Totul despre autoturisme retro

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Retroparada Primăverii - 2022:

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Reclamă: Opel Rekord C:

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Gyro-X-1967

The brainchild of Alex Tremulis, famous stylist and Automobile Hall of Fame inductee, and Thomas Summers, a gyroscope expert, the Gyro-X is a two-wheeled, gyroscopically-stabilized prototype vehicle constructed in 1967. Proposed as a possible solution for future transportation, the two-wheeled vehicle provided many thought-provoking ideas for revolutionizing transportation.

Why only two wheels? Tremulis and Summers suggested that a two wheeled vehicle could be more efficient than its larger four-wheeled counterpart. Smaller and lighter weight means it can use a smaller engine. The Gyro-X was reported to reach speeds of 125 mph using an 80 hp Mini Cooper S engine. Also, the gyroscope's stored kinetic energy would be harnessed as an additional power source in future gyro vehicles! The aerodynamic body design reduced wind resistance, while half the number of tires reduced road drag. As far as drivability, two wheels made for greater maneuverability, like that of a motorcycle. While a two-wheeled automobile may at first glance seem unsafe and definitely unstable, the Gyro-X made use of a single 22- inch hydraulically-driven gyroscope which stabilized the vehicle, allowing it to "swoop through 40 degree banked turns without tipping."

The Gyro-X was displayed for the first time at "The Wonderful World of Wheels", an exhibit at the 1967 New York International Auto Show. Of the vehicles presented, the Gyro-X was included, offering a sneak peek into the possible future of the automobile. In September of that year, the cover of Science and Mechanics magazine featured the car on the cover, exclaiming its merits as "impossible to skid or flip", "125 mph on 2 wheels with 80 hp", and "can bank at 40 degrees!"

Although the Gyro-X was promoted as the future of vehicles, and there is a video of it running, witnesses recount that at high speeds, over 70 mph, the vehicle was unstable. It is possible the engineering was too complex and needed more development to perform as advertised and the company, which went bankrupt, ran out of funds to perfect the product.

Regardless of the actual events that transpired, Gyro Transport Systems, Inc. went under around 1970 and the Gyro-X never went into production.

The 50-Year Journey:
In a letter written in July of 1970 to Gyro Dynamics Corporation, parent company of Gyro Transport Systems, Alex Tremilus mentions that he is greatly disturbed, most notably by the fact that the Gyro-X vehicle was parked outside, uncovered, and exposed to the elements and vandalism. He further mentions that had he been consulted, he could have arranged for the vehicle to be loaned to a museum for safekeeping until the courts decided its final disposition.

The Gyro-X next appears January 24th 1975 in a Thousand Oaks, California News Chronicles article featuring Tom Summers's three-wheeled gyro car. Summers added the third wheel for licensing purposes in the State of California, as vehicles over 1500 lbs. could not be considered motorcycles. The article also mentions how he was trying to get a group of Las Vegas investors to produce the vehicle. It appears again in 1978 on the cover of Gyrovehicles- a New Concept in Land Transportation by Thomas O. Summers. This publication refers to the vehicle as the Gyroglide. Next, the continued hope for gyro vehicles to take off is further evidenced in a 1981 letter from Tremulis to Summers, who writes, "Perhaps someday you will meet with a group of great vision. IF SO your contribution to the art will be the achievement of our century. May 1981 be the year of the GYRO." From here the Gyro-X disappears until July 1994, when it is used by Paul Richardson and Reta Lee, doing business as Futuristic Customs Unlimited of Las Vegas, as collateral for an unpaid loan and relinquished to John Needham, dba John Windsor. By this point in time, the vehicle has been transformed into a VW- powered three- wheeled car and the gyroscope is long gone. It sits on Needham's property for 10 years before he decides to get it running. In 2009 he posts a video of the barely recognizable Gyro-X on YouTube asking for any information about the vehicle. He then sells it to Houston, Texas collector Mark Brinker, who in December of 2011 sells the vehicle to Lane Motor Museum.

Lane Motor Museum Restoration:
Although the vehicle arrived as a much-modified three wheeler with no gyroscope, the goal was to restore the prototype to its original condition. The restoration process has involved years of research and hard work to piece the car, and its history, back together. Now, after 50 years, the fully restored vehicle is returning to the spotlight.

