The Cycleplane

Cyclecars were all the rage in 1914. It started in France with the Bedélia and spread to Britain where the GN became popular on the road and on the race track. They were cheap to buy and inexpensive to operate, so soon the fad spread to the United States.

Soon such gangly creatures as the Cricket, the Greyhound, the Dudly Bug and the O-We-Go were on the roads. James Scripps Booth put his Rocket into the fray. With a cyclecar, one didn't need a garage, nor a driveway.

Into this milieu rode Arthur W. Ball, MD, of Westerly, Rhode Island. Dr. Ball's entry in the cyclecar derby was the Cycleplane, a tandem-seat car powered by a V-twin engine and belt drive. The "aeroplane mudguards" were said to act as shock absorbers. The company, headquarters were at 42 Canal Street, Westerly, now a hotel and retail spaces, and the car's slogan was "Rides over the dust." The Tourist model was to sell for $450. In August 1914, Cyclecar Age reported that his "1915 model" had been "ready July 10." Dr. Ball's son remembered that only one car was built, and that it left town on a railroad flatcar.

This did not stop Dr. Ball from trying to promote it. He talked a machinist named Christie McConnell into purchasing the rights to manufacture the Cycleplane out of parts to be purchased from the good doctor himself, but nothing came of it.

By 1915, the price of a Model T, a real car, had dropped to $440, making the $450 Cycleplane an unattractive buy. And then to put the final nail in the cyclecar's coffin, Henry Ford trotted out his own small version of the T and displayed it in front of Detroit's Pontchartrain Hotel. He never put it into production. He didn't have to. He merely needed to demonstrate that he could, and all the cyclecar makers folded.

Blowin' in the Wind

Ed Cole had a different idea. While competitors Ford and Chrysler were developing conventional compact cars in the late 1950s, Chevrolet general manager Cole instead channeled from Volkswagen. Instead of a front-engine, rear-drive water-cooled car, Chevrolet would build a rear-engine air-cooled design, but in keeping with American mores it would have six cylinders, not four. Thus was born the Corvair, introduced in October 1959.

There were just two body styles, a plain but modern sedan with GM's panoramic rear window, and a close-coupled coupe. The engine was a horizontally-opposed "boxer" six of 140 cubic inches and 80 bhp. Transmissions were three-speed manual or a version of Chevy's sturdy two-speed Powerglide. In the front was a fairly generous cargo space, although the spare tire intruded somewhat. Heating is notoriously difficult in air-cooled cars, so the Corvair used a gasoline-fired system. While sales could be described as decent, at barely 250,000 they were no match for Ford's Falcon (435,676) and only modestly surpassed Chrysler Corporation's Valiant (194,292). Cole, however, stole a page from Porsche's book with the Monza coupe, a tastefully-trimmed coupe with sporty appointments. It sold nearly 12,000 units, despite a late introduction.

For 1961, Corvair struck out in more directions. There was a new Lakewood station wagon, with a cargo deck over the engine, and a Greenbrier van-wagon that emulated the VW Microbus. In addition, a rampside pickup version of the Greenbrier was offered. Despite all this, the Monza coupe, with nearly 110,000 cars, outsold all other models. In 1962, the Monza was spiffed up with additional trim and sales topped 200,000. By this time, Chevy had a real Falcon and Valiant competitor, the entirely conventional front-engine, water-cooled Chevy II.

The 1963 line continued two late-1962 introductions, the Spyder, with a turbocharged engine making 150 bhp, and a convertible that was available with or without the Spyder engine (children, please do not jump from the car when it is in motion. The 1964 line offered yet another subtle trim variation, but the Corvair was about to become a folk celebrity, courtesy of a young lawyer from Winsted, Connecticut.

While first generation Corvairs are certainly collectible, derelict examples are not hard to find. The one heading this feature sits outside a restaurant in Preston, Connecticut. Devoid of all its trim, it's difficult to date. Dennis David, the CarPort's northwest Connecticut scout, reports that his territory is rife with crumbling Corvairs in need of salvation.

Go Huskies!

If you've read my bio page you know I'm a UConn alum, but I'm not much of a sports fan so, as much as I'm pleased that my alma mater boasts championship teams, this item is not about basketball. The Husky, as people my age know, was a tremendously useful Hillman station wagon.

