329:
318:
453:
156:
148:
164:
392:-induced weight bias coupled to the coil spring suspension and "Oil Shock Absorbers" endowed the Scarab with "Smooth Riding and Easy Steering on Rough Roads", if not very good handling and traction (even by the standards of the early 1930s, the reputation of the Scarab was one of very poor "blackjack-like" handling). The rear
348:
and engine placement directly over the rear axle moved the driver forward, enabling a steering wheel almost directly above the front wheels. Passengers entered through a single, large, common door. A flexible seating system could be easily reconfigured (except for the driver's seat, which was fixed).
415:. The engine was reversed from its normal position, mounted directly over the rear axle and with the flywheel and clutch facing forward. The transmission was mounted ahead of this, reversing and lowering the drive-line back to the axle. This unusual layout would later be repeated by the
480:, Stout built one more prototype Scarab, called the Stout Scarab Experimental. It was exhibited in 1946 and was more conventional in appearance, although still equipped with a rear engine. It was a 2-door, featured a wraparound windshield and the world's first
472:
Airflow cost just $ 1,345, very few could pay the hefty premium for innovation. Nine
Scarabs are believed to have been built. The vehicles were never produced in volume and were hand-made, with no two Scarabs identical.
252:
with a long hood. The engine compartment and engine were located longitudinally behind the front axle, and ahead of the passenger compartment. The front-mounted engine typically drove the rear axle through a connecting
1034:
460:
Stout stated that the car would be manufactured in limited quantities and sold by invitation. Up to a hundred a year were to be made in a small factory at the corner of Scott Street and
Telegraph Road (
305:— other aerodynamically efficient shapes, the Stout Scarab was generally considered ugly at the time. Decades later, its futuristic design and curvaceous, finely detailed nose earn it respect as an
1044:
290:) MPV or minivan design, featuring a removable table and second row seats that turn 180 degrees to face the rear — a feature that Chrysler marketed over 50 years later as "Swivel ’n Go".
1029:
1039:
515:. The Detroit Historical Museum's vehicle was scheduled to be returned to the museum's storage on August 21, 2016, when another car would be rotated into the exhibition.
507:
Up to five
Scarabs are reported to survive today. A 1935 Scarab in running condition was on display for many years at the Owls Head Transportation Museum in
737:
760:
328:
317:
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853:
604:
468:. Although the Scarab garnered much press coverage, at $ 5,000 (equivalent to $ 109,784 in 2023), when a luxurious and ultra-modern
711:
272:
in the rear of the vehicle. Stout envisioned his traveling machine as an office on wheels. To that end, the Scarab's body, styled by
721:
683:
632:
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230:
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In contrast, the Scarab design eliminated the chassis and drive shaft to create a low, flat floor for the interior, using a
648:
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suspension with long coil spring struts was inspired by aircraft landing gear. The Scarab suspension inspired the later
322:
946:
437:. Some frame parts were steel. The second prototype was ready in 1935, with some styling and mechanical changes. The
372:
The innovations did not end with the car's layout and body design. In an era where almost everything on the road had
1014:
512:
180:
357:; a small card table could be fitted with the passenger seats as needed. Interiors were appointed in leather,
287:
870:
504:
Stout owned and drove his own Scarab, accumulating over 250,000 miles in travel around the United States.
442:
434:
381:
184:
64:
445:, and at the rear, narrow chrome bars curved from the back window down to the bumper, giving the car its
1009:
286:
The short, streamlined nose and tapering upper body at the rear foreshadowed contemporary monospace (or
257:
running underneath the floor of the vehicle. This layout worked well, but limited the passenger space.
543:(1921), first aerodynamic "teardrop" car to be designed and serially produced (about 100 units built)
540:
416:
269:
1004:
999:
925:
337:
283:. The use of lighter materials resulted in a vehicle weighing under 3,000 lb (1,400 kg).
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motif, including the car's emblem. Visibility to the front and sides was similar to that of an
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628:
600:
590:
488:, built up out of only eight separate pieces and featured the world's first fully functioning
469:
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100:
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427:
A drivable prototype of the Scarab was completed in 1932, probably the first car to have an
350:
294:
226:
366:
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The Ford flat-head V8 drove the rear wheels via a custom Stout-built three-speed manual
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was a motorcar and aviation engineer and journalist. While he was president of the
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810:
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369:, although rearward vision was negligible and there were no rear-view mirrors.
