There is a phrase that says 'driving' is easy, but what is difficult is 'parking.' The solution to overcome the complexity of parking turns out to have existed long ago and became one of the 'brilliant' inventions ever, namely the fifth wheel for parking needs.
This 1953 Packard Cavalier is the only car known had the fifth wheel for parking needs. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2KWmJuR)
In general, the car has four wheels, the fifth wheel referred to in the form of additional wheels in the car tail. When the fifth wheel is lowered and touches the asphalt, the car tail is lifted so that it can swing right or left to help in or out of the narrow parking lot, especially parallel parking position. Not just for parking, in this way the car can do one full circle round.
The fifth wheel car system (on the 1953 Packard Cavalier) created by Brooks Walker, an engineer from California, is intended for an ease parking needs. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2KWmJuR)
The mechanism came from the idea of Brooks Walker, an engineer from California in the 1930s. He modified the Packard four-door sedan (allegedly a 1933 production based on number plates in the video) to have a spare tire that could be used to be the fifth tire. Walker obtained his fifth tire patent on December 6, 1938, after six years since the patent was filed in 1932.
As quoted from Oldcarsweekly which explains, in the 1953 through his owned company named Walker Research is known to have succeeded in making the Packard Cavalier have the fifth wheel. The car is equipped with various components such as hydraulic pumps and of course additional tires.
Although it has been found that no one seems to care about Walker's invention. Until now his unique 1953 Packard Cavalier is the only car known had the fifth wheel for parking needs.
Looking under the car at the back of the continental spare while in the 'down' position, the gear at the back of the spare tire can be seen, as can the lifting supports for the car, hydraulic pumps, and belts. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2KWmJuR)
Actually, he was also known to have several cars with similar prototype systems, including the 1959 Ford Station Wagon, 1957 Oldsmobile Station Wagon, and 1951 Cadillac Series Sixty Special. All of the cars had been modified with the fifth wheel that was 'hidden' in the trunk.
In the 1950s, news material from California uploaded to YouTube told of an anonymous inventor who discovered another function of a spare tire on the 1951 Cadillac. The work of the spare tire, which became the fifth wheel said to use the power from a driveshaft.
Then as quoted from Hagerty, Walker ever had brought his inventions to the automotive industry city in the United States, Detroit in the 1950s so that car manufacturers could see. However, the automakers considered the Walker patent, which at that time had a value of $175 was too expensive to be realized into mass production. In addition, there are also problems because of the existence of additional tire features sacrifices car trunk space.
Walker then made improvements by moving the extra tire out of the trunk, precisely on the rear bumper. And how to use it is also easy, just press the button so it can be easily done by women, but this discovery was rejected once again by the automotive manufacturers in Detroit.
The self-parking Packard doesn't look much different than any other 1953 Cavalier sedan, but trained eyes realize, even from this angle, that the continental kit is longer than most. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2KWmJuR)
But, Walker never gave up and continued to try until the late 1970s, he was still developing the system and the last known attempt to use the Saab sedan. But it seems Walker's efforts to gain the attention of the automakers to apply his invention should be ended and failed. Until he died, he never had a chance to realize his dream.😭
Even to this day, many parking assistance systems have ever been created, but strangely none have been adopted by the world's automotive manufacturers for their production car versions, like this one, the Liddiard Wheels. ***[EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | OLDCARWEEKLY.COM | HAGERTY.COM]
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In the late 1980s, Automobili Lamborghini SpA. made plans to replace the aging Countach and Jalpa models. While the development of the company's V12-powered flagship model has begun, work is underway to start developing a new entry-level model. The new model design work was once again contracted by renowned Italian designer Marcello Gandini who had collaborated with Lamborghini before.
1990 Lamborghini P140 while on display at the Museo Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2yr20wp)
The Lamborghini P140 is the code name given to a series of prototype cars built by Lamborghini starting in 1987. It was intended as a replacement for the Jalpa that came out but never went into production, despite being close to production-ready due to the fading interest of customers into high-performance cars due to the Gulf Oil Crisis of the 1990s.😭
1990 Lamborghini P140 recognized as a member of the Lamborghini family and powered by a completely new 4.0-liter V10 engine along with an ergonomic dashboard. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2yr20wp)
The wedge-shaped 2-door coupe codenamed P140 designed by Gandini was immediately recognized as a member of the Lamborghini family and powered by a completely new 4.0-liter V10 engine along with an ergonomic dashboard. The Lamborghini P140 is known as the first species of Lambo which is powered by a V10 engine.
1990 Lamborghini P140 body is made of carbon fiber built on top of an aluminum monocoque chassis specifically made for the 2,800 lbs (around 1,270 kg) weighing supercar. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2yr20wp)
While the car body is made of carbon fiber built on top of an aluminum monocoque chassis specifically made for the 2,800 lbs (around 1,270 kg) weighing supercar which is also equipped with independent suspension.
