West Palm Beach Gravity Event

[hmp10]

As Henrik Fisker seems determined to continue proving, designers are not always the best people to take on automotive engineering. This is what happened when iconic American architect Buckminster Fuller turned his hand to the task: the Fuller Dymaxion.

Rear-mounted V8 driving the two front wheels; steering by single rear wheel, enabling the car to spin almost on axis but making steering at speed a life-threatening event (killing a test driver, in fact); and aerodynamics that made the car as likely to get airborne as stick to the pavement. Of course, this was meant as the first design phase of a vehicle that could operate as a road car, boat, and airplane, so maybe sticking to the pavement was not the point.

 

[joec]

I mean, yeah. But LOOK at it. Gorgeous.

 

[xponents]

As Henrik Fisker seems determined to continue proving, designers are not always the best people to take on automotive engineering. This is what happened when iconic American architect Buckminster Fuller turned his hand to the task: the Fuller Dymaxion.

Rear-mounted V8 driving the two front wheels; steering by single rear wheel, enabling the car to spin almost on axis but making steering at speed a life-threatening event (killing a test driver, in fact); and aerodynamics that made the car as likely to get airborne as stick to the pavement. Of course, this was meant as the first design phase of a vehicle that could operate as a road car, boat, and airplane, so maybe sticking to the pavement was not the point.

View attachment 20635

Is eye therapy a thing? And does anybody know of a place I can get it?

(also, can somebody please ban @joec ?)

 

[hydbob]

Is eye therapy a thing? And does anybody know of a place I can get it?

(also, can somebody please ban @joec ?)

Id rather drive that thing that a Cybertruck

 

[Lucken]

Frightening. Stuff that nightmares are made of.

 

[xponents]

As Henrik Fisker seems determined to continue proving, designers are not always the best people to take on automotive engineering. This is what happened when iconic American architect Buckminster Fuller turned his hand to the task: the Fuller Dymaxion.

Rear-mounted V8 driving the two front wheels; steering by single rear wheel, enabling the car to spin almost on axis but making steering at speed a life-threatening event (killing a test driver, in fact); and aerodynamics that made the car as likely to get airborne as stick to the pavement. Of course, this was meant as the first design phase of a vehicle that could operate as a road car, boat, and airplane, so maybe sticking to the pavement was not the point.

View attachment 20635

Three wheeled cars are fine for smaller vehicles, such as personal transporters. My "enclosed go kart" I'm building (as well as the Aptera) is three wheels as well, mainly for aero efficiency but also to reduce rolling resistance. When done properly, it's far better than the two rear 1 front setup, which the likes of the Reliant Robin showed (yes, the Top Gear video was faked, but it's still somewhat dangerous). Unlike this though, the front two wheels steer on both the Aptera and my contraption. To put three wheels on a vehicle big enough to pass for a submarine already qualifies as murder. To make that rear wheel the ONLY one that can steer is something that requires the death penalty for the designer. A vehicle as big as that (240 inches) should have MORE than four wheels to cope with the forces, preferably in a dually form (considering the engine orientation). Also, wouldn't this setup cause some excessive tire wear on the front?

In Puerto Rico, the shopping carts had a kind of "rear steering" system, where the rear AND front wheels could move freely. Me being a teenager, I obviously "race" the carts pretty much everywhere (don't ask). The unlimited rear steering made it very unpredictable and attempting to take a turn with rice bags on the cart pretty much consists of you praying it doesn't smash into a shelf. I imagine driving this car would be similar, but even more horrific considering the size of it.

Normally I love learning about cars I didn't previously know about, but I wish you didn't share this one @hmp10 . This thing will be in my nightmares for the next 2 months!

 

[xponents]

Id rather drive that thing that a Cybertruck

Well, everyone is welcome to their own opinion, even if it's the wrong opinion. I personally would take a Cybertruck over this 11/10 times!

Also, can the owner of this site ban @hydbob as well?

 

[borski]

Well, everyone is welcome to their own opinion, even if it's the wrong opinion. I personally would take a Cybertruck over this 11/10 times!

Also, can the owner of this site ban @hydbob as well?

Yeah, I’d rather drive this than a cybertruck too.

 

[hmp10]

Yeah, I’d rather drive this than a cybertruck too.

 

[xponents]

Yeah, I’d rather drive this than a cybertruck too.

Damn it, at this rate there will be no more mods left! I admit I actually like how distinctive and “utilitarian” the CT is, but this is just plain ugly. It looks like a fish that received a botched surgery, especially in that blue.

 

[xponents]

Oh, so true. Which would you take?