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28:
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345:
277:
276:, a well-known Dutch automobile engineer, closely emulated the design of an
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207:
155:
147:
446:
438:
428:
306:
196:
550:, improved on the Tropfenwagen by placing the wheels inside the car body
163:
361:, and wood. Design elements also worked in a stylized ancient Egyptian
245:
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192:
349:
The designer anticipated the seating in modern minivans, such as the
202:
The Stout Scarab is credited by some as the world's first production
836:
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832:
451:
327:
316:
162:
154:
146:
167:
926:"1946 Stout Scarab Experimental news, pictures, and information"
878:
187:
and manufactured by Stout
Engineering Laboratories and later by
388:
on all four corners, providing a smoother, quieter ride. The
344:
and expanded the cabin to the full width of the car. A long
449:
appearance. The body was changed to steel to reduce cost.
237:
at a major New York auto show and wrote an article on the
1035:
Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States
618:
616:
947:"Last chance to see rare 1935 Stout Scarab in Detroit"
244:
Contemporary production cars commonly had a separate
546:Persu car (1922-23), designed by Romanian engineer
536:Other early teardrop-shaped cars, chronologically
159:
Stout Scarab on display at
Houston Fine Arts Museum
135:
125:
112:
96:
88:
70:
60:
42:
34:
24:
210:of the Scarab became the world's first car with a
901:"Motoring Memories: William Stout and his Scarab"
684:"The Scarab has landed: Rare car back in Detroit"
336:The Scarab's interior space was maximized by its
1045:Defunct manufacturing companies based in Detroit
788:"A Visionary's Minivan Arrived Decades Too Soon"
484:body. Like its metal counterparts, it too was a
1030:Cars powered by rear-mounted 8-cylinder engines
975:Motoring Memories: William Stout and his Scarab
980:Futuristic Style: 1935 Stout Scarab (Part III)
1040:Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Michigan
532:for overview of early aerodynamic automobiles
8:
848:. Haynes Publishing. pp. 114–115, 120.
19:
738:"Airplane Engine Adopted To Streamline Car"
596:Standard Catalog of American Cars 1805-1942
18:
761:"Deluxe Bullet on Wheels Has Rear Engine"
755:
753:
710:Sieden, Lloyd Steven (August 11, 2000).
677:
675:
673:
649:"Blast From The Past: 1936 Stout Scarab"
562:(1939), German prototype, never produced
805:
803:
571:
151:Stout Scarab on display in Genoa, Italy
817:. The Frist Center for the Visual Arts
511:, but was returned to its lender, the
599:(3rd ed.). Krause Publications.
441:were set behind a fine, vertical-bar
141:9 plus 1 concept car (1932-1946)
7:
585:
583:
581:
579:
577:
575:
846:Colin Chapman: Inside the Innovator
593:; Clark Jr., Henry Austin (1996).
492:, previously developed in 1933 by
14:
786:Patton, Phil (January 6, 2008).
627:. Wayne State University Press.
456:Stout Scarab Experimental (1946)
301:, and the slightly later (1938)
682:Austin, Dan (August 21, 2015).
623:Richardson Bryan, Ford (1993).
231:Society of Automotive Engineers
340:styling, which dispensed with
321:Front view of Stout Scarab at
38:Stout Engineering Laboratories
1:
713:Buckminster Fuller's Universe
985:Stout Scarabs at ConceptCarz
323:Stahls Automotive Collection
293:Although reminiscent of the
241:for the society newsletter.
76:; 78 years ago
48:; 88 years ago
16:1930–1940s American minivan
1061:
206:, and a 1946 experimental
513:Detroit Historical Museum
496:. It was never produced.
332:Rear view of Stout Scarab
530:Streamliner: Automobiles
1020:Cars introduced in 1932
869:Bean (August 2, 2005).
