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3 Cars You've probably Never Seen Or Even Heard Of.
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Oct 6, 2023 09:37:44   #
Abo
 
I reckon it would be a simple matter to make the first unit fly... just add wings.

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Oct 6, 2023 09:38:49   #
Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.
 
black mamba wrote:
The first is a 1919 Leyat Helico. I'm not sure that I'd want to be around this thing when it was running.

The second car is the brainchild of the infamous Smokey Yunick. I knew Smokey, even had him work his magic on one of my cars ( 1970 Chevelle 396 ). Until seeing this car, I had no idea that he designed and produced it. He was known for thinking out of the box and this car is evidence of that.

The third car is a 1969 Fascination Prototype. A rear propeller powered affair was originally tried but it ended up being powered by a VW engine in the back. There were 5 of these car made and they all exist today...3 of them belong to one family.
The first is a 1919 Leyat Helico. I'm not sure tha... (show quote)


When I saw your title, I said to myself, "oh yeah"?!! Well, by golly , you're right...I have never seen nor heard of them. Thanks for the education Tom.

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Oct 6, 2023 09:39:24   #
Jimmy T Loc: Virginia
 
black mamba wrote:
The first is a 1919 Leyat Helico. I'm not sure that I'd want to be around this thing when it was running.

The second car is the brainchild of the infamous Smokey Yunick. I knew Smokey, even had him work his magic on one of my cars ( 1970 Chevelle 396 ). Until seeing this car, I had no idea that he designed and produced it. He was known for thinking out of the box and this car is evidence of that.

The third car is a 1969 Fascination Prototype. A rear propeller powered affair was originally tried but it ended up being powered by a VW engine in the back. There were 5 of these car made and they all exist today...3 of them belong to one family.
The first is a 1919 Leyat Helico. I'm not sure tha... (show quote)


What great memories of reading "Smokey Yunick's Garage" (The Best Damn Garage In Town) column in Popular Science when I was very young.
He did think outside the box and various racing venues had to change/modify rules that he would exploit.
The size of fuel tanks was very closely checked on race cars.
So he just increased the size of the fuel line and re-routed it (Very Inefficiently) until the race car had an extra gallon or so of fuel.
Which made the car's fuel last for an additional lap or so before having to make a pit stop.
He was still within the rules. He was frequently accused of cheating, however, he was always within the rules.
The bottom line was that he was always thinking, and that made me . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends


PS: Great shots of some Very Interesting cars.

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Oct 6, 2023 11:07:09   #
Finn Man Loc: wisconsin
 
Nice set...K.A.N.

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Oct 6, 2023 11:18:48   #
Earnest Botello Loc: Hockley, Texas
 
Great set, Tom, I do remember the second one from the 60s at Indy, I do not remember if it qualified?

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Oct 6, 2023 11:21:23   #
Ava'sPapa Loc: Cheshire, Ct.
 
black mamba wrote:
The first is a 1919 Leyat Helico. I'm not sure that I'd want to be around this thing when it was running.

The second car is the brainchild of the infamous Smokey Yunick. I knew Smokey, even had him work his magic on one of my cars ( 1970 Chevelle 396 ). Until seeing this car, I had no idea that he designed and produced it. He was known for thinking out of the box and this car is evidence of that.

The third car is a 1969 Fascination Prototype. A rear propeller powered affair was originally tried but it ended up being powered by a VW engine in the back. There were 5 of these car made and they all exist today...3 of them belong to one family.
The first is a 1919 Leyat Helico. I'm not sure tha... (show quote)


Tom, I wonder if the last one (the Fascination Prototype) was fashioned after this Dymaxion Fuller from 1933? It looks like a more modern version.





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Oct 6, 2023 15:25:38   #
black mamba
 
Abo wrote:
I reckon it would be a simple matter to make the first unit fly... just add wings.


Thanks for the visit.

Imagine that...the first car around where you had to wear a parachute.

Reply
 
 
Oct 6, 2023 15:30:41   #
black mamba
 
Ava'sPapa wrote:
When I saw your title, I said to myself, "oh yeah"?!! Well, by golly , you're right...I have never seen nor heard of them. Thanks for the education Tom.


