Here's a 1937 Siata Gran Sport Zagato Spider
Although the Bantam is the basic inspiration here
there are a lot of prior and subsequent efforts that can give
some design cues. Some of the obvious ones (and how they are different)
are:
The Lotus
7 (small and spartan, but too singly aimed at performance.
Our proposal is not intended as a sportscar...it's just a car...small
and fun.)
Morris Minor (Traveller
especially). This is more like it. Our Woody would be very similar,
except the performance and dependability would be slightly better
to keep up with modern traffic. And, the Morris is way bigger
than we are talking about here. It is an example of a car that
has the lovableness we aim at though. The primary feature of lovableness
is a round about sort of dependability. It doesn't have to start
right up all the time, but at least you know how to go fiddle
with it to get it going. It makes you feel like a hero. The 60's
Dodge Valiant slant sixes were lovable. Land Rovers. Air-cooled
VW's too.
1949 Triumph 2000. It's those late thirties bulbous flying fenders
that make our car wonderful, and this Triumph was one of the last
to hang onto them, although I would look to a long list of of
Delahayes, Talbot-Logos and Delages when I really got down to
sharpening my pencils. Peterson
Automobile Museum in LA had a wonderful collection of French
cars not long ago. WWII interrupted a lot of wonderful things
that were developing...You know, before we have the wonderful
paintings of Bonnard, then whammo...Jackson Pollock and a long
nuclear winter of abstract expressionists (Die.Die.Die.)
The Bugeyed (Frogeyed in UK) Austin Healy Sprite. (Showed that
a basic, small to tiny car with no real functionality and spartan
fittings can sell in big numbers).
A few details:
(1) In the never ending argument about square cars of the Guigero/ItalDesign
ilk and "round" cars, I'll take round cars. Although
the "D" Type Jaguar may be the apex, I am particularly
intrigued by the late 30's look, particularly the Frech stylists.
Everything on our car should be an elonged egg shape: the central
part of the body will show the shape under the door sill, and
with a scooped out window sill. The "flying fenders"
of course will be egg-shaped, as will the details (light nacelles).
When you see this car you will want to feel it: run your hands
over its curves...:~)
(2) This car's design success depends a lot on wheels and tires
and I have some definite opinions here.Wheels should be of the
steel japanned type (you know, the ones with those little holes)
wheels that you can paint. With a brush if you want. Little 'moon'
chrome or stainless steel hubcaps. Big wide white sidewalls. And
the tires themselves shold create a 'cartoony balloony' look...big
diameter will emphasize the smallness of the bodyshell and create
a non-threatening easy going look. No monster truck bullshit.
No Formula One gumballs. No spindly, early thirties bicycle tires.
BTW I don't care if these big white sidewalls are some sort of
JC Whitney glue on-type, in fact I would prefer it.
(3) Lights front and rear should have their own nacelles. How
bout "blue dot" tail lights?
(4) All hinges should be of the simple exerior type. Windscreen
is flat plate glass...easy to replace. But, you could cut an interesting
sloped or slight s curve to the top edge. ...and you can fold
it down to get the full force of the wind. No helmet laws to ruin
the experience here...On the Images
page, notice the big difference the windscreen treatment makes
be tween the Hollywood Super 4 with
its cobby looking posts, and the lighter treatment of the 38 roadster
(5) I like louvers. Can we have some of those? In the thirties
cars one often sees a double row of louvers along the side in
two graceful curves with each louver slightly bigger or smaller
than the one before, so that no two are the same size. Whooo.
Guess we will just have to have them all the same size on a straight
line! The engine bay folds or lifts up so that everything is exposed
and accessable. A removable hood ornament, what the heck...or
at least and enamel badge!:~)
Okay, let's hear it from the peanut gallery! What
design details do you see for this rig?! bill@wmspear.com