The Lamborghini P140's mid-mounted V10 engine then sends its power to the rear wheels via a 6-speed manual transmission so that it's capable of producing a maximum power output of 370 PS (272 kW; 365 hp). No wonder if the car can accelerate from 0-100 kph (0–62 mph) in about five seconds.
1990 Lamborghini P140 attended the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2008 event for the first time after more than a decade on display inside the museum. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2yr20wp)
According to the raging bull logoed company records, it is known that only 3 units of the P140 prototypes have been built. The first was painted orange and a fully functional prototype, reaching a top speed of 295 kph (183 mph) while on the running test at the Nardò Ring in Italy.
While the second prototype was painted red but only a rolling chassis and never equipped with an engine, and the third one was built in 1991-1992 and painted in white. Lastly, the third car has been crashed during testing but was later returned and is currently on display at the Lamborghini's official museum in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy.
And the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance 2008 event has become the mark for the first time this supercar has returned to the public after more than a decade on display inside the museum. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | LAMBOCARS]
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On one occasion while surfing the internet, by chance we saw this unique car shape. Suddenly we felt very curious when we first saw it and wanted to find out in detail. From the physical appearance, maybe not a few of you will say this car has a bad and strange shape. That's okay because in our opinion it is only a matter of taste. And in our opinion, this car has a unique appearance.
This unique-shaped Zunder 1500 made by an Argentine company named the Automotive Transport Industry SRL back in the 1960s. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2YhC0hx)
Then what is this car? This is the Zunder 1500, a car produced in the early 1960s by an Argentine automotive company named Automotive Transport Industry SRL which has production facilities in Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina. The factory is owned by two brothers named Nelson José and Eligio Oscar Bongiovanni.
The simple instrument panel along with wheel steering could be seen in the cabin of the 1960 Zunder 1500. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3aJncuQ)
Furthermore, when seeing from its name, 'Zunder' is a German word meaning 'Spark.' Turn out, not only the name is taken from the Germans, but it uses a German car engine too, ie a Porsche 1500cc air-cooled engine.
It came with revolutionary design (we assumed that's the company's thought) although it tends to be a bit eccentric (that's in our opinion), it managed to make the Zunder has a different appearance and not similar to any other cars that existed at the time.
This 1960 Zunder 1500 uses a Porsche 1500cc air-cooled engine. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2z0WZdR)
Uniquely, this car has a body made of corrosion-resistant plastic resin materials and applied the wraparound windscreen as well, while what was on the market in the time and commonly used on cars is flat glass with a separator in the middle of the windshield.
It's noted the maker only built the Zunder 1500 about just 200 units before ceased production in 1963. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3aPwLbs)
Despite this, the Zunder did not have the commercial success that was expected and the entire production process then stopped in 1963. It's noted the maker only built the Zunder 1500 about just 200 units.
As the quoted of the DriveTribe, that the car in the photos was a coupe version prototype of the Zunder 1500. So it emerges another question if are there other versions? Some-kind of convertible versions? There is no information about it. So far, it is not known exactly how many the Zunder 1500 are still surviving until now😥. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | DRIVE TRIBE]
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Bentley, one of the luxury car manufacturers from the UK has produced a series of luxury cars that can only be owned by millionaires from all over the world.And this year the British manufacturer has launched a limited number of new models called Bentley Mulliner Bacalar.
Bentley Mulliner Bacalar, a limited edition luxury roofless sports car was built by Bentley in collaboration with Mulliner. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2xjhm5O)
This limited edition luxury sports car was built by Bentley in collaboration with one of the world's oldest coachbuilders from England, Mulliner.And it is also mentioned that the Bacalar is the most eccentric car model ever made by Bentley in the last 100 years.
And the name of Bacalar itself is taken from the name of a lake in Mexico.For its exterior design, Bentley's designers took inspiration from an experimental concept car named the Bentley EXP 100 GT Concept which was launched to the public in 2019.
Bentley Mulliner Bacalar took inspiration from an experimental concept car named the Bentley EXP 100 GT Concept. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2xjhm5O)
The exterior appearance, from the front at glance, the LED headlights look a little smaller compared to the EXP 100 GT concept version. This British manufacturer also modifies its shape so that it does not look rigid. Then there is also a radiator grille is installed with smaller dimensions compared to the concept version mentioned above.
The effect of using smaller grille results in the lower airways being presented in a fairly large size. LED Daytime Running Lights to have the same shape as the EXP 100 GT in positioned horizontally and penetrate up to the main light.