Specifications:
- Manufacturer: Gyro Transport Systems
- Country of Origin: Ridgecrest, California, United States
- Drivetrain Configuration: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive
- Engine: Water-cooled 1275cc, transverse inline-four; 80hp
- Transmission: 4-speed manual
- Top Speed: 125 mph (claimed)
- Years of Production: 1967
- Number Produced: 1
- Original Cost: $750,000 (2015: $5.6 million)

Sursa.

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REUNIUNEA INTERNAȚIONALĂ IKARUS 2022, Tapolca, Ungaria:

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RETROPARADA PRIMĂVERII 2022 – Cea mai mare expoziție de vehicule istorice din România
București:

Campulung Muscel, Muzeul Automobilului Romanesc (ARO):

Constanța:

Pitești:

Arad:

Suceava:

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The General Motors Firebird comprises a quartet of prototype cars that General Motors (GM) engineered for the 1953, 1956, and 1959 Motorama auto shows. The cars' designers, headed by Harley Earl, took Earl's inspiration from the innovations in fighter aircraft design at the time. General Motors never intended the cars for production, but rather to showcase the extremes in technology and design that the company was able to achieve. The cars recently joined the display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, and still make regular car show appearances. The tradition of offering prototype vehicles continued with the Pontiac Banshee series.

• Firebird I:

By 1953, the research team had developed the Firebird XP-21. This was later referred to as the Firebird I, which was essentially a jet airplane on wheels. It was the first gas turbine-powered car tested in the United States. The design is entirely impractical, with a bubble-topped canopy over a single-seat cockpit, a bullet-shaped fuselage made entirely of fiberglass, short wings, and a vertical tail fin.[2] It has a 370 hp (280 kW) Whirlfire Turbo Power gas turbine engine, which has two speeds, and expels jet exhaust at some 1,250 °F (677 °C). The weight of the car is 2,500 lb (1,134 kg), with a 100-inch wheelbase.

At first, Conklin was the only person qualified to drive the car, and he tested it up to 100 mph (160 km/h), but upon shifting into second gear the tires lost traction under the extreme engine torque and he immediately slowed down for fear of crashing. Racecar driver Mauri Rose later test drove the car at the Indianapolis Speedway. GM never actually intended to test the power or speed potential of the gas turbine, but merely the practical feasibility of its use. The braking system differs from standard drum systems, in that the drums are on the outside of the wheels to facilitate fast cooling—and the wings actually have aircraft-style flaps for slowing from high speed.

A miniature version of the Firebird I crowns the Harley J. Earl Trophy, given to the winner of the Daytona 500.

• Firebird II:

The second concept car, the Firebird II of 1956, was designed as a four-seat, family car. It has a low and wide design with two large air intakes at the front, a high bubble canopy top, and a vertical tail fin. Its exterior bodywork is made entirely of titanium. The engine output is 200 hp (150 kW). To solve the exhaust heat problem, the car feeds the exhaust through a regenerative system, allowing the engine to operate nearly 1,000 °F (538 °C) cooler, and also powers the accessories. Capable of using different types of fuel, the most common is Kerosene.

The concept car was also the first use by General Motors of disc brakes on all four wheels, along with a fully independent suspension. It also featured a non-operational guidance system intended for use with "the highway of the future," where an electrical wire embedded in the roadway would send signals that would help guide cars and avoid accidents. This car appears in GM's sponsored-film short "Design for Dreaming".

Specifications:
- GM internal code: XP-43
- Wheelbase: 120 in (3,048 mm)
- Length; 234.7 in (5,961 mm)
- Ground clearance: 5.5 in (140 mm)

• Firebird III:

The Firebird III debuted at Motorama in 1959. The concept car featured a fiberglass body with seven short wings and tail fins. It is a two-seater powered by a 225 hp (168 kW) Whirlfire GT-305 gas turbine engine, with a two-cylinder 10 hp (7.5 kW) gasoline engine to run all the accessories. Its exterior design features a double-bubble canopy and included cruise control, anti-lock brakes, and air conditioning. It also featured air drag brakes similar to those found on aircraft that emerged from flat panels in the bodywork of the car to slow it from high speeds; an "ultra-sonic" key that signaled the doors to open; an automated guidance system to help avoid accidents; and a "no hold" steering system. The car's steering was controlled by the driver by a joystick positioned between the two seats.

