Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past

Scarlet_Rider · 9th October 2013, 12:45

Kiran Chitnis (moralfibre): Amazing collection of pictures! Thanks for sharing! All I can say is : "Hats off to the human brain!" Another 5 star thread on Team-BHP!

Regards and Keep Revving,

Rahul Waghmare.

the mole · 9th October 2013, 13:22

Very educational and entertaining, However after looking at the pics and the kind of raw mechanical ingenuity that people in the early part of the 20th century had, I think we seem to have lost it somehow in the later half and 21st century. Of course safety standard could have a lot to do with the whole thing.

sgiitk · 9th October 2013, 14:41

Great thread. However, going back to the mundane in automobiles the Citroen DS deserves a very honourable mention. Even today many features will be considered futuristic.

the mole · 9th October 2013, 21:02

Another car that deserves an honourable mention is the dymaxion car by richard buckminister fuller the great engineer/ planner/ architect a true renaissance man of the 20 th century

classicselva · 10th October 2013, 17:00

Fantastic collection of photos with good information. Thanks for sharing.

pc73 · 11th October 2013, 15:18

Fantastic thread. Beautiful picture. Looks like there were more dramatic experiments and innovations (whether they worked or not) on the basic structure of automobiles during 1st half of 20th century than we can possibly see today. Despite all these attempts, the fundamental design of cars seem to have remained same since they first came into existance, with improvements in refinement, reliability, efficiency, power, comfort, gadgetry, etc.

W.A.G.7 · 16th October 2013, 21:32

Wow! What an excellent thread! It's amazing how much people have spent their time researching on automobiles as well as the efforts put in to invent something new. Great insight into the history of automobiles, thanks for sharing !!

veyron_head · 17th October 2013, 19:23

What a thread!! deserves the 5 stars!! Innovation, at least in cars, seems to have lost its steam in our times. So many amphib models yet none of them made it to the market even after several decades. Save for the flying car Terrafugia, There is not a single radical innovation that I can think of in the last many decades.

moralfibre · 24th October 2013, 09:55

Some lovely pictures found on twitter.

German train design, Schienenzeppelin,could reach speeds upto 210 km/h..1930s @History_Pi

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-image3889968597.jpg

Next few courtesy @History_pics on twitter:

Illuminated Tires, 1961:

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-image643692901.jpg

Catford Cycling Club, 1927:

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-image2052933354.jpg

One of the heaviest engines in the world, "BigBoy", a 400 ton locomotive. 1944

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-image3776848834.jpg

@HistoryInPics Race of double deck buses, 1933.

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-image1309125003.jpg

KPS · 1st November 2013, 10:00

Here is the wonderful Morgan Three Wheeler. The models used motorcycle engines placed ahead of the front wheels.

Here is a beautifully restored car which runs on V Twin Matchless engines. The is part of the old Imperial Hotel Museum, Las Vegas. The collection is now called Auto Collection

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-img_1383.jpg

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-img_1308.jpg

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-img_1309.jpg

More details can be read here
http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z...per-Sport.aspx

Cheers

KPS

Jeroen · 1st November 2013, 11:20

Thanks for those pictures. Love those Morgans, the three wheelers as well as the four wheeler. Visited their factory some 10 years ago. Lik stepping into a time machine. Not a power tool in sight. Panels still being hand beaten!

I like my bikes and cars "classic". Morgan still makes these three wheelers:

And it still looks and feels the classic part:

http://www.morgan3wheeler.co.uk/home.html

jeroen

moralfibre · 22nd March 2014, 17:17

An image of a man speaking on an early version of a mobile phone mounted on a 1955 Ford Thunderbird.

Image source: Twitter @HistoryinPics

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-img_3740.jpg

moralfibre · 7th May 2014, 06:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlphaLamb

I am intriguied by the one-wheeled inventions (the Dynasphere and Motorwheel), examples of such devices keep coming up now and then but yet to see a commercially viable unit.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rehaan

It doesn't look easy!
cya
R

British Pathe's digitization of videos couldn't have come at a better time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcrQxribJso

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rvA7hDh_vhY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-EpYy44hcyM

Amphibious water scooter:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiW5SLQX2w8

Flying bicycle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m--fCpv2Vpk

Motorised roller skates:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyUD7rHpTnk

A flying car:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNp_iO-2Jfg

The hover scooter that we already covered before in action:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SY1y-8IRMw

And the funniest of them all, a motorised bath tub :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL5xDIvS2Ek

sridhu · 7th May 2014, 08:15

I have always loved the Stout Scarab

Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past-stoutscarab_1200700x447.jpg

A

video

of it being driven in recent times. More info in this

video

Dont rightly know if all the stuff in

in this

belongs in this thread but intriguing, nonetheless!

