Topic: Solved -PJ199- The Seagrave Car 1961

[Paul Jaray]

You know the rules!

[DynaMike]

One of three prototypes built in 1960/61 by Seagrave Fire Apparatus.

[Paul Jaray]

That's it!
Was this so easy?

[DynaMike]

I just happened to remember that I've got this picture in my book "Chronicle of the American Automobile - over 100 years of auto history" by James M. Flammang and others (Publications International, Ltd., 1994) 

[Paul Jaray]

It seems an interesting book....
http://www.autopuzzles.com/forum/index.php?topic=8771.0 

[DynaMike]

As soon as I can make a picture of it and its horrible state (it really fell into pieces  ) I'll post it...
(btw, I know it's not about getting points, but since I was rather surprised to be able to solve puzzles after my 200th point I noticed I didn't get one for this (I earned nr 201 with 'Guess the circuit 2' - Reims - Gueux).

[Paul Jaray]

I'm sorry, I must have forgotten that, as usual...fixed!

[Joćo]

Pictures :

[Otto Puzzell]

WSJ says three were built (2 fiberglass and 1 aluminum). Car Life says this is the one-and-only.

[Carnut]

This car is currently For Sale in Michigan on ebay; below is the spiel about it:

QUOTE
The story goes like this... Continental wanted to sell more engines and they approached the Seagrave Corporation with this prototype car. The car body is fiberglass attached to an all steel frame. The engine is a 4 cylinder engine, flat head. The drawings refer to the car as an “American Jet” and at least a couple drawings refer to a “French Jet” version. Other history of the car is still missing.
The seats are in good condition except for some flaking paint/vinyl dye on them. Back seats are molded into the interior. Both doors open and close with minor alignment needed. The engine turns over by hand and appears to be ready for it first wake-up call to start. The transmission is free and the clutch engages; the chassis rolls easy on NEW 12 inch tires.
The design of the front rolling edges of the fenders combined with the center swoop of the trunk looks light years ahead of its time. The battery tray is located in the trunk. The hood opens similar to the 55- 56 T-bird and ’57 Fords (opens from the cowl).
The car is in remarkable condition for it being untouched, not restored. The top is a one piece unit. An assortment of parts in boxes can be seen in the photos attached.
I have inventoried the drawings/blueprints and they have several interesting notes on the drawings. That is to say the drawings refer to American Jet Motors, LTD (out of New York), Detroit National Automobile Co., Inc, (Detroit, Michigan address) and French Jet.
The story goes that the car was moved from a warehouse in Warren to a scrap dealer and later sold to an individual in Marine City, Mi, sometime in the 1980’s. I got contacted about the all fiberglass car and that's where I rescued the car. It now resides in a dry storage area.
We have an e-mail that indicates the Seagrave company is aware of this being the ONLY surviving prototype car. I believe this car could be restored without a lot of trouble. This is a survivor piece of history from 1960-1961 as noted by the dates on the drawings.
UNQUOTE

[ftg3plus4]

WSJ says three were built (2 fiberglass and 1 aluminum). Car Life says this is the one-and-only.

We have an e-mail that indicates the Seagrave company is aware of this being the ONLY surviving prototype car.

Well, I can attest that there actually at least two surviving Seagrave prototypes, because I got to see them both at the same time! I visited the Sarasota Classic Car Museum in Florida this weekend, and there were the two Seagraves stuck back in what I'd call the museum's "dirty, neglected junk" section. I have attached pictures of both cars.

I note that neither car seems to have the name "Seagrave" (or any other words) anywhere on it. I also could see that the one with the red roof has an unexplained "A" on the steering wheel. (This is visible in Joćo's third picture above.)