Specifications:
- GM internal code: XP-73
- Wheelbase: 119 in (3,023 mm)
- Length: 248.2 in (6,304 mm)
- Height: 44.8 in (1,138 mm) (canopy top)
- Ground clearance: 5.3 in (135 mm)

• Firebird IV:

The Firebird IV debuted at the 1964 New York World's Fair, in the General Motors Futurama Exhibit. It was another sleek, aircraft-inspired, turbine-engined "future" design, which GM coded internally as the XP-790. Its designers conceived it for a future in which cars steered automatically via programmed guidance systems, to "ensure absolute safety at more than twice the speed possible on expressways of the day." Though billed as being turbine-powered, the Firebird IV was non-functional. GM repackaged the Firebird IV for the 1969 show circuit as the Buick Century Cruiser. Reportedly, the show car was crushed in the 1980s.

Specifications:
- Wheelbase: 119"
- Overall length: 229.8"
- Width: 77.6"
- Height: 45"

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Acum câteva zile s-a încheiat Exhibition Movie Cars:

Here are the  cars you can admire in this video:
• DeLorean DMC-12 (Tiriac Collection exhibit), the famous time machine from the "Back to the Future" trilogy,
• Volkswagen Beetle (1963), the Herbie frog from "The Love Bug",
• BMW Z3 (1997), James Bond's car from "GoldenEye",
• Citroen DS (1972) from the series "Mentalist",
• Willys Jeep M38A1 from the satirical series "M * A * S * H",
• Mercedes-Benz W116 (1974), the car with which the short film "C`etait un rendez-vous" was filmed. Or JR's Dallas car.
• Chrysler LeBaron (1986) from the beloved series "Seinfeld",
• Dacia 1301 from the Romanian comedy "Two Draws",
• Citroën 2CV6 (1989) from the "Gendarme" series with Louis de Funès,
• Pontiac Firebird (1988) from "Cobra Kai", but also a more civilized relative of the famous KITT,
• Trabant 601 (1986), the car with which a family visits Italy in "Go Trabi Go!",
• Ford Mustang (1968) from the action thriller "Gone in 60 seconds!"
• Ford Mustang Mach 1 (1969) from the "John Wick" series,
• Mercedes-Benz 560 SL (1988) from the "Dallas" series.

Las mai jos o prezentare a evenimentului făcută de Mașinistul:
Așa s-a încheiat #MașinidinFilme. Și-am aflat că nu este atât de greu să organizezi o expoziție. Mai ales când ești înconjurat de oameni pasionați, cu mașini minunate, dornici să te ajute.

Însă este al naibii de dificil să ieși din convingerile alea în care crezi că și restul oamenilor sunt pasionați de mașini. Că vor să afle detalii despre istorie, despre cum au evoluat tehnologiile, că le-a făcut nu-știu-ce-inginer. Ei bine, nu. Astea sunt chestii de pasionați, iar dacă vrei să atragi publicul larg și sa-i arați cât de fascinantă este lumea mașinilor clasice, trebuie să vii cu un concept comercial.

Acesta a fost #MașinidinFilme. O poveste despre cum mașinile care poate nu ne atrag în niciun fel devin simboluri ale culturii pop după ce au jucat roluri memorabile în filme celebre. Herbie, The Time Machine, KITT, Eleanor sau The Bond Car sunt personaje care au strâns fani în întrega lume și nu sunt rare cazurile în care aceștia și-au luat o mașină clasică pentru că le amintea de filmul preferat din copilărie.

Conceptul comercial a atras public. Mult public. Din cele câteva zeci de mii de persoane care intră zilnic în Mega Mall, câteva mii tot le-au aruncat o privire mașinilor. Mulți dintre ei au făcut și poze. Iar câțiva au citit și descrierile. Asta s-a repetat în fiecare zi, timp de mai bine de două săptămâni. Au fost reclame stradale, YouTube adds, spoturi la radio, apariții la TV, articole în presă și multe, foarte multe mențiuni în social media. Ocazie cu care vreau să le mulțumesc tuturor celor care au promovat evenimentul.

