​When you think back to the way things were, you begin to understand just how obscenely over-the-top this Corvette creation was actually engineered to be. When the base model Corvette was capable of only 250 horsepower and pumped-up versions of the Callaway B2K (405hp) and ZR-1 (375-405hp) were deemed supercars and “The King of The Hill.” Anything that added the additional horsepower of another complete Corvette on top of either of them was in a word – excessive.

But, when you’re fresh from a decade chock-full of shoulder pads and leg warmers, a little over the top is barely enough to put a blip on the radar screen. So, the mad scientists in GM’s Corvette skunkworks devised a plan. They caught wind that Dodge was building a vicious beast of a car, one that would bite any competitor, and sometimes, its owner if they weren’t careful. With a hulk of a V10, each one of those 400 horses it contained under its long-swoopy hood would surely run for their lives if given the chance. Somehow, even the King of The Hill’s 375 and later 405hp were left wanting.
The horsepower war was definitely starting to march to the chest-thumping drum of the Viper crowd and something needed to be done to wrest the attention back to the Bowtie camp. We would love to have been a fly on the wall when a true enthusiast of an engineer, somewhere in a board meeting, started a sentence with, “What if we…?” We’re sure a few pocket protectors melted after hearing about V12 engines and stretching their halo Corvette eight inches to fit it all in. Somehow, the stars aligned, a Corvette wound up eight inches longer and the bean counters found a way to pay for it all.

​Corporate officers aren’t in the business to pay for ego embellishments, so there had to be another reason to divert funds to create such a beast. That came in the form of durability testing. With a relatively new drivetrain to contain the power output of the new LT5 engine, engineers continued the conversation by asking how much more it could contain. The new ZF-designed 6-speed transmission was proving itself behind factory horsepower ratings and thanks to the efforts of GM engineers and several other outside sources, was found capable of corralling as many ponies as this behemoth’s V12 engine could muster.

To put a V12 in anything, you must first have a V12. That part came easy for Ryan Falconer Racing Engines of Chino Valley, Arizona. Their engines have found their way into street rods, trucks and even scaled-down, air racing P-51 Mustang aircraft. While the all-aluminum V12 is based on the small-block Chevy engine, fitting it into a C4 Corvette took a little more space management, thanks to the folks at SportsFab in Wixom, Michigan. They stretched the entire front of the car the necessary eight inches to fit another fifty-percent more small-block under the clam-shell hood. The entire subframe and hood were stretched, with evidence of the additional length most notable in the side gills area. Even with the addition of four more cylinders and eight inches to the car’s length, the weight of the vehicle is reportedly only 100 pounds more than the factory version, thanks to the V12’s all-aluminum block.
When the car was originally built, signs of excessiveness oozed out through those side gills in the form of black-coated side-pipes that neither hinted at noise abatement nor cared for emissions compliance. Over time, the furry knuckles were scrubbed and a complete under-car exhaust replaced the raucous boom tubes. Still, with over 600 horsepower and 680 lb/ft of torque, there’s plenty of grunt left over when the tall, skinny pedal is punched. True to this car’s nature, the Falconer Racing Engine’s website unapologetically states, “We do not perform any work on emissions-controlled engines or vehicles.”

Mercury’s XM-Turnpike Cruiser may have been a flop, but it was an influential one, foreshadowing the division’s 1957-1959 production cars. Let’s circle back for a second look. 

​Originally called the Mandalay, the XM-Turnpike Cruiser was conceived in the spring of 1954 by John Najjar and staff in the Lincoln-Mercury advanced design studios. There, the flamboyant design caught the eye of executive Francis “Jack” Reith, one of the original Ford whiz kids and a rising star in the company poised to become head of the Mercury brand. With backing from Reith and others, the Cruiser became reality, with a single prototype constructed by Ghia of Italy at a reported cost of $80,000. In the meantime, plans were also laid to produce a production version of the Cruiser for the 1957 model year.

​The Cruiser was loaded full of novel features, including transparent roof panels that raised and lowered with the doors via electric actuators. The rear window could also be operated electrically, a handy gimmick that would later appear on Mercury production cars. Four torpedo-like nacelles in the dash housed the speedo, tach, and engine instruments, while the four bucket seats were upholstered in contrasting two-tone leather.

