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View Full Version : 1973 Concept car .....The Sundancer



suicidesam
27-11-2011, 12:53 PM
i saw this picture on another forum i use and wondered if anyone had seen one before ?

An exhibit at the first symposium on low-pollution power systems development, held at the Marriott Motor Inn, Ann Arbor, Michigan, in October of 1973. Vehicles and hardware were assembled at the EPA Ann Arbor Laboratory. Photo shows participants looking over the ESB "Sundancer," an Experimental Electric Car. (Frank Lodge/NARA)

http://cdn.theatlantic.com/static/infocus/documerica111611/s_d11_28197459.jpg

Spacenut
27-11-2011, 04:49 PM
Hmm, interesting. Not seen this before, but a quick Google mentions that it was financed by Exide Battery and made by Bob McKee, of CanAm and Howmet TX fame. It looks really dinky, and with the canopy down not particularly well proportioned. Almost all of the space not occupied by the passengers was filled with batteries!

I personally prefer the AMC Amitron 1-box electric commuter car from this period, which like the Bill Towns Microdot foreshadowed the now universally accepted Smart concept, but this is clearly a brave attempt at an electric car you might actually want to own :clapping:

Lauren

bushboy
27-11-2011, 05:20 PM
Just replace the rear hinge with a front mounted pair of penatagraph type hinges, a couple of actuators & it is just what you need for the commute to work. Where can I buy one?

Bushboy

Alzax3
27-11-2011, 05:40 PM
I could see that being exciting if the catch let go at speed - much worse than the bonnet hitting the Nova screen to have the whole canopy ripped up over and off....... :w00t:

Spacenut
28-11-2011, 12:27 PM
I'm not sure it was able to go fast enough. Most electric cars from that period were limited to around 25-30mph flat out, and the performance was reflected in the styling - so you had miserable little boxes like the Zagato Zele and... what was the Ford Europe one called? That was awful too.

I suppose that was the problem with sporty looking designs - they promised much, but delivered very little. At least with a Zele you had a rough idea what to expect :bye2:

Lauren

jimcub
28-11-2011, 09:33 PM
Possible wind breaking system or sail :help:

CyCo
30-11-2011, 02:30 AM
That has been posted somewhere here on the forums. Somewhere...