Anvergura acestei expoziții a marcat și o serie de premiere. Am avut pentru prima dată un exponat de la Tiriac Collection – DMC DeLorean. Dar și o reproducere realizată special pentru expoziție – Herbie. Nu aș fi reușit fără ajutorul lui Virgil, așa că-i mai mulțumesc o dată. Și mulțumesc, Marian, pentru plăcuțele personalizate.

Tot pentru prima dată, am asigurat exponatele. Pentru că deși nu au existat daune la niciuna dintre expozițiile anterioare, am vrut să ridic nivelul și totodată să dorm mai bine timp de aceste săptămâni. Așa că am încheiat o poliță de asigurare bunuri la OMNIASIG Vienna Insurance Group care acoperea actele de vandalism, distrugeri accidentale, dezastre naturale, incendii, cam tot ce s-ar fi putut întâmpla mai rău, dar și răspunderea civilă în cazul în care cineva s-ar fi rănit din cauza mașinilor expuse. Și da, a fost scump, dar liniștea e neprețuită.

A fost frumos să organizez și acel colț cu mașinuțe pentru copii, cred că am interacționat cu mai mulți prichindei zilele astea decât am făcut-o în întreaga mea existență. Nu-i ușor să gestionezi bucuria copiilor, mai ales când aceștia trag în toate direcțiile de niște obiecte fragile de la Asociatia Muzeul Jucariilor din Bucuresti... dar cumva am reușit. Dovadă stau și cele peste 400 de poze polariod pe care le-am făcut și le-am dăruit micilor mașiniști și mașiniste.

Iar aseară, într-o cascadă de atenționări RoAlert (fuck you, RoAlert, by the way, că bagi panică aiurea) am reușit să scoatem mașinile din mall și am aflat cu bucurie că au ajuns toate în siguranță la casele lor înainte să vină ploaia. Le mulțumesc tuturor celor implicați, a fost o onoare!

Sursa: Facebook Mașinistul.

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100th Anniversary of Bus History in Dresden -- Convoy:

Since 1914, buses where used for public transportation in Dresden. 40 historic buses leave the fairgrounds at the depot in Gruna for the 100th anniversary! The festival ended with a convoy of all vehicles throughout the city starting right here.

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Mâine în București:


Cine e în zonă să ne facă niște poze?

LE: A fost anulat din cauza avertizărilor de furtună.

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Întâlnirea Dacia Clasic 2022 - Reșița, 18.06.2022:



















































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La RETRO PARADA PRIMAVERII 2022 am înregistrat o serie de recorduri atât ca număr de participanți, cât si ca număr de orașe in care vehiculele istorice au putut fi admirate (34). Bucureștiul a înregistrat 200 de participanți practic cel mai mare număr de vehicule istorice care au participat la un eveniment in istoria de aproape jumătate de secol a acestor manifestări in România. Si numărul de spectatori a fost unul record, iar pentru asta trebuie sa va mulțumim!

Sursa: Facebook Retromobil.

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Cu quote, pentru că nu se poate altfel, postarea este veche de vreo 3 ani:

Citroen U55 Currus Cityrama - Parisul in era Space Age
Propun sa ne amintim de Parisul frumos, Parisul parcurilor, iubirilor, luminilor. Sa ne intoarcem in anii '50, la debutul a ceea ce numim Space Age.


In acea perioada turistii care doreau sa descopere superbul oras de pe Sena puteau lua unul din numeroasele autobuze turistice care faceau turul capitalei Frantei.

Traseul denumit Cityrama era deservit de autobuze Citroen U55 Currus. Designul acestora era el insusi o atractie in sine.







Autobuzul etajat a fost facut de catre Currus pe baza platformei Citroen U55. Acoperisul de sticla al etajului putea fi scos pe timp de vara. Fiecare scaun avea ghid audio in 8 limbi de circulatie internationala.

Din pacate doar un singur exemplar mai exista astazi, fiind in proces de restaurare.

Iată exemplarul care a supraviețuit:

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Ziua motomecanizatelor:

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S-au deschis înscrierile la CARPATI RETRO 2022 ! A 23-a editie a raliului se va desfasura in perioada 1-4 septembrie.


Sursa: Retromobil - Facebook.
Detalii despre eveniment.

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