1936 Teardrop car

[emiller]

Does anyone know where this car is now.

[planovet]

Here is one article on a similar car:

http://www.jalopyjournal.com/?p=1929

[emiller]

Thanks Mark, It might be it. The car was designed by my Grandfather in 1936. http://www.flickr.com/photos/autohistor ... 534437206/
http://www.coachbuilt.com/des/m/miller/miller.htm

[planovet]

The shape is the same but there are some differences. May be a copy or the original was modified.

It's cool that your grandfather designed it.

[Shadow Catcher]

Very similar to the Dimaxion http://www.washedashore.com/projects/dymax. Interesting to see if they were in contact or both came up with the same idea, Buckey's completed car is a couple of years earlier.

[caseydog]

Check out the Lane Car Museum in Nashville, if you are ever there.

http://www.lanemotormuseum.org/


American Driver did a story on it a few years back. It has a lot of "unusual" cars and motorcycles.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o25DPO4Usac

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dv-gl6RCGc


CD

[kerryd]

Mr. Miller , love everything about the car . Congrads to your granddad .It would be great to be around him . Kerry

[kennyrayandersen]

Yeah, I agree, it’s not the same car – the wrap of the front door is different and the door itself is also shaped differently. I was looking at it to see whether it was just modified, but I don’t think so. Interesting car of course, but steering from the back is kinematically unwise (the car easily goes divergent in the corners – like steering a forklift). Of course it can be done (land speed record car also steers from the back, but it took a lot of development), but it isn’t easy and there are no production cars that are rear steering [that I know of].

Still, the shape was way ahead of its time and cars should generally be shaped like that to maximize fuel consumption. Your grandfather sounds like quite an interesting guy!

[angib]

And here's that McQuay-Norris Streamliner from the Lane Museum actually towing a teardrop:



There aren't many vehicles that can make a Modernistic/Cub look dumpy, but that Streamliner manages to do it!

Andrew

[kerryd]

Andrew , that is beautiful too! It kind of looks like a gondola off of a blimp .Does bring new meaning to wrap around windshield . Kerry

[teardrop_focus]

Love this thread!

Eddie! I've been a consumer of Arrowhead water practically my whole life... still buying it by the case... the coffee I'm drinking is made with it and the oatmeal I'm about to eat is cooked in it...



And that design gene runs in your family; your teardrop trailers (five) are every one a great example of the genre.

angib

There aren't many vehicles that can make a Modernistic/Cub look dumpy, but that Streamliner manages to do it!

I see what you mean, but imagine that Cub in a clean mil-spec finish or even a nice coat of silver paint just like that gorgeous McQuay-Norris...

[angib]

The downside of the Streamliner must be the driver's view out. No wiper, that I can see, and a screen that's maybe 6 feet in front of you is not an appealing combination:



So the driver sits alongside the door visible in the photos - more than halfway to the back!

Andrew

[teardrop_focus]

No wiper, that I can see, and a screen that's maybe 6 feet in front of you ...

In other words it appears to mimic a VW New Beetle...

[caseydog]

I've been a consumer of Arrowhead water practically my whole life... still buying it by the case... the coffee I'm drinking is made with it and the oatmeal I'm about to eat is cooked in it...

Alas, just like Ozarka in Texas, Arrowhead is now foreign owned by Nestle (Switzerland).

I hope you recycle all those plastic bottles.

CD

[emiller]

Yep I have contacted Arrowhead head quarters in I think its in PA. No response from them. That car cost $8,000 back in the mid 30's and only one was built. Probably ended up in a junk yard in Southern California when Arrowhead moved out.