BdB's Dream Car...

[jcf]

Granville and crew worked on the design in 1933 and it was intended for the 1934 Indianapolis 500, 'twas not to be as 3-wheelers did not fit the definition of car used by the Speedway.

This brings up another notion:
how would race cars designed by the other great aircraft designers and their teams have looked?
What if Mitchell designed a Supermarine Grand Prix car? or Camm? Messerschmitt? Tank? Northrop? Horikoshi? Schmued & Kindelberger?

You get the idea.

Cheers, Jon


p.s. the post-war Messerschmitt Kabinenroller was not designed by Willie Messerschmitt, his firm was the manufacturer.

[philp]

Obviously, it is the Spatmobile.

Na, na, na, na, na Spatmannn...

[Brian da Basher]

That is one gorgeous hunk of automobile.
It makes my Cadillac look as ugly as a mud fence.

It also gives my beloved Cord a run for it's money too.



Brian da Basher

[jcf]

Speaking of Cords.



Jon

[Brian da Basher]

You know, Jon, if that baby could cook, I'd marry it!!!


Brian da Basher

[Mossie]

Well, as far as 'modern' cars go you might want to get hold of a Deveaux Coupe.  It'd make a nice country runabout when you're not using the Cord around town or the Atlanta on the track.  It's made by an Aussie company, will set you back around $160,000 US if you can get on the list.  Buy two.



The blues nice, but I prefer the silver in the link.  Would look good in black, maroon or Brooklands Green.

http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3200.asp?id=13157

[lancer]

My gods what a car!!!! It's not often that I see a car with WOW!! factor, but that Devaux has it spades. Thans for the link Simon, I really enjoyrd reading about it. However, I disagree with your colour choice, if I ever got the chance to have one, it'd be in maroon with silver trim, serious elegance.

[Mossie]

This brings up another notion:
how would race cars designed by the other great aircraft designers and their teams have looked?
What if Mitchell designed a Supermarine Grand Prix car? or Camm? Messerschmitt? Tank? Northrop? Horikoshi? Schmued & Kindelberger?

You get the idea.

Cheers, Jon

Bristol still build cars, the company outlasting it's aeroplane manufacturer parent.  It started in 1947, to make use of excess labour after the end of WWII.  They started with the Bristol 401 & currentley offer the Bristol Fighter.  Absolutely bespoke engineering, they build a handful each year.





Westland designed a few cars too, I've just got hold of a magazine article which shows one, I'll scan it when I get a chance.

[jcf]

Hi Simon,
I'm familiar with the road cars cars from Bristol, Armstrong-Siddeley, Voisin, SAAB etc.

What I'm talking about is a what-if? notion of pure racing cars penned by the great aircraft designers, cars with a heavy aeronautical influence ala the Gee-Bee Atlanta.

I have some notions I'll sketch out later.

Jon

[John Howling Mouse]

It also gives my beloved Cord a run for it's money too.

Brian da Basher

I feel like a heathen but I've never even heard of a Cord before.  Gorgeous!  What year?  When you say it is "my beloved Cord" do you mean that as in a love from afar or do you have one parked out back?  i.e. is the one pictured yours or just your favorite year/color/style of the Cord?

[jcf]

I feel like a heathen but I've never even heard of a Cord before.  Gorgeous!  What year?  When you say it is "my beloved Cord" do you mean that as in a love from afar or do you have one parked out back?  i.e. is the one pictured yours or just your favorite year/color/style of the Cord?

1936 Cord 810 Phaeton, body designed by Gordon Buehrig and associates.
Nicknamed the 'Coffin-nosed Cord'.
The car was also produced with a closed sedan body.


A short history:
http://www.automaven.com/Cord_History/Chapter_1/chapter_1.htm

Cheers,
Jon

[jcf]

Well, as far as 'modern' cars go you might want to get hold of a Deveaux Coupe.  It'd make a nice country runabout when you're not using the Cord around town or the Atlanta on the track.  It's made by an Aussie company, will set you back around $160,000 US if you can get on the list.  Buy two.



The blues nice, but I prefer the silver in the link.  Would look good in black, maroon or Brooklands Green.

http://www.classicdriver.com/uk/magazine/3200.asp?id=13157

Reminiscent of Saoutchik or Figoni et Falaschi.

1938 Saoutchik Hispano-Suiza


1938 Figoni et Falaschi Talbot Lago


Jon

[K5054NZ]

GOSHDARNIT!!!!!!!!!!!!! I was JUST thinking about starting this thread at work today!!!!!!!!!!  Great minds think alike...and so do we lot

I was thinking something along the lines of A/C manufacturers doing cars, perhaps as a GB hahaha! I started thinking it as the phrase "Cadillac of the Skies" came into my head....what if Walter Beech turned his hand to more terrestrial designs?

[Hobbes]

What I'm talking about is a what-if? notion of pure racing cars penned by the great aircraft designers, cars with a heavy aeronautical influence ala the Gee-Bee Atlanta.

The various landspeed record cars would come closest to that.

[puddingwrestler]

The Cord is generally considered one of the most significant cars of the 1930s from a design stand point (about as significant as the Chrysler Airflow, but nowhere near as ugly! ) Unfortunately, Cord, along with Duesenberg and Auburn (who were by that point all part of one company) was in dire fiscal straits, and did not last out the decade.
Cord were also responsible for the awesome L-29 model of 1929, with front wheel drive. Auburn created the gorgeous Boat-tail speedster which only needs wings to look like it could fly. Hell, I'd be willing to believe it's a lifting body if anyone reputable told me

And I'm sure that the Dymaxion needs a mention - it's pretty aero-plany! (It was the brain child of Buckminster Fuller, creator of the Bucky-dome and the man afterwhom the sublimly named 'Buckminsterfullerine' is named)

All images are the result of half hearted google searches- better ones surly exist.