TractionAvant · 8th May 2014, 02:21

What a great set of pictures! Thanks for posting moralfibre

I think the follwing two need to be represented on this thread

1) Leyat Helicar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyat

2) Wolseley Gyrocar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrocar

9th October 2013, 12:45	#16
Scarlet_Rider BHPian Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Hyderabad Posts: 832 Thanked: 1,658 Times	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past Kiran Chitnis (moralfibre): Amazing collection of pictures! Thanks for sharing! All I can say is : "Hats off to the human brain!" Another 5 star thread on Team-BHP! Regards and Keep Revving, Rahul Waghmare.
	(1) Thanks

9th October 2013, 13:22	#17
the mole Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,189 Thanked: 825 Times View My Garage	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past Very educational and entertaining, However after looking at the pics and the kind of raw mechanical ingenuity that people in the early part of the 20th century had, I think we seem to have lost it somehow in the later half and 21st century. Of course safety standard could have a lot to do with the whole thing.
	() Thanks

9th October 2013, 14:41	#18
sgiitk BANNED Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Gurugram Posts: 7,969 Thanked: 4,788 Times	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past Great thread. However, going back to the mundane in automobiles the Citroen DS deserves a very honourable mention. Even today many features will be considered futuristic.
	() Thanks

9th October 2013, 21:02	#19
the mole Senior - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Mumbai Posts: 2,189 Thanked: 825 Times View My Garage	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past Another car that deserves an honourable mention is the dymaxion car by richard buckminister fuller the great engineer/ planner/ architect a true renaissance man of the 20 th century Attached Thumbnails
	(2) Thanks

10th October 2013, 17:00	#20
classicselva BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Chennai Posts: 187 Thanked: 27 Times	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past Fantastic collection of photos with good information. Thanks for sharing.
	() Thanks

11th October 2013, 15:18	#21
pc73 BHPian Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 103 Thanked: 70 Times View My Garage	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past Fantastic thread. Beautiful picture. Looks like there were more dramatic experiments and innovations (whether they worked or not) on the basic structure of automobiles during 1st half of 20th century than we can possibly see today. Despite all these attempts, the fundamental design of cars seem to have remained same since they first came into existance, with improvements in refinement, reliability, efficiency, power, comfort, gadgetry, etc.
	() Thanks

16th October 2013, 21:32	#22
W.A.G.7 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Pune Posts: 1,385 Thanked: 2,025 Times	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past Wow! What an excellent thread! It's amazing how much people have spent their time researching on automobiles as well as the efforts put in to invent something new. Great insight into the history of automobiles, thanks for sharing !!
	() Thanks

17th October 2013, 19:23	#23
veyron_head BHPian Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 583 Thanked: 698 Times	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past What a thread!! deserves the 5 stars!! Innovation, at least in cars, seems to have lost its steam in our times. So many amphib models yet none of them made it to the market even after several decades. Save for the flying car Terrafugia, There is not a single radical innovation that I can think of in the last many decades.
	() Thanks

24th October 2013, 09:55	#24
moralfibre Team-BHP Support Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: MH-12 Posts: 8,451 Thanked: 13,973 Times	Some lovely pictures found on twitter. German train design, Schienenzeppelin,could reach speeds upto 210 km/h..1930s @History_Pi Next few courtesy @History_pics on twitter: Illuminated Tires, 1961: Catford Cycling Club, 1927: One of the heaviest engines in the world, "BigBoy", a 400 ton locomotive. 1944 @HistoryInPics Race of double deck buses, 1933.
	(6) Thanks

1st November 2013, 10:00	#25
KPS Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 2,756 Thanked: 11,503 Times View My Garage	Re: Automobile Technologies of the Past - A Revisit Here is the wonderful Morgan Three Wheeler. The models used motorcycle engines placed ahead of the front wheels. Here is a beautifully restored car which runs on V Twin Matchless engines. The is part of the old Imperial Hotel Museum, Las Vegas. The collection is now called Auto Collection More details can be read here http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z...per-Sport.aspx Cheers KPS
	(2) Thanks

1st November 2013, 11:20	#26
Jeroen Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: Delhi Posts: 8,101 Thanked: 50,871 Times View My Garage	Re: Automobile Technologies of the Past - A Revisit Thanks for those pictures. Love those Morgans, the three wheelers as well as the four wheeler. Visited their factory some 10 years ago. Lik stepping into a time machine. Not a power tool in sight. Panels still being hand beaten! I like my bikes and cars "classic". Morgan still makes these three wheelers: And it still looks and feels the classic part: http://www.morgan3wheeler.co.uk/home.html jeroen
	() Thanks

22nd March 2014, 17:17	#27
moralfibre Team-BHP Support Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: MH-12 Posts: 8,451 Thanked: 13,973 Times	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past An image of a man speaking on an early version of a mobile phone mounted on a 1955 Ford Thunderbird. Image source: Twitter @HistoryinPics
	(3) Thanks

8th May 2014, 02:21	#30
TractionAvant BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: pune Posts: 241 Thanked: 220 Times	Re: Automotive innovations and some unique modes of transport from the past What a great set of pictures! Thanks for posting moralfibre I think the follwing two need to be represented on this thread 1) Leyat Helicar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyat 2) Wolseley Gyrocar http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gyrocar
	(1) Thanks