One of 1950s oddly and forgotten concept cars

Weird Ones After the end of the 2nd World War, the automotive manufacturing industry in the United States grew rapidly. So the number of cars on the highway also increased sharply and in line with that also the number of deaths caused by traffic accidents also increased. Because cars designed around the 1950s were not built with safety features such as safety belts, airbags and others.

1958 Sir Vival concept car thought has many safety features built by Walter C. Jerome based of 1948 Hudson. (Picture from: MX5Forum)

Various innovations were produced in this decade to ensure the driver will not be killed if involved in a road accident. One of them has been made and applied to a concept car called Sir Vival. The concept car was said to be "the safest" in the time and designed by Walter C. Jerome from Worcester, Massachusetts in 1958 and to realize this concept he modified a 1948 Hudson to become the first Sir Vival prototype.

Walter C. Jerome posed with his 1958 Sir Vival concept car. (Picture from: MX5Forum)

Physically this concept car consisted two separate parts, namely the front that contains the vehicle's engine and has a rubber bumper on its side and is installed separately with the rear which is the passenger cabin and connected with a rotating hinge.

Car's features embeded on the 1958 Sir Vival concept car. (Picture from: Jalopnik)

The separate front section is expected to absorb the shock if a collision occurs from the front, so that the passenger cabin will be safe from destruction. The installation of rubber bumper on the edge of Sir Vival is also intended to absorb the shock at low speeds.

One of the survived 1958 Sir Vival prototypes built based of 1948 Hudson now heavily rusted at Hudson Dealeship in Route 40, Bellingham. (Picture from: Viva)

Another and most significant innovation is the driver's seat which is made higher than the passenger seat which looks like a turret of an armored vehicle. With such construction, Walter C. Jerome believes that the driver able to sit alone and will not be disturbed by passengers and then can concentrate 100% on the highway.

Rear side view of the survived 1958 Sir Vival prototypes is look need a fully restoration action. (Picture from: Mofler)

The front cylindrical glass is not equipped with a conventional glass wiper because it will block the view when it rains. This silender glass rotates on its own and there is a vertical window wiper on the back of the driver that will wipe off the dirt. In the cabin of the car with Sir Vival features also have other security features such as soft liners and roll cage.

But unfortunately, the brilliant idea made by Walter C. Jerome received less attention from the world automotive community at that time. One of the reasons for Sir Vival's was less welcome, because its "startling unorthodox two-section" design and more shocking $10,000 price tag (at the time the price of Cadillac Series 62 started at around $5,000), or perhaps there were a lot of cooler cars to be driving in the late 50s and early 60s.

There are only a few prototypes of cars been produced and what's more, it's very difficult to get these type of cars survived today. This is real and not an automotive imaginary thing or what? *** [EKA [20122018] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WIKIPEDIA | AUTOWEEK | MOFLER | JALOPNIK]

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Looking at Avus Quattro, the first Audi-built supercar concept

1st Audi CAR Having elegant and futuristic shapes are our assessment of today's Audi models. Might be you agree with that, where modern Audi cars have a futuristic look with sharp line drawings combined with high standard details typical of European automotive manufacturers, thus making the mass production cars from one of German's leading automotive manufacturers always look elegant when used on the highways.

1991 Audi Avus Quattro concept-driven its all wheels by a 6.0-liter W12 engine coupled with the six-speed manual transmission system. (Picture from: Motor1)

Excellence in the matter of design and materials owned by Audi can be ascertained, was begun with a work on sketches which later turns into prototypes of the design team working at Audi's headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany. The prototype is then transformed into a concept car and will usually be introduced to the public first, to see the public response to the model and before it is decided to proceed into the production line or not.

1991 Audi Avus Quattro concept has stolen the attention of the world's automotive enthusiasts at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show with its beautiful body made of hand-beaten panels. (Picture from: Motor1)

On this occasion, we will discuss an Audi concept car from the past which is predicted to have a big hand in developing the design of production cars from Audi that exist today. This R8 precursor shakes with a dummy W12 engine mounted in the middle and wrapped in a low aluminum body.

This concept car was named 'Audi Avus Quatrro,' the concept car was named after a race track in Berlin. The car concept was not only Audi's way of reviewing the use of a W12 engine when combined with an intensively aluminum bodywork construction, but it was also a sign for the future in terms of mid-engined supercars.