“XM-Turnpike Cruiser is not merely a ‘dream’ car,” Mercury boasted. “It is a full-scale, fully operative automotive styling laboratory.” The working drivetrain included a 312 CID Y-Block V8 with twin four-barrel carburetors and a Merc-O-Matic transmission. The dual exhausts exited through racy rear fender outlets, and overall height was only 52.4 inches, nearly five inches shorter than a production model. The XM stood for “experimental Mercury,” one may safely guess.

​To transport the Cruiser to its appearances, Mercury created the custom semi rig above with a see-through trailer pulled by a snub-nose Ford tractor (wearing Mercury badges, perhaps). The showboat made its debut at the ’56 Chicago Auto Show, then did a full circuit of auto show and dealership events over the year. With opening sides and an extending floor, the trailer reportedly doubled as a stage at open-air showings.

In the photo below, a pair of models with a passing resemblance to Doris Day and Audrey Hepburn try out the Cruiser’s roomy trunk. The spacy, far-out design was well-received on the car show circuit, and much of its look was applied to the 1957-59 Mercury production cars. (That included the distinctive tail lamps, though in considerably smaller form.) There, the styling was less of a hit, and the production Turnpike Cruiser, a gadget-laden premium model slotted in at the top of the Mercury line, was not a great seller, either. It sold well below expectations and lasted only two model years.

As sales stumbled, Reith was moved from general manager of the Mercury division to head of Ford of Canada. Rejecting the apparent demotion, the former whiz kid moved on to lead AVCO’s Crosley electronics division. The XM-Turnpike Cruiser show car is still in existence, though in rough shape at last report, and currently resides in California awaiting restoration.

​When it comes to the actual purpose of a Concept – or Dream Car –  one does not plan to see the vehicle eventually traveling down the roads of America. A Concept car is strictly a dream machine, a way to show what might be possible. The vehicles are designed and built only to showcase an automaker’s new technology or vision.

​There is no doubt in our mind that the ‘50s and ‘60s ruled when it came to American dream cars. The country was enjoying a great prosperity, and that allowed all Americans to dream, and automakers to foster those dreams with ideas reaching into the future. Every automaker was building these “dream cars,” and in the mix, was General Motors with far-reaching ideas that captured the hearts of many.
To pay homage to these imaginative icons of ideas, we decided to showcase a few of the more memorable and maybe even lesser-known renditions of the dream car. We chose to expose five lost or forgotten dream cars that once thrust dreams of what could be into the future.
The 1951 Le Sabre
Chevrolet design can’t be remembered without Harley Earl. The design of the Le Sabre was his attempt to incorporate the look of modern jet fighter into automotive greatness. At the time, jets were quickly replacing prop-driven aircraft, and symbolized the latest in design and engineering. Harley Earl hoped to carry this concept into automobile design.

​The Le Sabre is still part of GM, and is in the General Motors Heritage Museum. Occasionally, it makes appearances at car shows.
1964 Stiletto
When 1964 rolled around, the jet age had passed, but the GM Stiletto made it clear that the philosophy was still on the mind of a few designers at GM. In a GM press release dated April 8, 1964, the Stiletto was touted to be a two passenger, high performance coupe with special appeal to car enthusiasts.

​The Stiletto made its first appearance at the 1964-1965 World’s Fair. The car features a protruding nose cone that verified that the jet age had not completely went away.
When seated underneath the lifting roof that allowed entry, the occupants faced 31 indicator lights, 29 toggle switches, and 16 gauges, all spread across the roof and dashboard console.

But, when it came to the steering the Stiletto, a traditional wheel wouldn’t cut it. Imagine hopping into your musclecar, and being faced with an airplane-style steering apparatus. Try to picture in your mind one of these in a ’69 Camaro. Go ahead, we dare you.

