Dale (automobile)
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| Dale | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Twentieth Century Motor Car Corp, California (USA). |
| Engine(s) | 850cc air-cooled engine |
| Designer | Dale Clift |
The Dale, designed by Dale Clift, was a prototype three-wheeled two-seater automobile announced in 1974. It was powered by an 850 cc air-cooled engine. It had an estimated 70 mpg (US) (3.4 L/100 km/84 mpg imp) fuel economy and a $2,000 (in 1974 U.S. dollars) price.
[edit] History
The brainchild of Geraldine Elizabeth Carmichael, it was to be followed by a $2,450 car called the Revelle that would give 50 MPG, and an eight-seater station wagon, Vanagon, for the same amount that would deliver 40 mpg (US) (5.9 L/100 km/48 mpg imp). All of these vehicles were to be three-wheelers. The company behind this was Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation.
Carmichael, 37 (in 1974), was said to be widow of a NASA structural engineer and a mother of five. 6-foot (1.8 m) tall, and 200 lb (91 kg) in weight, she was believed to be a farm girl from Indiana. In reality, Mrs. Carmichael was a transsexual, born Jerry Dean Michael.
The Dale prototype was built by Dale Clift and the project was marketed by Carmichael. Much of the interest in the Dale had been as a result of the 1973 oil crisis and higher economy automobiles like the Dale was believed by some to be a solution to the oil crunch. Speaking to reporter Dan Jedlicka of Chicago Sun-Times in November 1974, Mrs Carmichael said she was on the way to taking on General Motors or any other car manufacturer for that matter. She said she had millions of dollars in backing "from private parties", and also talked of a 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m²) assembly plant in Burbank, California and over 100 employees on the rolls.
"By eliminating a wheel in the rear, we saved 300 pounds and knocked more than $300 from the car's price. The Dale is 190 inches long, 51 inches high, and weighs less than 1,000 pounds", said Mrs. Carmichael. She maintained that the car's lightness did not affect its stability or safety. The low center of gravity always remained inside the triangle of the three wheels making it nearly impossible for it to tip over. She also went on record to say that she drove it into a wall at 30 miles per hour (48 km/h) and there was no structural damage to the car (or her). She said the Dale was powered by a thoroughly revamped BMW two-cylinder motorcycle, which turned out 40 horsepower (30 kW) and would hit 85 miles per hour (137 km/h). She expected sales of 88,000 cars in the first year and 250,000 in the second year.
None of the three vehicles (Dale, Revelle or Vanagon) were ever believed to have been manufactured apart from two prototype vehicles, and only one of those was able to run under its own power. It is alleged that there were rumors of fraud and the authorities began to investigate.
Clift said he still believed in the project and that he would receive $3 million in royalties once the Dale went into production. In all, he received $1,001, plus a $2,000 check, which bounced. Elizabeth Carmichael went into hiding and was featured in an episode of Unsolved Mysteries which detailed the fraud behind the Dale as well as the fact Carmichael was wanted for fraud. Elizabeth Carmichael was found working under an alias in a flower shop and was arrested shortly after the episode's airing.
Elizabeth Carmichael, as a result, went to prison.
[edit] References
- Dan Jedlicka - This one may be the car of the century. Chicago Sun-Times. Also appeared in The Commercial Appeal, Memphis, Thursday November 14, 1974
- Phil Skinner - The Cockeyed tale of the three-wheeled Dale. Old Cars News & Marketplace: February 17, 1994
