Car Pictures

[jgf]

1937 Cord 810/812 (the latter supercharged). Beautiful car that never found a market; designed as a high performance luxury car, it was so much smaller than other luxury cars of its time that it wasn't taken seriously. Early problems with quality control, especially in the supercharged models, didn't help.

Engine/gearbox assembly mounted "backwards" so gearbox and differential were up front. Shifting was via a system of solenoids and vacuum lines, operated by a little gated shifter on a stalk behind the steering wheel. You took off normally, when time to shift you press the clutch and move the little shifter to neutral, wait til you hear a "ka-thunk" from way up front, then move the shifter to second gear and wait for another "ka-thunk", then let out the clutch; no slower than the average "three on the tree" but if you didn't wait for the sound you could be in for expensive gearbox repairs.

 

[Ruttman98]

1961 Peerless GT

 

[jgf]

2022 Shelby concept car; essentially a stretched (3inches) Daytona Coupe with all modern works. Powered by 650 hp version of Ford 427 SOHC engine.

 

[Ruttman98]

The post immediately above made me think I would be seeing the Ford Shelby GR-1 concept from 2005.

Low volume builder Superformance will build a version for you as well:

Superformance Will Resurrect Ford's Stunning Shelby GR-1 Concept

The tuner will produce hundreds, and there'll be an electric powertrain option.

www.caranddriver.com

 

[jgf]

There was also the Ford GT-90 of 1995. Powered by a 6L, 48 valve, quad turbo V-12 of 720hp, it was rumored to do 0-60mph in 3sec, with estimated top speed of 253mph. The exhaust became so hot they designed a ceramic shield around it to prevent damage to the body panels.

Its current whereabouts are unknown. It was put up for auction around 2009, but pulled at the last minute and hasn't been seen since.

(Trying to find a couple dozen photos I took of it at a local car show in '97.)

 

[MantrackerWRC]

Seat Cupra GT
The first and only supercar of Seat. This car raced in some GT championships but the street version never came out.

 

[MantrackerWRC]

Dino 206 S Berlinetta Competizione

 

[jgf]

'64-'67 Ferrari 500 Superfast, 400hp. Originally sold for $29k, bringing $1.5mil-$2mil today ...if you can find one for sale. Peter Sellers owned one.

 

[MantrackerWRC]

Volvo 850 BTCC
When Volvo decided to race with a state wagon at the British Touring car Championship in 1994.
Who said this cars aren't fast and cool?

 

[MantrackerWRC]

Grave Digger Monster truck
My favorite monster truck

 

[jgf]

1961 Zil 112 Sport, the "Russian Corvette", only two built; they consistently won races and set speed records throughout the USSR til retired in 1969; it won the the USSR Championship in 1964 and 1965.. Powered by a V8 of 6L (230hp) or 7L (270hp), torque was such only a 3 spd gearbox was needed; it was the first Russian car with controlled slip differential, disc brakes on all four wheels, and radial tires. Top speed 160-170 mph.

At one point it was fitted with special aero body for a land speed record run but weather intervened and the attempt was aborted with only a 145mph run completed.

Both cars still exist, one in a museum, the other owned by a Swedish collector who still drives it frequently.

 

[jgf]

Ferrari 296 GT3

 

[MantrackerWRC]

1988 Buick Regal
Miller high Racing

 

[jgf]

Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion. Powered by a 221ci Ford V-8 engine at the rear driving the two front wheels. The single rear wheel steered like the rudder of a ship; since it could pivot 90 degrees, the car could easily turn on its own axis.

Ralph DePalma with car 1.

Alongside the Ford with which it shared engine and running gear

On display at the World's Fair in New York

Cars were frequently leased for marketing or public service,
ca 1938

1944

The car was mounted on two frames, hinged at the front, with one frame carrying the engine and drive train while the the other carried the rear wheel mount, suspension and steering. There were no rear windows, just a periscope. Top speed was about 120 mph with fuel economy between 25 and 30 mpg. During 1933 and 1934, three Dymaxions were built before Fuller's low funding was diverted to other projects.

Car 1 was damaged in an accident, rebuilt, and eventually scrapped in the fifties. Car 3 was destroyed in a fire caused by a careless mechanic refueling it. The whereabouts of Car 2 were unknown for years til it was found on a farm in Arizona; the farmer had purchased it for $1 and used it for a chicken coop. It was restored by Harrah's and is now on display in the National Auto Museum (windows currently opaque because interior isn't finished).

 

[jgf]

Several reproductions of the Dymaxion have been built, such as this one from architect Norman Foster

 

[MantrackerWRC]

Several reproductions of the Dymaxion have been built, such as this one from architect Norman Foster
View attachment 589974
View attachment 589975

This car and the rest of Norman Foster's cars are now at the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao until September. I'm planning on going there this week so I'll take some photos too.

 

[jgf]

Thanks for the notice

 

[jgf]

Covini C6W, about 30 exist, mostly powered by Corvette engines; production information is spotty since they are hand built to custom order.

 

[jgf]

1950 Ford Panamerica Rally car

 

[MantrackerWRC]

Reliant Robin
The British three - wheeler car.
I think most of us we remember this car from Mr Bean