1934 Peugeot 601 Eclipse, the First Automatic Retractable Hardtop for an Automobile

Fixed-roof cars of the early 20th century could feel claustrophobic. But convertibles of the time were often leaky, drafty, noisy, and insecure. The advanced solution came from Peugeot in 1934, with the introduction of the retractable hardtop on its luxurious 601. The self-storing roof structure automatically disappeared behind the passenger's compartment into a space revealed by the reverse-opening rear deck in lieu of the trunk.

This Georges Paulin design set the general design standard for retractable hardtops. The technology surfaced in an American production car when Ford introduced the 1957–1959 Skyliner, and all modern variants can trace their roots back to prewar France and have evolved from Peugeot’s idea.

It used an electric to operate the roof mechanism which Peugeot promised would take 15 seconds to erect or lower, but it actually took closer to a minute to fully complete. Furthermore, four such cycles were sufficient to completely drain the car’s battery a situation which meant you had to do it by hand via a manual lever.

In 1935 the 601 was further developed with minor modifications and some new body variants on the C-series of 1934 and these were classified in the series 601D. The long body styles were called 601DL. The D-series are recognizable by the lowered headlights and the elongated handles on the hood instead of the flaps.

A total of 1,235 units were produced of the C variants in 1934 and approximately 779 units of the L. There were 1,074 copies of the D variants and 911 copies of the DL.

Although the 601 was only in production for 2 years, the 601 was a popular car at concours d’elegances. The body style “transformable electrique” (now known as the CC) in particular appealed to the public’s imagination.

The transformable electrique, or the Peugeot ‘Eclipse’, was born thanks to the meeting of three men: Darl’Mat, one of the most important Peugeot dealers, coachbuilder Marcel Pourtout and Georges Paulin, who was actually a dentist but also found his talent in designing of cars. It was Georges Paulin who entrusted the paper with an idea in 1933 to fold a metal roof completely into the trunk. He patented his invention and then went for coffee with Marcel Pourtout. Eventually, they enlisted their friend Darl’Mat to try out the concept on the new 601. The result was astonishing. The iconic Peugeot Eclipse was born.

Within the walls of Peugeot, the Eclipse is also called the Paulin car. Most Eclipse were built on a 601 frame, but some copies were also built on a 401 frame.

50 Amazing Photos of New York Auto Show From 1966 to 1968

The New York International Auto Show is an annual auto show that is held in Manhattan in late March or early April. It is held at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. It usually opens on or just before Easter weekend and closes on the first Sunday after Easter.

New York Auto Show from 1966 to 1968

The show has been held annually since 1900. It was the first automotive exhibition in North America. The show was held at the New York Coliseum from 1956 to 1987 when the show moved to the Javits Center.

Before the show opens every year, several auto companies debut new production and concept vehicles for the press. In addition, the Greater New York Auto Dealers Association (GNYADA) and the International Motor Press Association (IMPA) host corporate meetings and events.

Here below is a photo collection from Glen Fairweather that shows the New York Auto Show from 1966 to 1968.

Aston Martin DB-5 at the New York Auto Show, 1965

James Bond Aston Martin DB-5 at the New York Auto Show, 1965

American Motors AMX Prototype (Vignale) at the New York Auto Show, 1966

Aston Martin DB-6 at the New York Auto Show, 1966

Bentley Old No. 1 at the New York Auto Show, 1966

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For Us, Cutaway Cars Are Always Worth a Closer Look, Here’s an Amazing See-Through 1970 Ford Torino

For 1970, J. Walter Thompson, Ford’s longtime ad agency, came up with a clever tagline for the midsize Torino: “New clear through!” And it was an honest boast, as the Ford intermediate platform was all indeed all-new with radically restyled sheet metal from front to rear, a longer wheelbase, and a fresh slate of powertrain choices, including a 429 cubic-inch Cobra Jet V8. To help drive home the “new clear through” theme, the JWT crew conceived an equally clever selling tool: a see-though Torino.

Built from a standard production 1970 Torino two-door hardtop in Acapulco Blue with a 351 two-barrel V8 and an automatic transmission, the car featured a score of see-though body panels vacuum-formed in plexiglass by Creative Industries. At the time, Creative was a leading builder of specialty vehicles for all the Motor City carmakers and the experts on plastics and new materials.

