Dymaxion Car Being Restored

An anonymous reader notes that R. Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion Car is being restored by the company Crosthwaite and Gardiner. Only three of the vehicles were produced in the 1930s and only one survives. "Synchronofile.com has been granted the great honor of announcing the restoration of the Dymaxion Car — because our readers are now invited to help in the project. Can you identify the manufacturer for the component shown at the link?"

Comments

I recognize a flux capacitor when I see one

[jarocho]

I mean, it's so obvious.

Crosthwaite and Gardiner.

[TheBilgeRat]

Now THAT'S a name that means quality. Say it a couple of times with a slightly chilled gin and vermouth resting idly in one hand and a fag in the other.

Pretty cool ride, actually

[TheBilgeRat]

From Wikipoedia:

The Dymaxion car was a concept car designed by U.S. inventor and architect Buckminster Fuller during 1933. The word Dymaxion is a brand name that Fuller gave to several of his inventions, to emphasize that he considered them part of a more general project to improve humanity's living conditions. The car had a fuel efficiency of 30 miles per US gallon (7.8 L/100 km; 36 mpg-imp). It could transport 11 passengers. While Fuller claimed it could do speeds of 120 miles per hour (190 km/h), the fastest documented speed was 90 miles per hour (140 km/h).
not bad for a 30's car and a V8 (albeit an 84hp V8).

Re:Pretty cool ride, actually

[wisty]

It's on Damn Interesting as well: http://www.damninteresting.com/the-extraordinary-dymaxion-automobile

The car flopped because the prototype had a fatal accident in an auto show, so the investors pulled out.

Re:Pretty cool ride, actually

[xmundt]

Greetings and salutations...
          First off, please understand that I consider Bucky Fuller to be in the running for the smartest inventor of the 20th century, and, (at least SO far) the 21st, so I have a small amount of bias towards him. Do a bit of research and SEE what basic parts of today's society his inventions have become - say, like Celotex.
          Now, as for the Dymaxion car... Here is an interesting link that seems to be a pretty complete history.
http://www.washedashore.com/projects/dymax/chronology.html
          The car was, as is pointed out, a concept car, and, was in the process of evolving through its three incarnations. Each one was further away from the "pie in the sky" design, and closer to something that could be put in the hands of the average idiot, without them killing themselves in the first thirty minutes. The car also had some PRETTY innovative designs in it, including state of the art materials, and, individual suspension on all the wheels, with a decoupling of the body from the chassis, producing a VERY smooth ride. In "the Dymaxion world of Buckminster Fuller", it is quoted that the car could drive across a plowed field, at high speed, with the passengers feeling very little vibration or jostling.
              I also question your assertion that rear wheel steering is unstable or dangerous. It is, I agree, different in its response to steering commands, but, I am not entirely sure that it is SO different that it is hard to get used to. I would think that the appropriate caster angle would tend to push the steered wheel back to a straight position, just as it works with front steered vehicles.
              Your recollection as correct, but incomplete, as the third model of the Dymaxion car was a ALL-WHEEL steered vehicle.
                Another poster says something about the danger of roll-overs. Fuller understood physics quite well, which is why the single wheel was located in the rear. Trikes are only prone to rolling over because the force vectors are unsupported by a single FRONT wheel. By putting the two wheels up front, it brings great stability to the vehicle. As an example of this...take a wheel barrow...put a bunch of stone in it, then, try pushing it along the ground, with the single wheel out front. It is hard to keep it upright and stable, and, to make turns. Then, take the same wheelbarrow, and, PULL it along by the handles. All of a sudden that wheelbarrow becomes a model of stability and maneuverability.
                Regards
              Dave Mundt

Pictures

[vxvxvxvx]

Seriously, an article on some obscure car should include at least one image so we know what the heck it's talking about.

http://www.washedashore.com/projects/dymax/pictures.html

We need help too.

[shadowblaster]

Hi it's Iran here, we need help re-constructing this piece of history.

Details of components can be found by following the link above.

30 MPG... in the 1930s

[Jon Abbott]

According to the Wikipedia article, the Dymaxion car had 30 MPG and could transport 11 passengers with only three wheels. Suck on that, Detroit.

The Dynamaxion was one of the worst designs ever.

[RingDev]

The 2-front 1-rear three wheeler design is vastly supervisor to the 1-front 2-rear. But the big problem I see with the Dynamaxion is three fold:

1) In an emergency situation, people react by crushing the break pedal. In a front wheel steering car this increases the down force on the steering wheels, improving traction, and gives the driver more control over the car. In a rear wheel steering vehicle, when the breaks are applied hard, weight still transfers from the rear axle to the front. But that means less down-force on the rear wheel and less steering control.

2) The cab forward design of the body put the majority of the vehicle's weight over the front axle already making the vehicle steer and handle worth a crap even under only moderate breaking.

3) The accident that kill the driver was the other vehicle's driver's fault. But that driver was guilty of following too close. When the driver of the Dynamaxion hit the breaks (transferring weight to the front axle, and the person following too close hit the REAR of the Dynamaxion, the vehicle flipped forward. Even though it was the other drivers fault, it was the incredibly poor design of the vehicle that allowed it to roll in such a manor.

There were amazing technological feats to this car, but the single rear wheel steering combined with the cab forward body was absolutely 100% retarded.

If you want to see the pinnacle of 3-wheeler technology, look into the T-Rex http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-Rex_(automobile) And Aptera http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aptera_2e or some of the tilt-steering prototypes.

-Rick