1991 Audi Avus Quattro concept has a very lightweight aluminum bodywork of 1,250 kg (2,755 pounds). (Picture from: Motor1)

The concept car that was first introduced to the public at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show turned out to have stolen the attention of the world's automotive enthusiasts at that time with its beautiful body made of hand-beaten panels, with a thickness of 1.5 mm and left unpainted as a sign that it inspired of the Auto Union race car in early of the 1930s.

1991 Audi Avus Quattro concept applied the aluminum-intensive body and exclusive development of Audi Space Frame. (Picture from: Motor1)

Thanks to the aluminum-intensive body and exclusive development of Audi Space Frame, the all-wheel-drive Avus Quattro has a very lightweight of 1,250 kg (2,755 pounds). And able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph done in just three seconds before reaching a top speed of 334 kph (210 mph).

1991 Audi Avus Quattro concept able to accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in just three seconds and has a top speed of 334 kph (210 mph). (Picture from: Motor1)

However, these numbers are only hypothetical performance numbers because the concept car did not actually adopt a 6.0-liter W12 engine with a power of 502 horsepower (374 kilowatts) to drive all of its wheels with a six-speed manual transmission system. Where at that time, the German manufacturer was still developing a car using a twelve-cylinder unit, so that the Avus Quattro concept, in fact, had a dummy machine made of wood and plastic.

The Avus Quattro concept was never destined to go into the production line and there're rumors say Audi even rejected the offers from at least a dozen potential customers even though they were willing to pay as much as $12 million for the road-going version. Today, if you want to check the overall appearance of the Audi Avus Quattro concept, you can find it at Audi's museum in Ingolstadt, Germany. *** [EKA [26122019] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR1]

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A beauty look of Buick Wildcat Concept series

The Wildcat - We are excited to showcase an exceptional Buick classic car, a genuine delight for enthusiasts of classic automobiles. As is widely known, Buick has employed the name "Wildcat" for a series of five concept vehicles, comprising three cars from the early 1950s, one in 1985, and another in 1997.

The most exciting classic cars ever built, 1954 Buick Wildcat II concept car. (Picture from: ModelCarEU)

The Buick Wildcat series represents a collection of vehicles with forward-thinking concepts, innovative designs, and new technologies, all crafted by Buick. The 1953 Wildcat I, 1954 Wildcat II and 1955 Wildcat III were designed under the leadership of Harley Earl, the renowned American auto designer and GM's Head of Design.

1. 1953 Buick Wildcat I

The 1953 Buick Wildcat I was primarily built to test the use of fiberglass in automobile body construction. Notably, the front wheel hubs remained stationary as the wheels spun. The car, finished in white with a green leather interior and green nylon carpeting, featured hood scoops and portholes along the tops of the front fenders.

1953 Buick Wildcat I concept car. (Picture from: ConceptCars)

The car was powered by a 188-horsepower V8 engine, it introduced the new Twin Turbine Dynaflow transmission. An interesting feature was its Roto-Static front wheel discs with built-in air scoops, which remained stationary while the wheels revolved around them.

2. 1954 Buick Wildcat II

In 1954, Buick introduced the Wildcat II, a smaller, sportier two-passenger vehicle with a more radical design. It featured an open front fender, exposing the entire front wheel well and part of the front-end suspension, which was chrome-plated.

1954 Buick Wildcat II concept car. (Picture from: Supercars)

The concept car, built of fiberglass and mounted on a 100-inch wheelbase, incorporated Buick’s traditional portholes, placed on the top of the fender. It used a standard Buick V-8 engine equipped with four carburetors, boosting its horsepower output to 220.

3. 1955 Buick Wildcat III

The Wildcat III, born in 1955, had a long open front fender and constructed with a fiberglass body mounted on a shortened Buick chassis with a 110-inch wheelbase, it featured a souped-up 322 CID Nailhead V8 engine with a four-carburetor intake setup.

1955 Buick Wildcat III concept car. (Picture from: MACCityGarage)

The Twin Turbine Dynaflow automatic transmission boasted a sporty floor-mounted shift lever. Despite being petite for a Buick, designers fondly referred to it as the “toy convertible.” The finish was a flamboyant lipstick color called Kimberly Red.

4. 1985 Buick Wildcat

The 1985 Wildcat was a radical mid-engined, all-wheel-drive sports car with an exposed high-performance, double-overhead-cam V6 engine. Built with a carbon-fiber chassis and vinyl-ester resin, the body featured a 'lift-up' canopy for entry and exit.