To complete the Illustrated Car effect, the undercarriage and all the interior panels and components were show-prepped and painted in bright, contrasting colors, the better to show them off, and an elaborate network of miniature electric lamps was hidden inside to illuminate the inner body and simulate the flow-through ventilation system.

The see-though hardtop was featured in Ford’s 1970 Torino sales catalog and treated to a full spread for Motor Trend (the Torino was the magazine’s Car of the Year for 1970). The Torino also starred in a 1970 Ford television commercial, demonstrating in action shots that despite the presumably flimsy body panels, it was fully functional and roadworthy. At some point, the car was updated to 1971 exterior trim, and it also appears as a ’71 in the ’71 Torino sales literature.

(This original article was published on Mac’s Motor City Garage)

Lamborghini Athon, an Amazing But Forgotten Concept Car From 1980

At the 58th Turin Motor Show, held in April 1980, Bertone introduced a new concept car based on a Lamborghini chassis – a slightly unusual choice, given that Lamborghini was in dire financial straits at the time. The press release from the Turin coachbuilder made it clear that Bertone wanted to support the company. The name Athon, referring to the Egyptian cult of the sun, was appropriate as the car was a spider, completely devoid of a top and intended as a fair-weather car.

The Athon was the first Bertone concept car created under the direction of Frenchman Marc Deschamps, following the departure of Marcello Gandini at the end of 1979. Some observers had expected Bertone to embrace a different school of design, but under the guidance of Nuccio Bertone, Deschamps seemed to follow closely in the footsteps of his predecessor. The Athon was thus based on similar aesthetic codes to the Bertone concept cars shown since the 1970s, with tense surfaces and highly sculpted geometric volumes delineated by clear edges and cut-lines. Likewise, the Athon explored themes close to Bertone’s heart in the treatment of glass surfaces as integrated parts of the bodywork or as openings.

Mechanically, the car was based on the Silhouette, itself closely derived from the Urraco. The three-litre V-8 gave 260 bhp at 7,500 rpm fed by four Weber carburettors and was mated to a five-speed manual gearbox. The wheelbase was unchanged, but the overall length was under four metres due mainly to the short rear overhang. With no soundproofing, driving the Athon at any speed was a glorious aural experience, as noted by Italian magazine Quattroruote in its July 1980 test review. Without any serious modification to the mechanicals, the car was reported to retain all the positive attributes of the Silhouette in terms of road-holding and handling.

The Athon’s proportions were unusual for a spider, with a forward-set cabin and a long and relatively tall rear deck underlining the mid-engine configuration. The engine cover was treated as a separate item, painted semi-matte to subtly offset it from the rest of the bodywork. Designed in such a way as to intentionally blur the boundary between the body and the mechanicals it contained, it even incorporated “dummy” air-filter boxes on its top surface. In contrast, the smooth wraparound windscreen made use of state-of-the-art glass technology and was smoked to integrate even more with the warm gunmetal grey body color.

It was a highly graphic but also a highly sculpted car: whilst the overall shape might appear somewhat monolithic – a sure sign of Deschamps’s intention – surfaces were deeply recessed on the flanks. The interaction of volumes between doors and side sills is especially dramatic. Taillights were but thin grooves recessed in the rear corners, so as to interfere as little as possible with the solid appearance of the rear end. The two-piece alloy wheels were manufactured by Campagnolo and were close enough to production form that they would be adopted on the new Jalpa a year later.

Although built in a short time span, the Athon shows the same quality of construction inherent in all Bertone prototypes, with a surprising level of attention paid to the interior detailing, both ergonomically and aesthetically. The innovative digital instrument display was developed with the Italian supplier Veglia, while secondary controls normally found on stalks – such as the windscreen wipers and indicators – were instead grouped in a pod a hand-width from the left of the steering wheel. These details, as well as the single-spoke steering wheel itself, were good examples of Bertone seeking to push the envelope with regard to interior ergonomics.

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Amazing Vintage Photographs of 1900 One Thousand Mile Trial

In 1900, automobiles weren’t much more impressive than the horse-drawn carriages they were meant to replace. Internal combustion engines offered about 12 horsepower, but they were also loud, dirty, and unreliable. In a public effort to dispel that image—or at least the unreliable part—the Automobile Club of Great Britain and Ireland organized the 1,000 Mile Race of 1900.