​Five years later, GM pulled the car from storage, redesigned the nose and called it a Pontiac Cirrus. It was put back on show duty for another year. Afterward, the car again went into long-term storage until being sent it to the crusher in the early ‘80s.
1939 –’40 Futurliner
GM was definitely getting creative, as they spelled future without the last ‘e’, so they could trademark the name. The sole purpose of the Futurliner was to transport GM’s ‘Parade of Progress, a travelling exhibition that toured North America.

Futurliner’s exterior is eye catching, with art deco details, envisioned by designer Robert E. Bingman. There were 12 Futurliners built, and each truck featured eight 20-inch wheels (four on each axle), and the US Royal, custom-made tires featured ‘General Motors Parade of Progress’ script within the whitewalls.
The aerodynamic form is said to rely on the early locomotive aesthetic of the time. The designers were also inspired by the Boeing Flying Fortress, which is evident by the early use of a glass dome for the cabin. That was later changed because it made the truck’s interior extremely hot.

Although huge, each vehicle only allowed seating for three people. The driver accessed the small cockpit via a door ahead of the front right wheel that hid six stairs. A bench seat was located in the rear of the cab.
The Futurliners were given an upgrade in 1953, that included revisions to the cab, the addition of air conditioning, and an engine change from diesel to fuel power.

​While the whereabouts of all twelve Furturliners is unknown, it is known that one was wrecked in 1956, one sold in 2006 for $4,000,000 and then again in 2015 for the same amount. Another was restored and is in the NATMUS museum in Auburn, Indiana. One was even restored and in use as a motorhome. In 2008, a Futurliner was delivered to its new home in Sweden with a 10-year restoration plan. In 2013, it was reported that Peter Pan Bus Lines in Massachusetts had two. One was painted, and the other was in storage. We reached out to the company through their website, and according to a representative, “both are in our Springfield, Massachusetts,  Maintenance Center. One is fully restored (and beautiful!), however, the second was used for parts to restore the first.”

​Finally, one was rebuilt as a flatbed hauler, another underwent a televised restoration, and was completed in 2014, and another is in Maine. There are still two Futurliners with unknown whereabouts
1955 Chevy Biscayne
If you wanted to be wowed at the 1955 General Motors Motorama, the Biscayne delivered. Like the Le Sabre, it was designed and built under the direction of Harley Earl. The car was conceived as an “exploration in elegance,” and the sleek design was not the only eye-catching feature of the Biscayne – it was a true hardtop sport sedan. It shared 115-inch wheel base of the all-new 1955 Chevrolet, but rode substantially lower, and 10 inches shorter overall than the standard car. The body was made of reinforced fiberglass, and its deeply sculptured body lines were a striking departure from the norm.

​The Biscayne’s front and rear doors latched in the middle of the car, locking into the rocker panels when closed — there was no latch pillar. The interior featured four bucket seats, and the front two pivoted outward to help the occupants enter and exit much easier.
The Biscayne also showcased Chevrolet’s new 265 cubic-inch Turbo-Fire V8, and the Biscayne’s engine showcased the new engine with chrome accents, a four-barrel carburetor, and internal mods that helped boost output to 215 horsepower.

In late 1958, the Motorama Biscayne was cut up for scrap at the salvage yard where former GM show cars were routinely destroyed. Fortunately, the yard owner liked the car, and didn’t finish the job. Instead, he stashed the chopped-up pieces. Thus, the fragmented Biscayne was unearthed at the yard three decades later, and a restoration was completed in 2010.

Astro I

​It was in 1967 when Chevrolet introduced a concept car that got its inspiration from the Corvair. Many feel the Astro I still remains one of the most innovative concept cars ever to come from General Motors. The Astro I was designed under the direction of GM Vice President of Design, William L. Mitchell, with the actual work being led by Larry Shinoda.

The Astro I did not use conventional doors to let passengers in and out, rather a clam-shell style roof was employed. Incorporated into the clam-shell, the windshield itself was a large, wraparound design. There was no rear window, so a periscope was used in lieu of a rear-view mirror.
Once inside, the driver was greeted by a variety of aircraft-inspired design elements. Take for instance the “head-to-toe” bucket seats, the control pod to the left of the driver, and of course, the twin handgrips that replaced the conventional steering wheel.

p front, two rectangular grilles were set in a V-shaped nose section, and hidden pop-up headlamps were located on the leading edge of the hood section, just above those grilles.
Power came from a highly modified Corvair engine, and a complete four-wheel independent suspension system. Magnesium eight-bolt wheels featured removable outer rims available in a variety of widths. They were wrapped with prototype Goodyear redline tires.
The car is still owned by GM, has been restored, and is part of the GM Heritage Collection.

