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Sat Nov 29, 2008 5:11 pm

:shock:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Aerocar-N103D-Flyin...5fAircraft
I know there's a lot of you that watch ebay auctions here, if you haven't seen this one yet here it is. Seems like they're less than 100% serious about selling it, but if you have an ultra-rare vehicle and a chance someone will pay an insane amount of money for it, well I guess that's what ebay is for.

Sat Nov 29, 2008 5:22 pm

that thing is super pimp.
but not quite $3,500,000.00 worth of pimp.

Sat Nov 29, 2008 5:49 pm

BTW, that is not an auction. That is a classified ad.
There is no place to make a bid.
I use those with a lot of my industrial parts that I sell.
"Make an Offer".

Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:17 pm

Looks like something Jay Leno would want.

Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:19 pm

Looks like its been for sale for a while:
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003243681_aerocar05m.html

And from wikipedia:
N103D
N103D (1956) is red/black with red wings. It has been owned by Carl & Marilyn Felling of Colorado since 1981 and is currently for sale by Marilyn Felling with an asking price of $3.5 million. It once flew Fidel Castro's brother, Raúl Castro in Cuba. It also was a traffic-watch plane for a KISN radio station in Portland, Oregon. Last flown in 1977, the aircraft is no longer airworthy and has been in storage ever since.[1][4] This Aerocar is the only Model One in original condition, down to the decals on the dash. N103D was recently advertised for sale with the notation that can be readily displayed "as-is" or can be easily restored to flying condition.

Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:34 pm

Top Gear drives the Aerocar (starts at about 3:30)

Sat Nov 29, 2008 6:54 pm

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/upgrade/1559477.html

Sun Nov 30, 2008 10:05 am

tstracy39 wrote: :shock:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Aerocar-N103D-Flyin...5fAircraft
I know there's a lot of you that watch ebay auctions here, if you haven't seen this one yet here it is. Seems like they're less than 100% serious about selling it, but if you have an ultra-rare vehicle and a chance someone will pay an insane amount of money for it, well I guess that's what ebay is for.

If they get $3.5M, they will be 110% serious.

Sun Nov 30, 2008 10:13 am

They have one of those in the Aerospace Museum in Seattle.

Must be a PacNorWest'r thang...

Sun Nov 30, 2008 11:34 am

Typ311Dave wrote: They have one of those in the Aerospace Museum in Seattle.

Must be a PacNorWest'r thang...

Here is a pic I took of the one in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. I'd roll it!!

Sun Nov 30, 2008 12:31 pm

Cheapo wrote: Typ311Dave wrote: They have one of those in the Aerospace Museum in Seattle.

Must be a PacNorWest'r thang...

Here is a pic I took of the one in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. I'd roll it!!

Its been a few months since ive been there, How long has it been on display?! I go 3-4 times a year, did i just miss it?

Sun Nov 30, 2008 12:44 pm

PatterBon wrote: Cheapo wrote: Typ311Dave wrote: They have one of those in the Aerospace Museum in Seattle.

Must be a PacNorWest'r thang...

Here is a pic I took of the one in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. I'd roll it!!

Its been a few months since ive been there, How long has it been on display?! I go 3-4 times a year, did i just miss it?

That picture was taken 9-16-2007

Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:25 pm

Cheapo wrote: PatterBon wrote: Cheapo wrote: Typ311Dave wrote: They have one of those in the Aerospace Museum in Seattle.

Must be a PacNorWest'r thang...

Here is a pic I took of the one in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. I'd roll it!!

Its been a few months since ive been there, How long has it been on display?! I go 3-4 times a year, did i just miss it?

That picture was taken 9-16-2007
I was there in '05/'06 and it was there then. Interesting history behind it. And that Museum was awesome too!

Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:43 pm

Im glad I live kinda close to it, so its not out of the way to get to, i need to check that out.

Sun Nov 30, 2008 1:56 pm

So the engine is in the car, and the prop is back at the tail. There must be one hell of a driveshaft connecting the two. If there's a weak spot in the design I'm betting that's it.

Sun Nov 30, 2008 2:24 pm

Gawd...my thighs are already tired just looking at that thing. :lol: :lol: :lol:

Sun Nov 30, 2008 5:14 pm

Cheapo wrote: Typ311Dave wrote: They have one of those in the Aerospace Museum in Seattle.

Must be a PacNorWest'r thang...

Here is a pic I took of the one in the Museum of Flight in Seattle, Washington. I'd roll it!!

The one in the Museum of Flight is the Generation 3 prototype, and as far as I know is the last one built. The inventor, Molt Taylor, worked out of Kelso/Longview, Washington. The Aerocar has been in the Museum since I was 10, so at least since 1990. I'm sure the driveshaft must cause some noise and vibration, not that production aircraft with mid-mounted engines driving a prop via driveshaft haven't had good records (P-39 Airacobra is one). The main weak point is that with modern IFR systems the basic concept (Flying whenever possible and only folding the wings up and driving when the weather is lousy) is now obsolete. Oh and the government-mandated crash test thing... beefing up the car to pass the test would mess up the performance of the aircraft.