bulges and dents and even more in its current beat-up state. But he managed to build it to the eye's content is impressive. The rear section is what disrupts this Egg's perfectly round shape. It is where the motor and the single rear wheel are located. Yup, 'The Egg' was a 3-wheeled vehicle that helped it be extremely maneuverable on tight city roads. And the L'Oeuf Electrique Concept Car came with the tiniest of lights of any car. This one-off personal electric pod of Paul Arzens was an automobile way ahead of its time. Even looking at it now invokes a futuristic appeal. The carved fender flares that went beyond the tire wall and its plexiglass design is something that still isn't so common, let alone way back in the 1940s. People were not quite ready for such a practical option back in the day, but Paul Arzens was a man well beyond his time. We can also argue that this tiny Egg might have been the trigger for the Smart ForTwo, which has a similar approach to urban mobility. Sources: Wikipedia.org, Jalopnik.com, Oldconceptcars.com, Motorbiscuit.com Images: hotcars.com