History Automotive Weirdness

The second one is a c.1950 GAZ M73, a Soviet attempt at the car-tractor crossover concept which tends to recur from time to time. Examples are the Minneapolis-Moline Comfortractor of c.1938:

and the British Trantor of the '70s:

Arguably the first Land-Rover had some of the same agenda:


More views of the GAZ:



The third image is another Soviet experiment, a 750cc minicar of 1955 called the Belka ("Squirrel") and made by the NAMI works which was recently mentioned on the cyclecars thread:



The last image is the 1936 Arrowhead three-wheeler:

It basically followed the Dymaxion formula, down to Ford V8 power and rear-wheel steering.

 

Harris steamer, 1930s. Apparently it resides, unrestored, at the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, though I do not find it on the Lane's website.

I do find this, though:


1946 Hewson Rocket, with mid-mounted Flathead.

 

1912 AutoCarrier, later shortened to AC, then Carroll Shelby stuck a Ford V8 in one and the world had the Cobra. Bob

 

I particularly like the Hungerford Rocket Car. I also like the story that the builder of the car, after years of disappointment in his attempts to raise financing for a production version, lent his prototype to a young acquaintance who then used it as his daily driver for commuting to college:

 

When people dared to think and imagine. Even if the designs were not what, by today's standards, be called handsome. Wonderful to see that some were not going to pigeon holed like we are today.

 

Thank you Ned.

OT, but a photo of the '95 Wienermobile, built by catering truck maker, Carlin Mfg, here in Fresno:


Not sure where they're building them now, but the newer ones are the same design AFAICT.

 

The "Rally", designed by swedish industrial designer Ralph Lysell, built in 1950-51.

 

Yes, that so-called unidentified one is a Harris, but no other information is available as far as running gear, etc. At least, as far as I know. This one is a little odd, but fun looking....

 

Fun thread.Keep`em coming.Bet that one in post 38 is rough on pedestrians.
Good luck.Have fun.Be safe.
Leo

 

I just dont know what to say beauty was in the eye of the beholder?

 

There were only a handful of these made , saw one at the Tri State gas engine and tractor show several years ago.
I remember the man saying he payed over $100,000 for it.

 

Hitting a deer with that would be a traumatic experience (and messy)

 

Deer? Hell, just a seagull would be a disaster.

 

That body is awesome. Is that a rear-engine car?

 

Looks like a tilt forward front with a hole in the front for fresh air, so I would imagine that it is a front engine car.

 

The "Sociable" type was actually quite common at one time, with several manufacturers building these rear-driver three-seaters. AC was indeed such a one; Humber was another. Both are thoroughly conventional against the Sunbeam-Mabley "Victorian sofa", with lozenge plan like the above Gordon Diamond:

One drove sideways (I wonder if they were popular in Scandinavia ...)

BMW revived the Sociable concept in the '30s, though only in commercial form. F76/F79:

 

Nacho Libre!!!

 

I love me some Mohs, especially the Opera Sedan. Get the big International engine (549 ci) and a gas credit card and I would never stop driving.

 

Maybe not weird enough but hopefully relating to some of the commercial vehicles in other posts. A Scottish coach works aluminium delivery van, bit of a streamlined brick and probably was greatly underpowered but looked fast just standing still.

 

inspiring stuff.... well; I like 'em all, actually.... screw thinking inside the box.

 

The rear scoops and blisters made me wonder.

 

Drop in an Allison engine, slicks, and a set of wheelie bars....

 

You must mean three-wheelers. I only see one seat.

 

So many things in this world are, of course, NATURAL. And Ned starting a thread on weird automobiles is as natural as can be!

 

Don't you mean, "beauty was in the eye of the beer-holder".

 

Huh?
Do Aussie cars come with factory beer holders?

 

Although not a real car (I hope), this one has an interesting front suspension:

 

^^^Looks like a cross between a VW and a Kirby vacuum. ^^^
I suspect the idea was a engine/drive unit that could be used to power different types of vehicles. Unhitch the coupe and hook up the pickup or the convertible

 

It's compulsory here. You get fined if they are not being used (by the passengers of course)