262:unitized body structure
189:Stout Motor Car Company
20:Stout Motor Car Company
476:Immediately following
457:
435:unit-construction body
382:independent suspension
380:, the Scarab featured
333:
325:
185:William Bushnell Stout
168:
160:
152:
928:. www.conceptcarz.com
455:
331:
320:
166:
158:
150:
881:on December 13, 2005
875:miscfug.blogspot.com
541:Rumpler Tropfenwagen
417:Lamborghini Countach
811:"1936 Stout Scarab"
625:Henry's Lieutenants
313:Innovative features
21:
951:Detroit Free Press
905:CanadianDriver.com
793:The New York Times
689:Detroit Free Press
591:Kimes, Beverly Rae
466:Dearborn, Michigan
458:
334:
326:
235:Buckminster Fuller
169:
161:
153:
118:William B. Stout,
953:. August 16, 2016
855:978-1-84425-413-2
765:Popular Mechanics
743:Popular Mechanics
606:978-0-87341-428-9
470:Chrysler Imperial
303:Volkswagen Beetle
281:aircraft fuselage
183:car, designed by
179:1930–1940s
145:
144:
137:Production output
101:Detroit, Michigan
92:ceased production
1052:
1015:Pre-war vehicles
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877:. Archived from
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746:. February 1935.
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664:
655:. Archived from
645:
639:
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620:
611:
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587:
509:Owls Head, Maine
351:Chrysler Voyager
295:Chrysler Airflow
227:William B. Stout
84:
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65:William B. Stout
56:
54:
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22:
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842:Ludvigsen, Karl
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815:FristCenter.org
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716:. Basic Books.
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408:model of 1957.
367:observation car
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969:External links
967:
965:
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871:"Rolling Crap"
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854:
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767:. January 1936
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490:air suspension
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355:Renault Espace
342:running boards
314:
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264:and placing a
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216:air suspension
214:bodyshell and
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659:on 2013-10-17
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106:United States
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1010:Concept cars
955:. Retrieved
950:
941:
930:. Retrieved
920:
909:. Retrieved
907:. 2005-07-29
904:
895:
883:. Retrieved
879:the original
874:
864:
845:
819:. Retrieved
814:
791:
781:
769:. Retrieved
764:
741:
732:
712:
705:
693:. Retrieved
687:
661:. Retrieved
657:the original
653:Indiacar.com
652:
643:
624:
595:
554:Dymaxion car
535:
525:Brubaker Box
506:
503:
478:World War II
475:
459:
426:
410:
406:Lotus Twelve
386:coil springs
378:leaf springs
371:
335:
292:
285:
274:John Tjaarda
259:
243:
239:Dymaxion Car
233:, Stout met
225:
201:
188:
173:Stout Scarab
172:
170:
120:John Tjaarda
97:Headquarters
560:Schlörwagen
548:Aurel Persu
404:from their
390:rear-engine
374:rigid axles
299:streamliner
255:drive shaft
177:streamlined
130:Automobiles
35:Predecessor
1005:1940s cars
1000:1930s cars
994:Categories
957:August 21,
932:2012-02-07
911:2011-08-09
663:2011-08-09
567:References
556:(1933), US
482:fiberglass
432:spaceframe
423:Production
394:swing axle
222:Background
212:fiberglass
114:Key people
29:Automotive
885:April 18,
821:April 18,
771:April 18,
695:April 18,
494:Firestone
486:monocoque
439:headlamps
413:transaxle
346:wheelbase
278:aluminium
270:V8 engine
208:prototype
1025:Minivans
844:(2010).
519:See also
447:Art Deco
429:aluminum
400:used by
307:Art Deco
197:Michigan
181:American
126:Products
25:Industry
288:one-box
268:-built
246:chassis
204:minivan
193:Detroit
79: (
71:Defunct
61:Founder
51: (
43:Founded
852:
720:
631:
603:
500:Legacy
443:grille
384:using
363:scarab
359:chrome
338:ponton
309:icon.
462:US 24
402:Lotus
376:with
175:is a
959:2016
887:2017
850:ISBN
823:2017
773:2017
718:ISBN
697:2017
629:ISBN
601:ISBN
353:and
266:Ford
250:body
248:and
171:The
89:Fate
81:1946
74:1946
53:1936
46:1936
464:),
191:of
996::
949:.
903:.
873:.
831:^
813:.
802:^
790:.
763:.
752:^
740:.
686:.
672:^
651:.
615:^
574:^
419:.
297:,
218:.
199:.
195:,
103:,
961:.
935:.
914:.
889:.
858:.
825:.
796:.
775:.
726:.
699:.
666:.
637:.
609:.
83:)
55:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