London to Edinburgh and back again, 1000 miles in only 20 days, to show just what the motor car could do. The Thousand Mile Trial was a resounding success. More than half of the participants finished and, despite the insistence of some drivers on taking liqueurs with lunch, the only casualties were an unfortunate dog and an ‘unmanageable’ horse.

Between April 23 and May 12, 65 cars raced throughout the UK, pausing during the marathon for four hill climbs and one speed trial. According to a contemporary account of the race in the Brisbane Courrier, the goal was to prove the car was “a serious and trustworthy means of locomotion; not a toy dangerous and troublesome alike to the public and its owner.”

It was an ambitious route. The contestants started in London, crossing through Bristol, Birmingham, and Manchester on the way north to Edinburgh. They hit Newcastle, Sheffield, and Nottingham on the trip back to London, covering roughly 100 miles each day, according to Grace’s Guide, a non-profit project that documents British industrial history.

By all accounts, the race was a success. The Courrier reported that 46 of the cars that started the race made it back to London. Grace’s Guide puts that number at 35, but even that is quite impressive, especially considering the only casualties were one dog and “one unmanageable horse,” which broke its leg in a collision with a car and had to be destroyed. The race was won by Charles Stewart Rolls (as in Rolls-Royce), who drove a 12-horsepower Panhard that topped out at 37.63 mph.

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30 Vintage Photos of Cars During Winter in the 1950s and ’60s

1950s cars were some of the most classic, powerful and unsafe cars ever driven. The modern designs and acceleration abilities were getting more and more amazing every year. The auto industry was starting to experiment with a new concept called a “sports car.” By the end of the 50s, Americans fell in love with the sports car. After all, the 50s gave birth to the Corvette.

In 1960, car buyers were demanding smaller vehicles. Compact cars were marketed heavily by every automobile manufacturer, in stark contrast to the 1950s. New models included the Ford Falcon, the Chevrolet Corvair and the Plymouth Valiant. Soon after, Lincoln-Mercury released the Comet and Dodge introduced the Dart.

Midway through 1960, General Motors announced that it would offer three smaller cars, the Buick Special, the Oldsmobile F-85 and the Pontiac Tempest. This focus on smaller cars domestically caused a sharp drop in import sales.

Here is a set of amazing vintage photos shows cars during winter in the 1950s and 1960s.

1950s and 1960s cars in Portland, Maine

1939 Mercury at The Christmas Tree Lodge on the Mount Rose Highway south of Reno, Nevada, 1950

1941 Buick Special Sedanet

1950s and 1960s cars in snow

1950s cars in Georgetown, Distric of Columbia

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Vintage Ads From the 1964 Earls Court Motor Show in London

“No one can wander around the stands at Earls Court for long without being impressed, even dazzled, by the variety and excellence of the products of the world’s motor industry.” Wrote the Observer’s Tony Brooks of the Earls Court Motor Show in October 1964. “This is a Motor Show of refinement.”

Looking back at the model range on offer today the cars look dated, even for their time, and particularly unimaginative in design. Especially the British cars. The car of the show was the recently introduced Austin 1800 colloquially known by many as the “Landcrab” for its wide and low proportions.

By 1964 the British car industry, once the second largest in the world, was now only third. Labour intensive methods and a ridiculously large range of vehicles often made by the same companies competing against themselves all contributed to the slow decline. Within ten years of this show the British motor industry had fallen even further and in 1974 was only the sixth largest int he world and never able to recover.

Take a look through these vintage ads from the 1964 Earls Court Motor Show catalogue:

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The Airstream Funeral Coach, ca 1980s

Did you know? During the 1980s Airstream produced around 32 funeral coaches. Designed to transport the deceased and family and flowers all at once – with space for a coffin, flowers and seating for 14 mourners.

In 1981, Airstream introduced a modified motorhome known as the Funeral Coach. It could transport 14 family members, a casket, and up to 20 baskets of flowers between the funeral home, church, and cemetery. Airstream was motivated to practicality to create this unique offering, and the story of the Funeral Coach’s genesis is as interesting as the product itself.

The story goes that in 1979, Airstream, Inc. had launched its Class A Motorhome line for the first time. However, because a recession and a gas crisis hit American drivers hard in the late 1970s, Airstream was suffering from a loss in sales. Looking for ways to offset this loss, Airstream’s president at the time, Gerry Letourneau, wanted to diversify into a wide range of customized vehicles based on motorhomes. Along with the Funeral Coach, this customized line included the Air Coach, which allowed business professionals to work together on the road, and the Sales Coach, which served as a mobile sales office or display room.

