It was nicknamed The Flying Wombat, due to the part it played in a 1938 movie, and you can bet I'll be having some pulp adventure character flying down a moonlit midnight road in this baby.
I debated whether it was actually weird enough to be featured in a Weird Wednesday. But imagine how wild it would have seemed to other motorists who pulled up next to the Flying Wombat in 1938! Designed by Rust Heinz, an heir to the famous ketchup fortune, and Maurice Schwartz, the Phantom Corsair was supposed to be the Motor Car of Tomorrow.
It had such futuristic features as air-conditioning, push-button doors, electric 4-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel drive, tinted non-glare windshield, aircraft-style instrument panel with over 20 dials and switches, a radio with dual speakers, and a 4.7 liter V8 engine. And it could comfortably seat a hero and five sidekicks while racing along at 115 mph with no wind noise.
But sadly, it was not to be. Rust Heinz died shortly after the first car was completed, and plans to put the design into production were dropped. We can only wonder how history might have been changed if the Flying Wombat had been able to compete with the likes of Cadillac, Nash and Studebaker.
For some really cool eye candy, check out these amazing pics of the Flying Wombat.
Today you can find the one and only Phantom Corsair in the biggest little city in the world, at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
That is an awesome car!
ReplyDeleteI want that car.
ReplyDeleteThat is one badass looking car. Nice.
ReplyDeleteNow, was it really supposed to be the car of the future, or it was it originally designed during prohibition to be able to the outrun cops? :P
ReplyDeletehaha, I want one too. Too bad one is all there is!
ReplyDeleteLindsay, it probably runs on rum ;)
Sexy car! I actually stumbled upon a pulp e-book that involves a 1930s vigilante who drives this sexy baby as a "an unstoppable Car-of-Tomorrow to unleash chaos into the halls of wealth and power". http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004XMRZ1S
ReplyDeleteAs a lover of pulp, sweet rides, and vigilantes, I was interested in it, but couldn't get past the first five pages. I look forward to your future pulp adventure with this car! ;D
Hey Frida, I can't believe somebody already used the Wombat! Ha, well, yeah I can. But you can't copyright a car, right?
ReplyDeleteI took a look at that book and agree with you...
I'm using a Ford V8 Deuce Coup in the beginning of The Schofield Crew, but maybe I'll fire the Ford and hire the Phantom Corsair instead ;)
Hmm. Car-based re-writes... It probably does deserve more than a bit part. I'll give it it's own story :)