Turbo Titan III

​The aptly-named hauler of goods was announced in July of 1965. The Turbo-Titan III, was an operational prototype that combined advanced truck styling and a gas turbine engine. An existing production truck chassis was used as the foundation, and pulled a specially produced 40-foot stainless trailer. The entire rig had a 50-foot overall length and an operating gross combination weight of 76,800 pounds.

​General Motors had developed several operational turbine concept platforms in the early ’50s, and the GT-309 turbine engine was based on more than 15 years of continued development. Its operating heritage included units used in the experimental Firebirds, the Turbo-Cruiser bus, two Chevrolet Turbo-Titan production truck platforms, and 15 operational Allison Prototypes. The 309 produced 280 horsepower with an upper shaft speed of 4,000 rpm. Turbine engines deliver their highest torque levels at stall, and the 309 developed a maximum torque rating of 875 lb./ft. at idle.

​The Turbo-Titan III used fiberglass and steel cab components with the styling theme extended to the chassis, which was totally concealed by fiberglass panels. Power-operated gull-wing style doors provided operator entry when the key was inserted in the door. Retractable square headlamps were mounted within functional air intakes, and the front turn signals were retractable. A flat exhaust stack exited through the roof.

Inside, spacecraft-inspired seats with full headrests were mounted on each side of a center console. A T-handle shifter poking out of a center console controlled the six-speed automatic transmission. The truck boasted air-operated windshield wipers, tinted glass, air conditioning, and a heater. A four-speaker FM stereo and a two-way telephone were used. Did you notice the dial steering system? Twin dials operated power steering, and the pedestal pivoted forward and back for the most comfortable driving position.
Sadly, it is reported that the Titan III was destroyed in the late ’60s.

​Before there was a Tucker 48, there was a Tucker Torpedo. The boldly styled coupe, shaped by designer George Lawson, never progressed beyond a quarter-scale model, but that hasn’t stopped Rob Ida, his father Bob, and Sean Tucker, great-grandson of Preston Tucker, from building a full-size version. On October 4, the under-construction Tucker Torpedo will be revealed to the public for the very first time at the AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, as part of its “Night at the Museum” gala fundraiser.
A passion for Tucker automobiles runs deep in Rob’s veins. His grandfather Joe was a Tucker dealer in Yonkers, New York – for three days, until scandal brought down Tucker’s company – and circa 1998 Rob built his first Tucker 48 replica in homage to his grandfather. The project connected him to Sean Tucker, himself an automotive engineer, and the two have collaborated on Tucker-related projects ever since. After building a series of Tucker 48s for customers, Rob and his dad turned their attention to the unfinished Torpedo project circa 2008.

​Without blueprints to work from, Rob’s only alternative was the original scale model of the Torpedo, now owned by the Petersen Automotive Museum in Los Angeles. The facility agreed to give Rob access to the artifact, and a three-dimensional scan was taken of the model for reference and for the creation of full-size wooden bucks to create a body. The Tucker family gave the Idas access to their archives, which in turn yielded other design sketches of the Torpedo coupe. A unique feature seen in these sketches was the central driving position, which Tucker felt delivered an optimal view of the road, hence adding to the driver’s safety.
Working from the model presented its own challenges, as it was rendered in asymmetrical form by Lawson to give Preston Tucker options. The passenger side of the model depicted a car with a fixed front fender and headlamp, while the driver side used a fender – and headlamp – that moved with the front wheels. For either design, a central “cyclops” headlamp provided additional illumination of the road ahead.