The first Funeral Coach designed for Wells-Kloss Funeral Service in Lyndhurst, Ohio.

A brochure introducing the Airstream Funeral Coach.

The Airstream Funeral Coach comfortably seated its passengers in either individual aircraft-style seats or on a wrap-around couch. It had a rear hatch compartment for flowers and a discreet side compartment for the casket. The Funeral Coach was presented as a fuel-efficient alternative that would reduce funeral procession traffic while maintaining dignity. Most importantly, however, it allowed families to travel together during a trying time.

In 1981, the cost of a Funeral Coach was $85,000 (about $250,000 today). A traditional hearse came in at $40,000, and two standard funeral limousines cost $60,000. Comparatively, the Funeral Coach was a cost-efficient option – and it was also backed by Airstream’s reputation for quality aluminum vehicles.

Interior of a brochure for the Airstream Funeral Coach.

The standard floor plans were 27’ and 28’, but customized floor plans ranging from 24’ to 35’ were also available. Some funeral home owners chose to add features such as a radio, television, microwave, and lavatory to provide extra comfort for families on longer journeys. Funeral home nameplates and identifiers were added to the exterior of the Funeral Coach, but these were removable. Because it did not look like a hearse, the unit was versatile, and early brochures advertised that it could be loaned out for special functions.

Owner testimonies were positive and stated that families embraced the new approach as a comfortable, appropriate way to be together during a difficult time. Ultimately, however, only 32 units were produced from 1981-1991.

(via Airstream.com)

In the Early 20th Century, Some People Decided That It Would Be a Great Idea to Play Polo With Cars

Automobile polo or auto polo was a motorsport invented in the United States with rules and equipment similar to equestrian polo but using automobiles instead of horses. The sport was popular at fairs, exhibitions and sports venues across the United States and several areas in Europe from 1911 until the late 1920s; it was, however, dangerous and carried the risk of injury and death to the participants and spectators, and expensive damage to vehicles.

The official inventor of auto polo is purported to be Ralph “Pappy“ Hankinson, a Ford automobile dealer from Topeka who devised the sport as a publicity stunt in 1911 to sell Model T cars. The reported “first“ game of auto polo occurred in an alfalfa field in Wichita on July 20, 1912, using four cars and eight players and was witnessed by 5,000 people.

Due to the nature of the sport, cars would often collide with each other and become entangled, with malletmen frequently thrown from the cars. Installation of rollcages over the radiator and rear platforms of the cars helped prevent injuries to players, but falls did result in severe cuts and sometimes broken bones if players were run over by the cars, though deaths due to auto polo were rare.

Most of the cars would usually be severely wrecked or demolished by the time the match was finished, leaving most players uninsurable for costly material and bodily damages incurred during the game. A tally of the damages encountered by Hankinson’s British and American auto polo teams in 1924 revealed 1564 broken wheels, 538 burst tires, 66 broken axles, 10 cracked engines and six cars completely destroyed during the course of the year. The sport waned in popularity during the late 1920s, mostly due to the high cost of replacing vehicles, but did have a brief resurgence in the Midwestern United States after World War II.

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Take a Look Inside a 1970s Airstream Travel Trailer

In 1931, Airstream began with Wally Byam’s dream: to build a travel trailer that would move like a stream of air, be light enough to be towed by a car, and create first-class accommodation anywhere. Every inch of an Airstream has a function. Airstream is the most thoroughly tested brand in trailer history. Its engineering is the culmination of over 80 years’ experience plus millions of miles on roads throughout the world.

With a recession and a gas crisis, the 1970s weren’t a great decade for the auto industry as a whole, let alone travel trailers and Airstream. Driving for fun wasn’t on the table for many people. And that brought change to Airstream. For the first time in the company’s history, it left California – and for good. New products were introduced, unlike anything Airstream had done before. But even in a time of flux, with change everywhere, what remained was undeniably Airstream.

As a recession and the Middle East gas crisis hit American drivers hard in the late 1970s, it did the same to Airstream. With the expansion of the Jackson Center facility and a need to consolidate, Airstream finally made the move east complete. The California plant was closed in 1978, and all manufacturing and executive operations would move to the Ohio complex – where they remain today.

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