Ford Experimental -Concept Vehicles

[68krrrr]

Was this actually a thing

[FL SAAC]

Was this actually a thing

Definitely a thing....lol

[FL SAAC]

1958 La Galaxie

Ford worked its way through many contorted schools of styling such as the Z-back roof (in the 1957 La Galaxie). It went on to become increasingly unhinged as it proposed a nuclear - powered dream car called the Nucleon in 1958, a gyroscopically controlled two-wheeled car called the Gyron in 1961, a three-wheeled flying car called the Volante the same - ear and a vast six - wheeler called the Seattle-ite in 1962.

It should not be surprising that, after that lot. Ford's design team and the pubic had something of a dream-car hangover, and Dearborn's output of show specials petered out in the 1960s.



A portion of the 1958 Ford exhibit was set-up as a Ford Motor Company design studio. The full-size, non-drivable La Galaxie styling study was a center piece, surrounded by several 3/8 scale Ford dream cars. These smaller models included names like "La Tosca", which was a radio controlled toy; the atomic-powered, jet-style "Nucleon" and a sports car titled '"DePaolo."

[honker]

68krrrr, it existed, I have that issue of Car & Driver, need to unearth it. It was bodied by Intermeccanica (Italian company)

That one later fell into private hands, I believe...photo included. I'm not sure if it exists today ?

Also offered by a Dutch company, not sure if this is the original car, or if they were able to produce them ? ?

Mike

[FL SAAC]

The factory Ford Mustang wagon is a fabled creation. The story goes that in 1966 Italian coach builder Intermeccanica built a Mustang station wagon for advertiser Barney Clark and designer Bob Cumberford which showed up in many car magazines of the day. Supposedly Ford had a Mustang wagon in design stages around the same time but scrapped the program shortly after the Intermeccania cars appeared. The Intermeccania cars are often mistaken for a factory concept.

68krrrr, it existed, I have that issue of Car & Driver, need to unearth it. It was bodied by Intermeccanica (Italian company)

That one later fell into private hands, I believe...photo included. I'm not sure if it exists today ?

Also offered by a Dutch company, not sure if this is the original car, or if they were able to produce them ? ?

Mike

[honker]

Tony, thanks for the added info !

Staying with concept wagons for the moment, there was this.

Mike

[FL SAAC]

Agree with you like we previously stated:

Supposedly Ford had a Mustang wagon in design stages around the same time but scrapped the program shortly after the Intermeccania cars appeared.

FYI

https://www.hemmings.com/stories/2008/10/06/lost-and-found-overflow-mustang-station-wagon-fact-or-fiction

[Rocket]

Saw a Mustang wagon at Hot August Nights, a few years ago. I think the man said he worked for Ford and he helped build it. Ron

[Side-Oilers]

The front of La Galaxie looks similar to the rear of a '61-63 Bullet Bird. 

The rear of the Mustang wagon styling buck (10-28-66 bottom photo) looks similar to a Vega Kammback.

[FL SAAC]

Saw a Mustang wagon at Hot August Nights, a few years ago. I think the man said he worked for Ford and he helped build it. Ron

Could be the lost one

[FL SAAC]

1958 Volante



In 1958, Ford built several 3/8-scale concept car models, including the Volante, which supposedly could use three fan motors to levitate from a parking place and take to the air. But the most amazing of these models was the Nucleon. What may have looked like a Continental kit sitting on the large and flat rear deck was the cover for a small nuclear reactor that would power the car through the Atomic Age.

[FL SAAC]

1959 Levacar

Ford Motor Co.'s Levacar Mach I appeared in the Ford Rotunda in spring 1959. A full-sized prototype, this was an one-man "flying car" that was "levitated" several inches off the ground by three powerful air jets located on the bottom of its chassis. Planned to be powered by a small-scale turbojet engine, the Levacar was purportedly designed to reach a top speed of nearly 500 mph!

[TJinSA]

The ORIGINAL Mach 1... check out the last photo

[honker]

Great stuff Tony, here's one more to go with your posts. Henry Ford in Dearborn. The Leva Car in this image looks like an early

mock up, the canopy is not clear. The image is dated April 29th. '59.

Mike

[FL SAAC]

Kool picture, great display look how elegant people dressed back in the day

Great stuff Tony, here's one more to go with your posts. Henry Ford in Dearborn. The Leva Car in this image looks like an early

mock up, the canopy is not clear. The image is dated April 29th. '59.

Mike