Hey, buddy.

Every time I go to one of the major shows, I see something that I didn't know about. It keeps me humble.

See you.

Reply
Oct 6, 2023 16:14:56   #
black mamba
 
Jimmy T wrote:
What great memories of reading "Smokey Yunick's Garage" (The Best Damn Garage In Town) column in Popular Science when I was very young.
He did think outside the box and various racing venues had to change/modify rules that he would exploit.
The size of fuel tanks was very closely checked on race cars.
So he just increased the size of the fuel line and re-routed it (Very Inefficiently) until the race car had an extra gallon or so of fuel.
Which made the car's fuel last for an additional lap or so before having to make a pit stop.
He was still within the rules. He was frequently accused of cheating, however, he was always within the rules.
The bottom line was that he was always thinking, and that made me . . .
Smile,
JimmyT Sends


PS: Great shots of some Very Interesting cars.
What great memories of reading "Smokey Yunick... (show quote)


Thanks for your comment.

I first visited his garage in the later 60's. I went with a friend who was into Formula Ford racing and he wanted Smokey's input on a few things. He and I went back several weeks later when he hauled his car down from Jacksonville and left it with Smokey.

I next saw Smokey toward the end of 1970. Since 1964, I had been doing some fairly serious drag racing in a GTO...strictly amateur, but on sanctioned tracks and sanctioned rules. In 1970, I moved up to a Chevelle 396. I had only run two races in the Chevelle when some business opportunities arose that demanded I put all of my time and resources in that direction. Free of the restrictions of sanctioned racing and modifications allowed, I hauled my car down to Smokey and had him wave his magic wand over the Chevelle's motor. It wasn't inexpensive, but, HOLY CRAP, that car was fast.

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Oct 6, 2023 16:16:25   #
black mamba
 
Finn Man wrote:
Nice set...K.A.N.


Thanks for dropping by.

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Oct 6, 2023 16:21:15   #
black mamba
 
Earnest Botello wrote:
Great set, Tom, I do remember the second one from the 60s at Indy, I do not remember if it qualified?


Thanks, Earnest.

I finally googled the car and found out a lot about it. It did not qualify for the 196o race. Another forum member who remembered the car at the 1960 Indy noted that it did not qualify.

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Oct 6, 2023 16:30:11   #
black mamba
 
Ava'sPapa wrote:
Tom, I wonder if the last one (the Fascination Prototype) was fashioned after this Dymaxion Fuller from 1933? It looks like a more modern version.


I don't know the answer to that, but there are definitely similarities in their designs. It's interesting that the Dymaxion has one wheel at the rear and two in front....the Fascination reverses that....sort of. Maybe the Dymaxion was front-wheel drive ?

I appreciate the research you did.

Reply
Oct 6, 2023 17:42:50   #
Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis
 
black mamba wrote:
The first is a 1919 Leyat Helico. I'm not sure that I'd want to be around this thing when it was running.

The second car is the brainchild of the infamous Smokey Yunick. I knew Smokey, even had him work his magic on one of my cars ( 1970 Chevelle 396 ). Until seeing this car, I had no idea that he designed and produced it. He was known for thinking out of the box and this car is evidence of that.

The third car is a 1969 Fascination Prototype. A rear propeller powered affair was originally tried but it ended up being powered by a VW engine in the back. There were 5 of these car made and they all exist today...3 of them belong to one family.
The first is a 1919 Leyat Helico. I'm not sure tha... (show quote)


Fantastic set!!! never heard of or seen any of them
I had forgot the Offenhauser was a Dual Overhead Cam engine that toward the end of it run managed to develop 3hp per Cu.In. normally aspirated .

Reply
Oct 6, 2023 17:56:59   #
black mamba
 
Manglesphoto wrote:
Fantastic set!!! never heard of or seen any of them
I had forgot the Offenhauser was a Dual Overhead Cam engine that toward the end of it run managed to develop 3hp per Cu.In. normally aspirated .


Thanks a lot, Frank.

I value your support.

Reply
Oct 6, 2023 18:10:22   #
DeanS Loc: Capital City area of North Carolina
 
Fun series.

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