In our part of New England, imported cars caught on early. By the early 1950s, Austin Devons and English Fords were fairly common on the roads. A bit less so was the Hillman Minx. About 1955, though, Hillman's fortunes took a big upturn with the Husky. Based on the MkVII Minx, it used a nine-inch-shorter wheelbase and had a nifty little two-door wagon body. Of unitary construction, it was powered by the Minx's 1265 cc L-head four, which made 35 bhp. The company dubbed it "Double Duty," for it was equally useful in commerce or as a family car. Cleverly designed, it had a spare that was completely accessible even with a full load of luggage. Its versatility was widely advertised, even implying a matching trailer for greater loads, although I suspect there was no such thing. In some regions, the Husky might have been the best-selling Hillman.

In 1958 came a revised version called, strangely, Series I. This car had a two-inch longer wheelbase, new sheet metal and a new grille, but more importantly a 1390 cc ohv engine good for 43 bhp. The instrument panel was subtly revised from that of the earlier car, and exterior door handles, previously a conventional push-button design, took on a funky appearance. There were further trim changes through two more series, with production continuing until 1965. There was also, through the whole period, a four-door Minx estate wagon on the long wheelbase.

One reason for the Husky's success was its lack of competition. Triumph's TR10 estate wagon had some of the Husky's features, but a smaller engine. The Vauxhall Victor estate wagon featured a liftgate in contrast to the Husky's convenient side-hinged door, and disappeared from the US market as soon as the Tempest arrived. The only British two-door wagon was the Austin A40, smaller, less versatile, and early models lacked the rear liftgate of later versions.

As popular as the Huskies were in the late 1950s, all of a sudden they seemed to disappear. For more than 30 years I saw none at all. Then this past October I came across this one in the Hershey Car Corral. I believe it's a circa 1960 Series II model, and quite nicely presented, although there were a few flaws, like a wrinkly bumper. I chatted with the owners, but I wasn't in the market for any car so I didn't even inquire of the asking price. It's probably just as well, but I still wonder...

Forward Control

When I was growing up, every Labor Day we'd attend the Goshen Fair, the nearest thing to a county fair in our part of Connecticut. Among the cows and sheep, not far from the midway of games and rides and exhibits of prize vegetables were a number of tractor dealers from whom I'd always collect some literature. At the 1957 fair, the local Jeep dealer was showing his crop of new Forward Control Jeeps, a model I had not seen before.

The FCs were another clever idea from Brooks Stevens, who had been responsible for the original Jeep station wagon and the later Jeepster. They were basically Universal Jeeps with a cab set forward for maximum use of the short wheelbase. The FC150 sat on an 81-inch wheelbase and had a 5,000-pound gross vehicle weight rating; the FC170 was a longer (103-inch wheelbase) version rated at 7,000 pounds GVW. The FC150 had the familiar 134 cid Hurricane F-head four, the FC170 was a six with Kaiser's old (née Continental) 226 cid L-head engine. FC150s had a low pickup box, while FC170's was longer and deeper. The FC170 could also be had with a factory rack body. Visibility was unparalleled, due to the cab location, although having the steering wheel ahead of the wheels caused a sensation familiar to drivers of VW Microbuses.

I have seen very few Jeep FCs since that time, so it was with much nostalgia that I received some issues of the Shoreline-Area Auto Events Calendar published by my friend Steve Mierz in southern Connecticut. He had received some FC pix from contributor Greg Mattesen, and thus began a four-issue series of FC features, some of which, with their permission, I share with you here.

In 1972, Greg's father rescued an FC150 from a nearby backyard, towing it home with his grandfather's '57 Chevy pickup. Suitably rejuvenated, it gave good service plowing snow. The vaunted engine accessibility seems to have been exaggerated; to really get at the powerplant you have to nestle right up to it. I've heard it said, too, that the forward cab and engine caused the trucks to be overly light in the rear. Greg's Uncle Billy also had an FC150, often used on fishing trips into the wilderness.

Steve Mierz, meanwhile, had been checking out several FCs lurking in the central part of our Nutmeg State. At Larry's Auto Repair in Middletown was a red FC150, with plow attached, keeping company with a 1953 Ford. It appears to have a non-standard flatbed, but aside from generous surface rust seems basically complete.

A few miles away in Middlefield, Steve found this FC150 pickup, incarcerated by trees and much the worse for wear. Greg, too, had been on the lookout and reported on this FC belonging to a foundation company in Farmington.

It turns out that not all FCs are derelict. Doug Davis, up in Scotia, New York, has this FC150, named "Stubby." Restored by a previous owner, it has been driven just 18,000 miles, and spent its entire life in Scotia. Now assigned to show duty, Stubby boasts a matching set of Scotch coolers. When was the last time you saw any of those?

As it happens, last autumn I happened upon an FC150in the car show at Hershey. They're out there, both restored and unrestored; you've just got to keep your eyes open.