Register now to get rid of these ads!

History Stout Scarab

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by Ryan, Oct 23, 2008.

  1. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

  2. Weird yes but very ROOMY as in holy shit you could put a sleeper sofa in there and still have room >>>>.
     
  3. BJR
    Joined: Mar 11, 2005
    Posts: 9,814

    BJR
    Member

    A guy was driving one around at Back to the 50's a few years ago, got a real close look at it. Very cool.
     
  4. Wheels out at the corners, flat floor, flexible seating: add a few dozen cupholders and you've got a minivan. Did this beetle come out before Porsche's?
     

  5. Weasel
    Joined: Dec 30, 2007
    Posts: 6,698

    Weasel
    Member

    In this vein, there's also the McQuay Norris promo streamliners built in 1934 to tour the country and promote McQuay Norris parts to dealers. One was for sale in AZ about a dozen years ago.
     

    Attached Files:

  6. flnudistcpl
    Joined: Jul 2, 2008
    Posts: 112

    flnudistcpl
    Member

    DAMN what a car. Really have to give it to some of those guys back in the day who tried to make a run at it. was this the first motorhome LOL. So thats where airstream campers came from.
     
  7. VespaJay
    Joined: Jul 27, 2001
    Posts: 346

    VespaJay
    Member

    The Owl's Head Transportation Museum in Maine has one on display. We saw it last Spring and drooled all over it, my wife wanted to bring it home! Pictures don't do the car justice, it's even more amazing in person.

    [​IMG]


    Here's their website:
    http://www.ohtm.org/edu_col.html





    .
     
  8. gnichols
    Joined: Mar 6, 2008
    Posts: 11,344

    gnichols
    Member
    from Tampa, FL

    Great seats and interior, eh? Gary
     
  9. chevnut
    Joined: Jun 29, 2006
    Posts: 978

    chevnut
    Member
    from Corona, Ca

    The logo of this thing always reminded me of the HOK(House of Kolor) Logo. I wondered if this car had anything to do with it. most likely no. kool car, no doubt.
     
  10. JeffreyJames
    Joined: Jun 13, 2007
    Posts: 16,628

    JeffreyJames
    Member
    from SUGAR CITY

    Interior is way cool and the outside looks like a slug.....but in a good way. The story reminds me of the creation of the Monopoly board game. Necessity is the mother of invention, and kids speed up the process huh?
     
  11. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    they may have only made a few actual cars but Buddy L toys made thousands of pressed steel versions back in the day. all the ones I ever saw in my toy collecting days were red, and I believe they all had a spring loaded motor for them to scoot across the floor. they were going for about 300 bucks in the late 80's. I'll see if I can dig up a picture.
     
  12. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

  13. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

  14. El Caballo
    Joined: Mar 3, 2001
    Posts: 6,282

    El Caballo
    ALLIANCE MEMBER

    "While on a cross country trip with this family, William began to ponder the inefficiencies of the automobile when used as a long hauler. We’ve all been there… He was cramped, his ass hurt, his back hurt, he was tired of the kids screaming, and tired of his wife’s toe prints on the front windshield as she “reclined” in the passenger seat. There had to be a better way."

    Which is why I have a Suburban....
     
  15. GZ
    Joined: Jan 2, 2007
    Posts: 1,272

    GZ
    ALLIANCE MEMBER
    from Detroit

    I have had the priveledge in riding in two of the Stout Scarabs. If you think they are neat from the outside, wait until you go cruising in one. At the V8 National Meet in Dearborn many years ago, I went cruising in the "ghettos" of Detroit.. The responses from the people hang'in on the streets was unbelievable.

    Stout also produced a folding house trailer. It is made to fold neatly into a "box" and opens up to be a triple-wide. One of these exists and is being restored now.