​Ultimately, neither design was chosen, as Preston Tucker opted for a sensible sedan over a sexy and futuristic coupe. In postwar America, the Torpedo name wouldn’t have played well, either, so the Tucker 48 moniker – depicting the year of its anticipated launch – was chosen instead. Roughly 36 prototypes were assembled before a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) investigation diverted Tucker’s attention and funding, and though he was ultimately cleared of all charges, negative publicity sealed the company’s fate, along with its doors. Today, roughly 51 Tucker 48s exist, the remainder having been assembled from leftover parts after the factory was closed, or in some cases, years later.
As envisioned by the Idas, the Tucker Torpedo will feature moveable front fenders and headlamps, with a fixed “cyclops” lamp mounted amidships, atop the grille. With no guide to designing and building a central driver’s seat (plus two passenger seats), Sean Tucker was entrusted with the design of the Torpedo’s seating. His innovative solution involves a motorized turret, which rotates each seat into position for easy entry and exit.

​Bob Ida confirmed to Hemmings that the car is powered by an air-cooled flat-six engine, liberated from a Porsche 911, and that owner Bob Kerekes has yet to specify a color for the exterior or interior. Today, the bare metal car is partially skinned, and will likely be shown in a similar form to highlight features like the seating turntable and movable fenders. Our last conversation with Rob about the car was in 2014, and back then he expected the Torpedo to be finished in two years or so; that’s probably not a bad estimate today, either, and while quite a bit has been achieved over the past three years, there’s still a lot of work to complete before Kerekes takes delivery.
This will be the collector’s third Ida-built Tucker, and of his other two examples, Kerekes said, “My Tucker vehicles have brought me more joy than any other cars in my life.” That’s a particularly bold statement considering his collection also includes a variety of hot rods, Ferraris, Porsches, and racing cars.

The Tucker Torpedo will be on display from October 4 through October 10, timed to coincide with Fall Meet Week in Hershey. Another Tucker, also built by Rob Ida, is set to join the AACA Museum’s Cammack Tucker Gallery at the same time; this one will be an interactive replica of a Tucker 48, designed to give visitors a more immersive Tucker experience while viewing the museum’s three original Tucker 48 models.
Proceeds from the Night at the Museum event go to support the AACA Museum, as well as the Children’s Miracle Network at PennState Health Children’s Hospital. Racer and team owner Bobby Rahal will also be on hand to receive the museum’s first-ever Automotive Heritage Award. For additional details, or to purchase tickets, visit NightAtTheMuseum.org.

Article courtesy of Hemmings Daily, written by Kurt Ernst.

​If we take a look back to a time when life seemed simpler and cars had had a distinct look that varied from each manufacturer – the ‘50s, it seemed like anything was possible. Americans were infatuated with the future, and the jet-age was in full swing. Under the direction of Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell, GM went on to build numerous cars that fueled this passion and mimicked jet aircraft and/or rockets. This is where the story of the GM Stiletto begins.

​Eventually, the jet-age “fad” ran its course, and although the concept cars coming out of Detroit still displayed a futuristic look – as the still do, when 1964 rolled around, GM may have scaled back styling cues on production cars that mimicked jet design, but, The GM-X Stiletto show car illustrates that this philosophy was very much still on the mind of a few designers at GM in regard to concept cars. According to a GM press release dated April 8, 1964, the Stiletto was touted by GM to be a two passenger, high performance coupe with special appeal to car enthusiasts.

​To further convey a jet influence, we only need to peer into the inside of the car to understand how much the aviation world influenced the Stiletto. When seated under the access-granting roofline, the occupants were greeted with no fewer than 31 indicator lights, 29 toggle switches, and 16 gauges, all spread across the roof and dashboard console.
​But, when it came to the steering wheel, a “wheel” just wouldn’t do. Imagine hopping into your musclecar, and being faced with an airplane-style steering apparatus. Try to picture in your mind one of these in a 1970 Chevelle. Go ahead, we dare you.

​Not only was the car’s design futuristic, but it also contained some very innovative ideas. The concept made use of automatic climate control, ultrasonic obstacle sensors, rear view cameras, and we’re told there was even a speaker/microphone for inside and outside communication. If you ask us, that is something all cars need today. Imagine being able to express your displeasure toward other drivers, and have them actually hear you!