Wednesday, September 18, 2019

1938 Dymaxion Car

The Dymaxion car was a concept car designed by Buckminster Fuller in 1933. Fuller, born in 1895, was best known for his geodesic domes. The word “dymaxion” was a word used by Fuller for several of his inventions. Fuller took the words dynamic, maximum and tension and combined them into “dymaxion.”
The Dymaxion's aerodynamic bodywork was designed for increased fuel efficiency and top speed, and its platform featured a lightweight hinged chassis, rear-mounted V8 enginefront-wheel drive (a rare RF layout), and three wheels. With steering via its third wheel at the rear (capable of 90° steering lock), the vehicle could steer itself in a tight circle, often causing a sensation. Fuller noted severe limitations in its handling, especially at high speed or in high wind, due to its rear-wheel steering (highly unsuitable for anything but low speeds) and the limited understanding of the effects of lift and turbulence on automobile bodies in that era – allowing only trained staff to drive the car and saying it "was an invention that could not be made available to the general public without considerable improvements."Shortly after its launch, a prototype crashed after being hit by another car, killing the Dymaxion's driver

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dymaxion_car
http://www.automotivereport.net/rear-viThe story of the Dymaxion begins in 1933 with Buckminster and culminates in 2015 with Jeff Lane and the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tenn.
The building of the original and first Dymaxion began in 1933. The car was hand-built, as it was a prototype, and was to be displayed at the 1934 Chicago World’s Fair. On its way to the fair on Oct. 17, 1933, the Dymaxion was hit by another car and flipped over. It resulted in the death of the driver and seriously injuring the two passengers. The vehicle that hit the Dymaxion was driven by a local politician, and his car was immediately removed from the accident scene. The reports in the press the next day lay the blame on the Dymaxion’s unconventional design and the fact it had two wheels in the front and one in the rear that acted as a rudder.
Thanks ew/1938-dymaxion/

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