Bentley Mulliner Bacalar took inspiration from from the 1920s model of Bentley Birkin. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2xjhm5O)
While on the sides is mounted 4 large rims measuring 22 inches which are then given a three-color accent. According to the British manufacturer, this roofless sports car is positioned as a rival to other British special edition supercars, such as Aston Martin V12 Speedster and McLaren Elva.
Although Bacalar comes with no roof, it has a windshield like a conventional car that can only hold two people. There is nothing special for the door handle, it looks the same as that of the latest generation Continental GT due to it adopts the same alarm system.
For the rear, Mulliner redesigned the rear lights to have a larger size and look more proper. Then the taillights were given a diamond motif detailed. On the back is also given a touch of black that looks very contrast with the car's body color and then with the same treatment carried out also on the front. To make it look more sporty, not to forget to install a pair of the sportscar styled exhausts. While the classic impression is tried to display on the air vents in the A-pillar.
Bentley Mulliner Bacalar uses a 6,000 cc W12 twin-turbo engine coupled with a dual-clutch 8-speed automatic transmission system. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2xjhm5O)
The inside of this car also looks special, because the design itself is made from scratch by taking inspiration from the 1920s model of Bentley Birkin. Then the car's dashboard is covered with wood and the materials are used also taken from special 5,000 years old trees that have fallen naturally.
For the rear interior, accent on the seat, and the side of the headrest is made of natural wool. This car carpet is quite thick because it is made of genuine wool woven from Wilton. Each seat has a total of 148,199 stitches. Some of the material is wrapped with different materials, such as wood, luxury leather, to titanium anodized on the operating buttons. Interestingly, Bacalar also presents a set of suitcases that have the same motives as car seats.
Then the mechanical heart used by the Bacalar is a 6,000 cc W12 twin-turbo engine coupled with a dual-clutch 8-speed automatic transmission system. And the power that can be spewed by the engine is 650 hp with 900 Nm of torque. Bentley claimed that this fancy convertible was able to accelerate from rest to a speed of 100 kph in only 3.5 seconds. Meanwhile, the maximum speed is 322 kph (200 mph).
As mentioned above, the Bentley Mulliner Bacalar is planned to be made in a limited number of only 12 units worldwide and sold at a price of £1.5 million (about the US. $1.91M or around Rp.30B). Of course, this will make the Bacalar as one of the rarest Bentley cars in the world. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | BENTLEY MOTORS | MOTOR1 | FORBES]
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For automotive enthusiasts when discussing beautiful cars from the past, it does provide its own satisfaction. Moreover, if these cars are one of the rare cars that are rarely known by the public. Well, on this occasion we will see and discuss beautiful cars from the 1990s which were indeed recorded as one of the eras that produced many beautiful car creations.
1991 Lotus Emotion Concept designed by Stilo Bertone and built based on Lotus Esprit chassis. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2YcreJq)
An example is the Lotus Emotion Concept, a beautiful car created by Stilo Bertone, one of the famous Italian coachbuilders whose at that time collaborated with GM to create a body design for the Lotus Esprit. Not only does it look very modern in its current appearance, but there are also interesting stories behind the concept. Rumor has it, Bertone initially created the Emotion as a proposal design to become an epic Bugatti EB110 supercar.
However, Bertone was rejected by Marcello Gandini, who was chosen as the person responsible for designing its predecessor, Bugatti Veyron. After being rejected by Bugatti, Bertone then discarded a number of parts of the previous concept, which were deemed to be far-fetched to convince the Lotus Cars executives which were then used as the design foundation for a new Esprit. The concept car built on the Lotus Esprit chassis was first revealed at one of the world's famous automotive expo known as the North America International Auto Show held in 1991.
1991 Lotus Emotion Concept debuted at the 1991 North America International Auto Show (NAIAS) at Detroit as a static model. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2YcreJq)
When viewed from its exterior appearance, this sports car which is the result of the design of the Stilo Bertone is clearly seen carrying the distinctive style of the 1990s that is thick with the pull of strong lines blended with an exotic of curved lines. After it was finished, the original form of Lotus Esprit did not appear. But unfortunately, according to several sources said that the concept car is a non-driving concept that was made for the purposes of design studies only.
1991 Lotus Emotion Concept has the same chassis as the Lotus Esprit (245 cm), but with a total length of more than 4 meters (406 cm) is really a very compact car. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2YcreJq)
Even so, the Emotion, which was present as a show car at the 1991 NAIAS event, still looked beautiful, elegant with a classic touch that was harmonious with modernization in accordance with the trends at the time. The Emotion concept car has the same chassis as the Lotus Esprit (245 cm), but with a total length of more than 4 meters (406 cm) is really a very compact car. It is comparable to the Lancia Stratos or Lamborghini Bravo, two other impressive Bertone creations that also feature the same structure, based on a mid-mounted engine.