1985 Buick Wildcat concept car. (Picture from: Motor1)

This futuristic vehicle, still owned by Buick today, boasted a high-tech interior with a center console display showing G-force, torque, oil pressure, and even a compass. Another Wildcat concept car followed, featuring carbon fiber trim inside, black chrome outside, and a modified 3.8-liter V6 engine by McLaren for engineering tests. Although it didn't become a production model, it paved the way for the 1997 Riviera Wildcat.

Buick's Wildcat series exemplifies a continuous pursuit of innovation in automotive design, from the fiberglass experiments of the 1950s to the high-tech marvels of the 1980s and 1990s. These concept vehicles, each unique in its own right, collectively contribute to Buick's rich history of pushing automotive boundaries and inspiring future generations. The spirit of the Wildcat lives on, leaving enthusiasts eager to witness the brand's next revolutionary creation. *** [EKA [27122019] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WIKIPEDIA | MACSMOTORCITYGARAGE | MOTOR1 | AUTOCAR]

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Cartoon Cars Brought to Life: Ron Berry’s Wild Custom Creations

Cartoon Carnage - Seeing the whimsical shapes of vehicles in animated movies often sparks the imagination—what if those cars actually existed in real life? That same spark of inspiration has fueled the incredible creations of Ron Berry, a talented automotive builder from Utah whose work blurs the line between cartoon fantasy and mechanical reality.

Ron Berry's curve-bodied 1965 VW Kombi called Surf Seeker. (Picture from: StreetMuscleMag)

Among his most jaw-dropping builds is a car that looks like it rolled straight out of the movie Finding Nemo. Based on the 1965 VW Kombi, Berry’s "Surf Seeker" is anything but ordinary. With flowing curves, a bold orange hue mixed with white pearl paint, and a body that seems to defy conventional geometry, this car feels more like a 3D animation than a real, driveable machine. 

Right side view of Ron Berry's curve-bodied 1965 VW Kombi called Surf Seeker. (Picture from: LaughingSquid)

What makes it even more impressive is that the entire design came straight from Ron’s own sketches. He dedicated two full years to bring this cartoonish concept to life—and it shows in every line and curve. | xU13ONseugg |

Though the Surf Seeker looks playful on the outside, it’s packed with serious tech under the hood. It houses a 4-cylinder engine boosted with supercharged technology, producing up to 210 horsepower. Berry didn’t stop at the engine; he equipped the vehicle with remote-controlled features that open the doors and rear hood with a click of a button. It’s like having a high-performance toy car—only life-sized and fully functional.

Front view of Ron Berry's 1956 Ford F-100. (Picture from: LegendaryFinds)

But Ron Berry's imagination doesn't stop there. Another standout creation is his reimagined 1956 Ford F-100 pickup truck. Painted in eye-catching yellow and topped with a surfboard on the back, this truck screams California beach vibes. 

Rearview of Ron Berry's 1956 Ford F-100. (Picture from: LegendaryFinds)

The styling is so over-the-top it looks as though it could've been designed by animators, not engineers. Yet, under its playful exterior lies a beastly 528 BDS 871 Blower V8 engine, pushing an astonishing 825 horsepower through a C6 transmission. It’s not just for show—it’s built to roar down the road, turning heads and dropping jaws wherever it goes. | _Ex4_b0ms9E |

Adding even more flair to his garage of wild rides is a custom woodie wagon Ron calls the "Shorebreak." Dressed in blue with a fiberglass-and-wood body, this car feels like a tribute to classic surfing culture, reimagined through the lens of a Saturday morning cartoon. 

Ron Berry's custom woodie wagon called Shortbreak. (Picture from: StreetMuscleMag)

Its suicide doors, fenders, and trunk all open electronically with remote control commands, making it as fun to operate as it is to look at. Powering this custom wagon is a 302ci 5.0L V8 engine, rolling on massive 33×19.5 rear wheels that give it an unmistakable stance.

Rear-left side view of Ron Berry's custom woodie wagon called Shortbreak. (Picture from: StreetMuscleMag)

Each of Ron Berry’s creations is a moving piece of art—a playful yet powerful blend of animation-inspired design and serious automotive craftsmanship. What makes his work so compelling is not just the originality of the designs, but the way he turns seemingly impossible ideas into drivable realities. His cars don’t just imitate cartoons; they celebrate them. | EfZRgda2res |

What’s next for Ron? That remains a mystery. But one thing’s for sure—when it comes to blending creativity with car culture, his imagination has no speed limit. To see more, visit Ron Berry’s YouTube channel. *** [EKA [04122019][02032022] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WHICHCAR.COM.AU | STREETMUSCLEMAG | LEGENDARYFINDS ]

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Ferrari 330 GTC Zagato Convertibile, the only one ever built

One-OFF The Italian premium sports car manufacturer, Ferrari is known to often make limited edition cars. However, the following sports car is something unusual and very special, because initially, Ferrari wanted to make it a limited edition model but then only produced only one unit due to the demands of the situation and conditions. What sports car is that?

1974 Ferrari 330 GTC Zagato Convortibile is built under commissioned of Luigi Chinetti for his potential-clients in America. (Picture from: TopCarRating)

In mid-1974, Luigi Chinetti, a former racer (as an official importer of the prancing horse logoed cars) commissioned Carrozzeria Zagato, the Milan-based renowned design house to bulid the 330 Convertibile car (the "Convertibile" is Italian for "Convertible") for one of his potential-clients in America.

1974 Ferrari 330 GTC Zagato Convortibile's headlights are covered in an innovative plexiglass cover in a rectangular shape that is flush with the body. (Picture from: Silodrome)

It reflects the body type of the Zagato-made Ferrari 330, which this time is equipped with rear pillars and a "targa" roof that can be opened. And this is the tenth car that gets the Zagato touch and is built on the Ferrari 330 GTC platform.

The sports car which later became known as the Ferrari 330 GTC Zagato Convertibile was designed to be inspired by the Ferrari 3Z Spider, the Ferarri sports car model of the 1970s, although with some significant changes.

1974 Ferrari 330 GTC Zagato Convortibile is the tenth car that gets the Zagato touch and is built on the Ferrari 330 GTC platform. (Picture from: AllCarIndex)

The rear design of the 330 Convertibile is taller and heavier, without the downward slope of the original. The headlights are covered in an innovative plexiglass cover in a rectangular shape that is flush with the body. Meanwhile, the 330 Convertibile taillight cluster is also modified and hidden in a small niche.

1974 Ferrari 330 GTC Zagato Convortibile has a simple steering wheel and dashboard. (Picture from: AllCarIndex)

This Zagato-designed bright red Ferrari 330 Convertibile prototype looks strong and a little heavier than the 3Z Spider. However, this may be Chinetti's intention to make the convertible elements more clearly visible and to distinguish it from the original version.

1974 Ferrari 330 GTC Zagato Convortibile uses a SOHC V12 engine, with a capacity of 3,967 cc. (Picture from: Silodrome)

Unlike most cars today, this Ferrari sports car carries a SOHC V12 engine, with a capacity of 3,967 cc. Even though it uses a SOHC engine, this car is capable of producing around 300 bhp of power bursts, so it is able to make it have a pretty sadistic performance when lauched on the streets.

1974 Ferrari 330 GTC Zagato Convortibile's taillight cluster is also modified and hidden in a small niche. (Picture from: AllCarIndex)

However, due to the oil crisis that was sweeping the world in the mid-1970s, it forced the decline in demand for private luxury goods, including luxury sports cars. Finally, the Ferrari 330 Convertibile was not produced as a limited edition sports car and only ended up being a prototype that built one unit only. As well as placing it as one of the rare prancing horse species and the most sought after of the world's automotive collectors.

And in 2019, the car entered the auction house and was able to be bought off at a pretty fantastic price. How much money to be spent if somebody wants to have it? As quoted from Silodrome, this car is being auctioned with a starting bid price of the US. $500,00 (approx Rp. 7.3 billion). But unsold on the event. *** [EKA{23102020} | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | RMSOTHEBYS.COM | SILODROME | CARSTYLING.RU | SUPERCARS.NET | ROSSOAUTOMOBILI.COM]

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Mystery of the Toyota' first racing cars were revealed

The 1st Racing Cars The Japanese automotive giant Toyota Motor Company (TMC) was initially founded by Kiichiro Toyoda on August 28, 1937 as the automotive division of Toyoda Loom Works, and is also known as the first Japanese brand to take part in the motosports arena. In historical records, the Japanese manufacturer first took part in racing event of the Australian Rally Round 1957.

Here's the Toyopet Racer duo are known as the Toyota's first racing car which involved by Kiichiro Toyoda back in 1950. (Picture from: Modoc)

At that time the Japanese manufacturer was in a state of financial recovery after the Second World War, and at the 19-day endurance race in Australia, Toyota fielded the Toyopet Crown Deluxe, so then history wrote it was the first racing car of the Japanese manufacturer Toyota. But who would have thought that there was another mysterious racing car made by those Japs company that had been built several years earlier was not widely known and even the Toyota's documentation.

The mysterious Toyota race car that not many people know about, even the people at Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) is the Toyopet Racer. It was so mysterious that the evidence for the existence of the car that was made based on the company founder intention, turned out to be only widely known in the last three years.

The Toyopet Racer was believed to be a pet project of Kiichiro Toyoda, the man who founded the Toyota Motor Company. (Picture from: Modoc)

Its history was revealed when retired TMC employee and automotive historian, Hideo Matsumoto, published his book entitled 'Prehistory of Toyota's Motorsport Activities' in 2018 which included snippets of the racing car story which was later published by Toyota's official website in January 2022, which mentions that the Toyopet Racer was the only race car which had involved Kiichiro Toyoda in its development around the spring of 1950 when TMC was facing the biggest financial crisis in the company's history at the time.

The Toyopet Racer built based on the chassis of this 1949 Toyopet Model SD saloon. (Picture from: Modoc)

In that time Kiichiro is doing what he can to help TMC overcome the crisis. One of them is by dividing the company into two separate divisions, namely sales and manufacturing. Although it was unprecedented, one of the advantages of this move was that it created the financial conditions for the company so that Kiichiro could made racing car project later known as Toyopet Racer.

The Toyopet Racer built based on the chassis of this 1949 Toyopet Model SD saloon. (Picture from: Modoc)

According to Matsumoto's book, the development of this race car was revealed to the public for the first time in November 1950 in the 'All Toyota' magazine published by the company's marketing department, sales division. The article in the photo above shows that Toyota intended to use the Toyopet Racer competitively. In fact, since June 1950 Kiichiro Toyoda is no longer in charge of the company.

Then what are the figures and specifications of the racing car? The Toyopet Racer is a handbuilt race car based on the ladder frame chassis of the 1949 Toyopet Model SD saloon sedan. Initially Kiichiro had plans to build six cars, in the end only two units ever made. They were named No. 1 and No. 2, built by Toyota regional dealership companies Osaka Toyota and Aichi Toyota, both engineered for unpaved roads, durability and ease of repair took priority over agility.

Only 2 units ever made in which the Toyopet Racer No.1 made by the Osaka Toyota and another one No. 2 built by the Aichi Toyota. (Picture from: Modoc)

Well, due to the bodywork design is left to the engineers of each dealership respectly, so no wonder there is no visual similarity between the two. On both race cars were then embedded with a Type S four-cylinder petrol engine with a capacity of 995 cc capable spewed power of only 27 hp, coupled with the gearbox was taken from the same car. Those such engine power considered enough to propel the car to a 77.2 kph top speed.

It’s not surprising that the Toyopet Racer never finished its intended production run. The early 1950s was a tumultuous time for the company, with labor strikes, recession, and supply chain issues slamming the country’s auto industry. According to Japanese Nostalgic Cars sites, Kiichiro Toyoda took the unprecedented step of splitting the company along manufacturing and sales divisions. The action gave the sales side more freedom, and in turn the ability to fund the race car program.

The SD employed an all-steel body and the vehicle weighed 2700 lbs in total, but with a single-seat setup and race car bodywork, that may have been significantly reduced. (Picture from: Modoc)

Apparently, even though the company was able to save money, in the other hand many employees were forced to be laid off even though the company had promised there would be no reductions in staff, which eventually sparked strikes from labor unions and made significant impact of production. In short, Kiichiro Toyoda was finally forced to retire early on June 5, 1950 as president of Toyota due to he felt responsible for such the company's situation.

This seems to have had an unfavorable impact on the Toyopet Racer and moreover the Japanese motorsport authority was also in a bad situation. So they are not in a position to help and push the progress of Toyota's racing cars by creating racing events and so on. Therefore the development of the racing car then stopped.

It has a completely different exterior shape, even though both uses the same chassis and is powered by a Type S four-cylinder engine. (Picture from: Modoc)

In addition, when Kiichiro Toyoda died in March 1952 at the age of 57 years, Toyota's sales division felt it was inappropriate to continue the Toyopet Racer project. Since then, according to Toyota, no further information about those Toyopet Racers have ever been published.Both car was never given the opportunity to become an official Toyota race cars in motorsport and never known whereabout.😢

Reportedly at this time the Japanese car manufacturer plans to make the replica mentioned race cars, and was also said the plan initiated directly by Toyota's current boss, Akio Toyoda who is none other than the grandson of Kiichiro Toyoda. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | JAPANESE NOSTALGIC CAR]

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