    Stout has a middle school named after him in Dearborn. Appropriately, it is on Oakwood Blvd, just a few blocks south from the place where he built the tri-motors for Ford. At the school, enclosed in a glass case, is the most AMAZING large scale model of a tri-motor that you have ever seen. I believe the model was built by Stout. Some of the buildings that the tri-motors were built in still exist and are used by Ford for research and development. They can be seen from Oakwood Blvd. This is now the facility that is one of Ford's proving grounds but used to be the Ford airport. It is located just across the street from the Dearborn Inn, which, arguably, was the first hotel built to serve an airport.
     
    Last edited: Oct 23, 2008
  16. sixinarow
    Joined: Mar 18, 2007
    Posts: 169

    sixinarow
    Member
    from Fargo, ND

    That interior does it for me. Great use of color, simplicity and form.
     
  17. ProEnfo
    Joined: Sep 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,498

    ProEnfo
    Member
    from Motown

  18. ProEnfo
    Joined: Sep 28, 2005
    Posts: 1,498

    ProEnfo
    Member
    from Motown

  19. belair
    Joined: Jul 10, 2006
    Posts: 9,013

    belair
    Member

    WOW-awesome vehicle.
     
  20. harpboys4
    Joined: Jun 7, 2008
    Posts: 608

    harpboys4
    Member
    from So Cal

    Wow what a beautiful car.The lines are like a sexy woman very art deco.I find it funny that in the 20s and 30s people came up with very modern high tech ideas but we now can barely make a car get over 35 mpg.Where are all the super genious car builders for this generation?
     
  21. 49ratfink
    Joined: Feb 8, 2004
    Posts: 18,828

    49ratfink
    Member
    from California

    Where are all the super genious car builders for this generation?

    they have been replaced by bean counters
     
  22. Ryan
    Joined: Jan 2, 1995
    Posts: 21,633

    Ryan
    ADMINISTRATOR
    Staff Member

    Not at all true... perfect example? Tesla Motors.
     
  23. Weirdness factor is only matched by the cool factor.
     
  24. I love those things! Saw the one at Owls Head too, and drooled over it as well VespaJay.
    The Tatra is also similar in shape and layout to these, though a little later in history. The Tesla is and interesting sidebar, they have been having the same teething problems as any car maker had, but innovative hell yeah.
     
  25. Bluto
    Joined: Feb 15, 2005
    Posts: 5,113

    Bluto
    Member Emeritus

    There was one sitting in a field in Fontana. Maybe still there but I don't remember where....... Goggle Earth?

    I'm slowing down.
     
  26. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    I'll second that!
     
  27. The Brudwich
    Joined: Oct 3, 2005
    Posts: 788

    The Brudwich
    Member

    I was lucky enough to see one in person a couple of years ago at the "Streamlined Automotive Design" exhibit at the Phoenix Art Museum. I remember staring at the rear of it forever. That rear grill is just a work of art!
     
  28. 1950ChevySuburban
    Joined: Dec 20, 2006
    Posts: 6,187

    1950ChevySuburban
    Member Emeritus
    from Tucson AZ

    "William threw in the towel and lost to the Detroit big boys, but gave them one hell of a shot - don’t ya think?"

    He didn't lose, he created what is still today the sexiest motorcoach I've ever seen!

    I've never heard of a Scarab before, but I'm beyond impressed. What a glorious piece of work, form and function in every part I see. Thanks for showing us something new (at least for me), I'm going to google this thing and see what else is known about this vehicle.
     
  29. mcload
    Joined: Apr 20, 2007
    Posts: 539

    mcload
    Member

    Wow...great exterior design elements. Anybody watch the movie? Looks like the driver could barely keep it running straight, going off onto the shoulder once. :)
    Maybe it was a windy day!
     
  30. One came thorugh Jackson, Tn on the Great American Race in about 1990. It was silver & looked like the one ProEnfo posted above.

    It was an amazing piece of design. Was by far my favorite of the bunch that day.
     

Share This Page

Register now to get rid of these ads!

Archive

Copyright © 1995-2021 The Jalopy Journal: Steal our stuff, we'll kick your teeth in. Terms of Service. Privacy Policy.

Atomic Industry
Forum software by XenForo™ ©2010-2014 XenForo Ltd.