1991 Lotus Emotion Concept has the highly original use of glazed surfaces, with the side windows closing in towards the rear to create a pointed rear windscreen. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2YcreJq)
As quoted of carstyling.ru that the Lotus Emotion concept discreet elegance really stood out at the Detroit show, which was focussing on concepts derived from the field of bio-design. The design of the proportions and surfaces, with total attention to the elimination of stylistic excesses, creates a body with clean, elegant, and masterfully compact lines. The beltline is tight, smooth, and almost horizontal. An air inlet, placed under a panel fold, is the only detail to feature on the minimal, essential wings.
And in the style of the Turin-based designer, there is a highly original use of glazed surfaces, with the side windows closing in towards the rear to create a pointed rear windscreen. This singular design feature dictates the triangular shape of the roof. With the Emotion, Bertone and his team establish their distinctive design identity in the context of pure style. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR1 | CARSTYLING.RU]
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We continue talking about beautiful concept cars built on the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale chassis. After previously discussed 3 concept cars made by Pininfarina.
1968 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale recognized as one of the world's most beautiful cars. (Picture from: http://adf.ly/1aDPLe)
Then here is another concept car built on the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale chassis, which was carried out by other Italian coachbuilders such as Italdesign who produced a concept car called the Alfa Romeo Iguana and the other is Bertone with a car called Alfa Romeo Carabo in 1968, and 1976 Alfa Romeo Navajo.
Here are the three concept cars:
1. Alfa Romeo Iguana
The Iguana project would be Ital Design’s third creation and Alfa Romeo wanted the car to debut in late October 1969 at the Turin Salon and the car built based on the chassis number of 750.33.116, Giugiaro’s ‘Iguana’ appeared more practical and viable for production than those efforts by Bertone and Pininfarina.
1969 Alfa Romeo Italdesign Iguana Concept by Italdesign was debuted at the 1969 Turin Motor Show. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3cWAVQB)
At its leading edge, the nose incorporated a full-width opening and traditional Alfa Romeo grille. The upper surface housed retractable headlights and a discretely integrated spoiler at the base of the windscreen. Large glass panels were used including for the roof and rear quarters. They lent an unusually airy feel to the cockpit.
1969 Alfa Romeo Iguana Concept's rear deck, tail fascia, and wings were all heavily vented to improve cooling. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2VDzQHw)
Its second spoiler was located above the base of the rear window and formed part of an unconventionally high tail. The rear deck, tail fascia, and wings were all heavily vented to improve cooling.
2. Alfa Romeo Carabo
The 1968 Alfa Carabo concept marked a revolutionary stage in supercar design made by Stilo Bertone, with its hydropneumatic-powered scissors doors and multi-colored one-way glass windows.
1968 Alfa Romeo Bertone Carabo designed by Marcello Gandini and built on the 33 Stradale chassis by the Stilo Bertone. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/1rJbaoy)
The car was designed by Marcello Gandini, and the Carabo (which means 'beetle') was unveiled in October 1968, at Porte de Versailles in Paris. It was based on the chassis of the mid-engined V8 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale and mean as an experimental design aimed at solving aerodynamic issues while the car was driven at high speed.
1968 Alfa Romeo Bertone Carabo was unveiled in October 1968, at Porte de Versailles in Paris. (Picture from: http://bit.ly/15M30aC)
And its engine capable made 230 hp of power at 8,800 rpm, which made the car possible to achieve a top speed of 250 kph (155 mph).
3. Alfa Romeo Navajo
Besides the Carabo above, the same chassis was used to make a concept car that was named Alfa Romeo Navajo and also made by Stilo Bertone.
1976 Alfa Romeo Bertone Navajo designed by Nuccio Bertone and built on the 33 Stradale chassis by the Stilo Bertone. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3bSGHmd)
The Navajo concept car is designed by Nuccio Bertone with a futuristic and fantastic exterior design touch, both in character and color inspired by the most popular fictional science-fiction series in the late 1970s titled 'Battlestar Galactica.'
1976 Alfa Romeo Bertone Navajo was first introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1976. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3bSGHmd)
This concept car has a body that is entirely made of fiberglass. Armed with a 2.0-liter V8 engine, its power reaches 230 hp. This car was first introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1976.
And Alfa Romeo Navajo became the last concept of the series of concept cars based on the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale chassis, including Italdesign Iguana, Bertone Carabo, and a trio of Pininfarina concept cars. And like nearly all the 33 Stradale concepts, once its show career was over and retained by Alfa Romeo for their Museo Storico in Arese, Italy.*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | SUPERCARS.NET | SUPERCAR NOSTALGIA | DRIVETRIBE] Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone
