With beaches, sand dunes and various off-road venues opening back up as the world emerges — at least temporarily — from the coronavirus pandemic, there should be opportunities to enjoy such vehicles as the Pick of the Day, a 1971 Volkswagen Sand Rail.
Advertised on ClassicCars.com for $10,500 by a dealership group’s showroom in Tampa, Florida, “this sand rail packs a modified VW flat four 1,600cc engine with Dual EMPI Carbs 40 mm, 12-volt ignition system, and even dual exhaust,” the dealer notes.
“The power is sent through a 4-speed manual transmission which makes this car a thrill to drive. Perfect for awesome rooster tails and sling shooting off the dunes or around the beach.”
The dealer adds that the sand rail has been “built with the essentials for high-speed off-road fun and even the proper necessities for the streets.”
The sand rail is built on a blue metallic frame, has custom blue racing seats with belts, a removable Bikini-style top with rear windows, and 15-inch painted steel wheels.
“It’s also street legal with front and fog lights, plus rear taillights, turn signals, 4-wheel disc brakes, Plexiglass windshield, Garmin GPS, oil breather and so much more,” the dealer adds.
Like restaurants, offices and casinos, car museums are starting to re-open after being shut down by the coronavirus pandemic for a couple of months.
The museum re-openings began in Germany with the Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche corporate collections. In the last week, the Martin Auto Museum in Phoenix, the Edge Motor Museum in Memphis, Tennessee, the St. Louis Car Museum in Missouri, and the Ferrari museums in Maranello and Modena, Italy, also have re-opened.
Ferrari museum in Modena, Italy, has re-opened to visitors | Museum photo
The Miles Through Time,National Corvette Museums,Auburn Cord Duesenberg and Seal Cove museums have not re-opened, but have announced dates for such actions.
Miles Through Time, in Clarkesville, Georgia, announced a week ago that it would do a soft re-opening on May 23 in its new facilities, with its official and grand re-opening May 30. The museum will re-open in a new building, the Old Clarkesville Mill.
As part of its May 30 program, Miles will host a social-distancing cruise-in from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., with cars staged with a full empty parking space on either side as well as in front and behind.
The National Corvette Museum, in Bowling Green, Kentucky, re-opens its exhibits to visitors on June 8, though its cafe (May 20) and gift shop (May 22) already have resumed operation. The NCM Motorsports Park plans to re-open on June 1.
The Seal Cove museum in Maine will open June 1, or on whatever date the state allows, the museum said in a news release, and will feature its new exhibition “Engines of Change — a Suffrage Centennial.”
“Our new exhibit focuses on the role the automobile played in women’s independence and suffrage, and how improvements in technology were harnessed to mobilize social movements. The exhibit features adventurers, inventors, race car drivers, activists, and other women from all walks of life who used the automobile as a means of breaking out of their traditional roles.
“In addition, we highlight two women, Alice Burke and Nell Richardson, who in 1916 were the first people to drive a loop around the US; their mission – promoting voting rights for women.”
The museum also plans a new outdoor showcase (weather permitting) for those who prefer to remain outside as they return to public places.
ACD plans Cars & Coffee cruise-in
The Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum, in Auburn, Indiana, won’t re-open until June 14, but will host a Cars & Coffee cruise-in from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. on May 30. Museum staff and volunteers will guide cars into parking places along social-distancing guidelines.
Several cars from the museum’s collection will be displayed in the Plaza and tours of the Collections Conservation Center will be available.
Revs Institute sets virtual car show
The Revs Institute/Collier Collection, in Naples, Florida, has get to re-open, but will stage a virtual cars & coffee gathering from 10 a.m. until noon May 23 on its Facebook page.
Featured at the conclusion of the event will be the reunion of driver Gerard Larrousse and the 1967 Porshce 911R he drove to victory in the Tour de France.
Audrain purchases Begovich Collection
Nicholas Begovich and some of the cars he and his wife donated to Cal State Fullerton | University photo
Earlier this year, Nicholas and Lee Begovich donated their car collection — 14 vehicles valued at $10 million — to California State University Fullerton, with money generated by the sale of those vehicles to benefit the school’s astronomy and sustainable energy.
This week, the school announced the collection had been sold to the Audrian Automobile Museum in Newport, Rhode Island, and the museum announced the cars will part of a future display. The Orange County Register reported that it was Jay Leno who connected the school and the museum.
“Many of the cars in the collection were purchased by him new and lightly used, making them outstanding original examples,” the museum said. “They include a 1969 Lamborghini Miura which he picked up at the factory in Italy and drove only 3,758 km; a 1956 Porsche 356 Speedster, bought new in Los Angeles and showing 10,441 mi; one of six extant ATS 2500 GTS coupes, and even rarer, one of the competition models; two early ‘50s Pegaso coupes, an ultra-exotic Spanish sports car of which only 84 were made; and what is well known to be the most original example of Porsche’s iconic 904 sports racing coupe — in Nick Begovich’s hands from new in 1964 and having been driven only 2,837 km.”
AACA working on Hemi showcase
‘Yeah, it’s got a Hemi’ | Museum photo
“Yeah, It’s Got A Hemi!” is the title of an exhibit that will help re-open the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, when the museum is clear again to welcome visitors.
But there’s a twist: This exhibit will not be limited to cars with Chrysler’s hemispherical engine-head architecture, but will include other vehicles as well.
Barrett-Jackson’s inaugural Online Only collector car auction, held May 8-17, brought in more than $3.79 million in sales, the Scottsdale, Arizona, company reports. Of the 85 vehicles offered in the reserve auction, 45 were sold, as well as 228 pieces of automobilia.
The results include the $425,000 charity sale for the No. 3 Dale Earnhardt-driven NASCAR race car donated by team owner Richard Childress, which benefits COVID-19 relief efforts across the United States.
A custom 1963 Corvette split-window coupe was the highest non-charity seller
The top seller otherwise was a custom 1963 Chevrolet Corvette
split-window coupe that went for $357,500 (all sales except charity include
auction fees).
Two world auction records for collector cars were set, by a 2010 Dodge Challenger Drag Pak Race Car that went for $61,600 and by a 1984 Dodge Daytona Turbo sold for $20,350, according to Barrett-Jackson. The Challenger was the first car on the docket.
“The response to our Online Only Auction was incredible, with bidders and consignors participating in the action throughout the entire event,” said Craig Jackson, chairman and chief executive of Barrett-Jackson. “We kicked off the auction by setting a world auction record for our very first lot. Our two top sellers also were part of an exciting bidding war similar to one you’d experience during one of our live auctions.
A 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Seville originally owned by country legend Hank Williams is in the top 10 results
“But the true highlight of the auction was teaming up with Richard
Childress for the sale of his original #3 Dale Earnhardt NASCAR race car, which
raised money for people whose health and livelihoods have been impacted by the
current pandemic.”
Childress noted that he parted with a cherished NASCAR car from his
collection because of the many needs raised by the pandemic.
“America is facing unprecedented times right now and it’s going to take everyone working together and making sacrifices to make a difference,” said Childress, chairman and chief executive of Richard Childress Racing. “I have so many memories of this No. 3 Chevrolet, including celebrating with Dale Earnhardt in Victory Lane. I will always hold those memories dearly, but now I am thrilled to see that the winning bidder will be able to build memories as well.
The Earnhardt race car came from Childress’s private collection
“I want to thank our bidder, who has chosen to remain anonymous. Feeding
America and Samaritan’s Purse will use these funds to help people most in need
right now.”
The top sellers for the Only Online auction are:
1963 Chevrolet Corvette Custom Split-Window Coupe – $357,500
1941 Lincoln Zephyr Custom Coupe – $203,500
1969 Ford Mustang Boss 429 – $195,000
1967 Ford Mustang Custom Fastback – $165,000
2003 Kirkham 427 KMS/SC Roadster
– $115,500
2014 Ford Shelby GT500 Super Snake Convertible – $93,500
Hank
Williams Jr.’s 1959 Cadillac Eldorado Seville –
$92,400
1970 Ford Mustang Boss 302 – $91,300
1968 Ford Mustang Custom Fastback – $90,200
1965 Sunbeam Tiger Convertible – $88,000
(All sales include buyers fees)
The Online Only auction reflects the pandemic-related social-distancing issues that have caused Barrett-Jackson and other companies to postpone or cancel traditional live auctions. Barrett-Jackson canceled its 2020 Northeast auction in Connecticut that was set for June, and earlier this year postponed its Palm Beach, Florida, auction and rescheduled it for October 15-17.
The Las Vegas auction remains scheduled for September 10-12, as well as Barrett-Jackson’s signature Scottsdale auction set for January 2021. Check for updates by visiting the Barrett-Jackson website.
Quoting Henry Royce: “Small things make perfection, but perfection is no small thing,” Rolls-Royce has unveiled its newest vehicle, a 1:8 scale model of its Cullinan sport utility.
The automaker says the model “faithfully reproduces every detail of the original in miniature,” and each model is produced from more than 1,000 components and takes as long as 450 hours to be assembled, “over half of the time required to build a full-size Cullinan.”
Although pricing is not listed on the Rolls-Royce website, we’re guessing that the 1:8-scale model costs more than some actual cars you can drive and carry the family along with you.
You also can specify the paint color for your scale model, and you can have other details on the model that duplicate those on your full-size Cullinan.
“This scale replica brings a new dimension to Cullinan’s Effortless, Everywhere philosophy,” said Torsten Muller-Otvos, Rolls-Royce chief executive. “Our super-luxury SUV is now as perfectly at ease in the serene surroundings of its owner’s residence as it is in the most challenging and hostile terrain on Earth.”
The model’s interior lighting is functional and is operated by a Cullinan-branded remote control.
“On opening the coach doors, illuminated treadplates are revealed, leading to an interior designed and executed with the materials, skill and attention to detail lavished on Cullinan itself,” Rolls proclaims. “From the headrest embroidery and wood finishes to seat piping and stitching, these Bespoke creations allow clients to recreate their full-size vehicle with astonishing accuracy, or even envision future Cullinans to add to their collection.”
Under the hood is “a perfect likeness” of the Cullinan’s 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 engine.
The model comes in a display case nearly a yard long.
Hennessey Performance Engineering wasted no time getting to work on the mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. The Texas tuner added a nitrous oxide system to the recently released sports car, then took it out for a top-speed run and achieved a claimed 205.1 mph.
That speed was reached at the Continental Tire Proving Ground in Uvalde, Texas, on May 8, and was confirmed with a VBox data logger, according to HPE.
Former General Motors engineer John Heinricy drove the Corvette on its 205-mph run. As head of GM’s Performance Division, Heinricy oversaw development of such cars as the Corvette Z06 and Cadillac CTS-V. The 71-year-old engineer left GM in 2008, but came out of retirement to lead development of the Hennessey Venom F5 supercar.
The Corvette used for the 205-mph run was a Z51 model with a Nitrous Express System and a stainless-steel exhaust system, according to Hennessey. HPE removed the Z51’s rear spoiler, which adds downforce that lowers the car’s top speed from 194 to 184 mph. The car also didn’t have the twin-turbo setup Hennessey is currently developing for the C8 Corvette, which the company claims has made 643 hp in early development tests. The Corvette Z51’s 6.2-liter V-8 puts out 495 hp and 470 pound-feet of torque from the factory.
Hennessey has bigger plans for the
C8 Corvette. The company previously said it hopes to extract 1,200 hp from its
twin-turbo setup, and will offer a supercharger upgrade with around 700 hp.
If that’s not enough power, the Venom F5 will have a bespoke twin-turbo V-8 making a claimed 1,800 hp. Hennessey is aiming for a top speed of 311 mph, which set a new record for the world’s fastest production car. The current record stands at 304.773 mph, set by the Bugatti Chiron in 2019.
This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com.
Few vehicles in history have been as recognizable, as prevalent and as loved as the VW Beetle. If you ever got punched in the arm by a friend who shouted “slug bug” when he or she saw a Beetle, you can relate to just how easy they are to spot. The iconic shape and fun community around the Beetle make it one America’s – and the world’s – favorite collector cars.
By many measures, the VW Beetle was a less-than-impressive automobile. It was a compact economy car at its core: low-powered and inexpensively built. Essentially it was a car for the masses (even referred to as the “people’s car”).
But over the course of more than 60 years of production, 21 million Beetles made their way onto the highways of the world and into the hearts of many motorists.
The Pick of the Day, a 1971 Volkswagen Super Beetle convertible, is a car that evokes thoughts of sunshine and summertime, more perhaps than any other car in the collector car marketplace. It’s an immaculately restored car, according to the private seller in Canyon Lake, California, who’s advertising the VW on ClassicCars.com.
The seller describes the VW as an “award-winning car in its class,” and a “great running and enjoyable car to drive.”
Mechanically, the Super Beetle appears to have been well sorted with recent engine work, a rebuilt transmission, upgraded front disc brakes, and new tires. Cosmetically, it takes only one look at the yellow paint and interior to see that this VW has received the full treatment. The seller states that it needs nothing and can be driven and enjoyed right away.
VW enthusiasts will note that the car has had some enhancements to the motor including performance heads. For 1971, the Super Beetle received a 1,600 cc flat-4 engine with twin-port cylinder heads. It produced only 60 horsepower, but that was still enough to scoot the small car in relative swiftness. This car wasn’t never about speed anyway, and it looks fun to drive just standing still.
The seller is asking $18,950 for the chance to own perhaps one of the cleanest 49-year-old VW Super Beetles on the road. The best part might be the opportunity to slug a friend each time it comes into view.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day
Cadillac attracted lots of attention — first in the autumn of 1929 and then again in the early winter of 2003 — when it unveiled automobiles powered not by 8- or even 12-cylinder engines, but by V16s.
Inherently balanced, Cadillac’s V16 engines were quiet, smooth and powerful. Cadillac had them in its finest luxury cars for the 1930-1937 model years. Then, early in the 21st Century, it revived the idea and honored its own heritage in the form of the spectacular Cadillac Sixteen concept car.
Cadillac unveiled its V16 passenger car engine for the 1930 model year and used in vehicles such as this through 1937 | General Motors Heritage Center photo
In the 1930s, Cadillac’s V16 engine pumped out 318 pound-feet of torque
Early in the 21st Century, Cadillac produced another V16 engine and wrapped it with the Cadillac Sixteen concept car
But did you know there was another vehicle that benefited from the quiet and smooth delivery of power provided by that 1930s Cadillac V16? That was the Autotram.
While most 1930 Cadillacs had coachwork by the likes of Fleetwood, Murphy, Saoutchik, Vanden Plas or even Pinin Farina, and were designed to carry 5 or 7 occupants, the Autotram was built by a company called Clark Equipment and had seating for more than 40 people.
As Robert Myers, director of education for the Historical Society of Michigan explained this week in a webcast presentation, Clark Equipment traces to 1904 and a project by George R. Rich Manufacturing and Illinois Steel in Buchanan, Michigan, to produce drilling equipment used to lay railroad track.
Clark would take its name from Eugene B. Clark, an Illinois Steel metallurgist who managed the new operation and by 1914 had taken over Rich and several other companies, all of which he merged under his own name.
Clark expanded its production into automotive axles and transmissions and became a major supplier to the growing auto industry. To move such heavy objects around its factory floor, it created a motorized 3-wheel cart. A U.S. Army officer visited Clark during World War I and realized those 3-wheelers would be ideal for transporting ammunition, so Clark established what it called its “trucktractor” division in a new factory in Battle Creek, Michigan.
At the Chicago World’s Fair, Clark Equipment handed out an information card as part of its Autotram promotion | Railarchive.net photo
Familiar with his company’s roots providing equipment for railroads, Eugene Clark was aware that the rail companies did well on their main routes, but were losing money on their short or local lines, where there were fewer passengers and less cargo to carry, but which still needed full crews, and where the frequent starts and stops took a toll on locomotives.
Eugene Clark thought he had a solution — a newer, lighter and more efficient vehicle for local routes, so he put together a team to create the Autotram, which Clark Equipment introduced at the Century of Progress, the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair.
The Autotram was build from an aluminum material to keep it lightweight but strong
By making the Autotram from the same light but strong duralumin used in the construction of the zeppelin airships, by making the vehicle aerodynamically efficient, and by powering it with an automotive engine — Cadillac’s V16 — Clark could produce a vehicle that could carry 42 passengers and a crew of 2 — an engineer and a conductor — in speed (more than 70 mph), style (the Autotram was bright red with silver and white trim), and comfort (the interior featured lounge-style seating rather than bus- or train-style rows), complete with a small galley and a restroom.
Cadillac’s V16 displayed 452 cubic inches, provided 162 horsepower and 318 pound-feet of torque, peak torque arriving at just 1,400 rpm.
The idea proved so worthy that Clark had his team working on designs for versions large and powerful enough to carry as many as 160 people. But while the Autotram was a hit at the fair and drew lots of eager riders during several months of test runs on southern Michigan railways, not a single unit was ordered by any railroad company.
But Clark certainly recouped his investment, and then some. To make the Autotram ride as smoothly as possible, Clark worked with BFGoodrich created a new form of rail wheels, still steel, but with an internal rubber section that acted as a shock absorber. Starting in 1936, that undercarriage became the standard for the street cars that carried people along urban roadways within cities from coast to coast.
Autotram readies at the Battle Creek station for one of its test trips through southern Michigan | Railway Club of Pittsburgh photo
As for the prototype Autotram, Myers said it was scraped out in 1935, though he’s heard that Clark employees were allowed to take the Autotram’s floral-patterned seats home for use on the porches of their Battle Creek homes.
Myers’ presentation was part of the Historical Society of Michigan’s “Stuck in the Doghouse” History Hounds lecture series, which has been so successful during the coronavirus quarantine that it is moving from monthly to weekly. For details, visit the society website.
The chase scene is an art form. It is a visceral experience unique to movies.
“The chase is the purest form of cinema,
something that can’t be done in any other medium,” William Friedkin, writer and
director of some of the most famous car chase scenes, wrote in his memoir, “The
Friedkin Connection.”
Even though “Bullitt” and “The French Connection” top most lists as the best car chase scenes of all time, other films have been canonized as classics for different reasons.
“There has to be an element of spontaneity,” said Dann Gire, award-winning film critic from The Daily Herald and founder of the Chicago Film Critics Association. “It can’t feel like it’s been choreographed and they’ve made no effort to dissuade you that it hasn’t been choreographed.”
Steve McQueen racing through San Francisco in ‘Bullitt’ | Warner Brothers
That’s a high level of authenticity for
two-minute scenes that can take two months to make. But that’s not all.
“There has to be an element of danger,” said
Raymond Benson, film historian and author of nine James Bond books, the “Black
Stilleto” series, and dozens of others. “Chase scenes can be cool–oh that was a
neat thing they did, but there has to be a feeling of oh my god is he going to
get out of this alive?”
Gire and Benson teamed up last week to present their top 10 movie chase scenes of all time on a Zoom call through the Arlington Heights Memorial Library, in a northwestern suburb of Chicago. In non-pandemic times, Dann & Raymond’s Movie Club is a traveling program that highlights a singular moment of the moviegoing experience. I caught up with them by phone after the presentation.
Though their list covered chases of any kind, from Cary Grant getting crop dusted in Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest” to John Wayne’s breakthrough role in the 1939 Western, “Stagecoach,” the majority of the films had car chase scenes. They’re distilled here from top ten chase scenes down to top five car chase scenes. The film buffs’ take on what makes for the most enduring chase scenes differs from most car buffs’ choice for best scenes.
5. “To Live and Die in
L.A.”
This1985 action thriller starring Willam Petersen as Richard Chance features a chase scene of Chance escaping assailants in a 1985 Chevy Impala. The nearly 8-minute sequence goes through the grittier industrial parts of L.A. then into the dry viaducts of the L.A. River. Those viaducts have starred in more movies than most of the actors in Los Angeles, from the dirt bike-semi truck chase in “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” to “Drive” and even “Grease.”
But the chase in “To Live and Die in L.A.” is personal; it was inspired by director Friedkin falling asleep at the wheel of his own car during a Chicago snow storm, then spinning out to awake to oncoming traffic on Chicago’s Lake Shore Drive, according to Gire. That harrowing suspense comes through in “To Live and Die in L.A.”
4.
“Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark”
This might be a surprise to car buffs, but the
Nazi truck fight scene where Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones chases down the Ark
of the Covenant has something lacking in most Indiana Jones films:
authenticity.
This is why only one James Bond film made the
film critics’ top ten list, and it wasn’t for a car chase. Chase scenes are as
common as dry martinis and objectified women in Bond movies, but only “Casino
Royale” starring Daniel Craig made the cut for the parkour foot chase through a
construction zone.
“The person involved in the chase has to be afraid,” Gire said. “This is why the Roger Moore as James Bond movies don’t really count because Roger Moore doesn’t have any fear. It doesn’t have that essential element of believability.”
Indy gets knocked out, nearly run over, then
dragged underneath and behind a massive military truck that was raised to allow
the stunts. Harrison Ford did some of his own stunts in the eight weeks it took
to film that scene, including hanging onto the grille of the truck and being
dragged behind it.
The other Indiana Jones films delved into 007
territory.
“The Roger Moore films became action comedies instead of action thrillers,” Benson, the author of nine James Bond books, explained.
“The Fast and the Furious” franchise is also
loaded with cool chase scenes that strain credibility.
“There’s an element of disbelief that you can’t disregard,” Gire said, citing CGI and other digital moviemaking tricks. “I’m surprised we haven’t been protested by the F&F crowd. (The films) are just not good.”
3. “Grindhouse”
Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez teamed
up to direct “Grindhouse,” which features Kurt Russell as a stunt driver serial
killer in a 1969 Dodge Charger chasing down a group of young women in a 1970
Dodge Challenger. Among the women is stuntwoman Zoe Bell, who plays Zoe Bell
and is spun all over the Challenger’s hood during the course of the five-minute
chase.
That’s as authentic as it gets.
Gire and Benson agreed that authenticity, in part, comes from “organic physical stunts” and cars going through a chase sequence compared to ones augmented with digital graphics.
That explains why “Road Warrior: Mad Max 2,” “The Bourne Identity,” the original “Italian Job,” and “Ronin” were honorable mentions.
Even though car buffs typically put those
movies in the top 10 if not top 5, there are two points of agreement between
the two camps: “Bullitt” and “The French Connection” take the top two spots.
The most striking similarity in the best car chase scenes is what they lack: a score.
2. “Bullitt”
Muscle cars help. So did Bill Hickman, the
stunt driver in both “The French Connection” and “Bullitt.” The chase scene in “Bullitt” between Steve McQueen in a 1968 Ford Mustang 390 and the bad guys and Hickman in
a 1968 Dodge Charger R/T is just under ten minutes long. It takes place within
and outside of San Francisco, with no dialog and no score. Gire said it was
“Bullitt” composer Lalo Schifrin who suggested eliminating the score in the
chase scene.
And that might be the key in making the
greatest car chase scenes.
“There’s such a thing as gilding the lily,” Gire quipped. “The most important thing is what you leave out.”
1. “The French Connection”
The soundtrack to the legendary chase scene in
the low-budget “The French Connection” is the urban landscape of New York City.
With a runaway elevated train rumbling overhead, and Gene Hackman’s character
Jimmy Doyle in congested pursuit in a 1971 Pontiac Lemans on the street below,
Friedkin’s frenetic masterpiece embodies all the elements that make for a great
chase scene: authenticity, unpredictability, danger, and suspense, all set
within the visceral sound of the city.
“The sound of squealing tires, the revving of engines, it all works,” Benson said. “I think it was because of this car chase that it won best picture.”
It’s won the hearts of car and movie lovers, as well.
This article was originally published by Motor Authority, an editorial partner of ClassicCars.com.
While many riders with custom motorcycles might view their bikes as pure artwork, the concept really came to fruition in 1998 when the famed Guggenheim Museum in New York City mounted its landmark exhibit, The Art of the Motorcycle.
There were 114 motorcycles
on display in the main art gallery, the span of history ranging from the
earliest contraptions of the 19th Century to the sleek machines of
the current era.
A new piece of pure motorcycle artwork was recently completed at Fuller Moto in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a radically different kind of two-wheeler that looks to the past and the future while bending the arc of design via new technology.
Named 2029, the
kinetic sculpture was designed after the 1929 Majestic, a French motorcycle
that likewise teased observers 91 years ago with a unique vision of
motorcycling. This is what that vision
could be 100 years later. And, yes, a Majestic 350 was among the bikes included
in the Guggenheim show.
The 2029 is like nothing seen before, however, using today’s most-advanced technologies to create a mind-bending custom motorcycle that seems to float in its own dimension. Science and technology played major roles in the building of 2029, according to the unveiling announcement from Fuller Moto.
“At its core, the art of
motorcycle building is still very similar to its origins,” the news release
says. “The difference now is the role technology plays in the evolution of the
craft and in the innovation of design. Fuller
Moto’s 2029 takes
a nod from a bike with a revolutionary past, in a bold move to prepare us for a
future where anything is possible for a new age of customs.”
The custom motorcycle was commissioned by the Haas Moto Museum and Sculpture Gallery in Dallas, an expansive collection of 190 bikes featuring unusual and one-of-a-kind motorcycles from 1901 to the present day.
The 1929 Majestic 350, now part of the Haas collection
Bobby Haas, the collector and owner of the museum, said the 2029 project was a wide-open endeavor to create something that had never been before.
“We know we are doing something that has never been done before,” Haas said during the build. “There is no actual blueprint. We are not doing a production cycle. We are doing a piece of work that is rolling art. It is unique.”
Hass has commissioned several other special motorcycles from Fuller Moto, which are now on display at the museum. 2029 will join ShoGun and the Chief Ambassador on the Fuller display stand.
For
2029, Bryan Heidt, lead metal fabricator at
Fuller Moto, worked with owner Bryan Fuller on the design concepts and created
the initial CAD model dimensions, according to Fuller Moto. Those models then
went to famed futurist designer Nick Pugh “to help bring the concepts to life.”
The
result, according to the news release, is “an electric bike with a fully
enclosed sculptured aluminum body, hub-centric steering, clear polycarbonate
wheels and titanium parts printed on a 3D printer.”
The underlying machine is a Zero Motorcycle FXS electric bike, its frame flipped upside down to accommodate the 2029 design.
Just
about everything about the 2029 motorcycle, aside from its
frame and propulsion, are one-off designs, much of them envisioned by computer
imagery and formed either by traditional handcrafted metalwork or 3D printing.
From
the photos of 2029, the clear hubs make the wheels look
detached from the suspension, and the steering system seems incomprehensible.
“Unlike most bikes which have a traditional front fork setup, the 2029 has hub-centric steering coming off of a front swing-arm,” Fuller Moto explains. “Hub-centric steering is very unusual and has only been used in a few bikes such as the Bimota, Ner-a-Car and, of course, the 1929 Majestic.
“Bryan Heidt found a donor hub from a Bimota Spirit off a model called the Tesi. The reliable and functional parts of the Tesi provided the right dimensions, bearing, bushings, as well as overall design.”
The
one-off design and construction features of 2029
seem endless, much of them explained in the two accompanying videos.
“With its unconventional style and innovative build techniques, the 2029 asks us to think different about design, and provides us a glimpse into what may be to come,” the Fuller Moto release concludes.
“New
design processes like 3D printing parts open up a new world of possibilities.
A world where anything one can dream can be manifested into physical form.
This unleashing of human creativity was the underlying intent of the 2029.”
This week we speak with Rich Roback, a builder and test driver on Ford’s GT program. To celebrate their victories in international endurance racing, Ford resurrected its famed Grand Tourer in 2004. Rich was on the ground for all of it and has many great stories to tell.
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