Weird Cars Thread

[EJ3]

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Alef Flying Car

Alef flying car. The first real flying car.

alef.aero

(scroll down a bit)

I guess that they don't know who Ed Roth is and that he built one in 1961:

Picture: Rotar, 1965

Rotar stands for “Roth Air Car”.
Roth created Rotar (the Roth Air Car). Powered by two Triumph motorcycle engines and weighing just 750 pounds, Rotar is able to hover several inches above the ground.

Ed used two Bell Auto Parts built 650cc Triumph twins laid on their side.

A high pressure prop was mounted to each engine that created a cushion of air that allowed Rotar to propel itself on land and water.

Directional flaps on the bottom were plywood and the rear fin was fashioned after Ed’s ’59 Cadillac.

This is an excellent example of Ed Roth's custom cars.

During the heyday of his creativity, author Tom Wolfe quoted Roth as saying, “Detroit is beginning to understand that there are just a hell of a lot of these bad kids in the United States, and they are growing up. And they want a better car. They don’t want an old man’s car.”

Ahm!: NOT FIRST (Maybe first FLYING PRODUCTION INTENDED car).

Ed "Big Daddy" Roth built things to make you imagine what could be (such as a Automatic, four-speed GM Hydra-matic [4 speed automatics where pretty innovative in 1961]) used in his Beatnik Bandit, which also carries his trademark space-age bubble-top roof. Interestingly, it is controlled entirely by a single, central joystick type lever located in the middle of the interior. The joystick even controls braking and acceleration. for forward, reverse, speed, braking and turning (all using hydraulics [because computers weren't generally available back in the early 60's]) Beatnik Bandit car he built:

used in the

And the red, green and blue spotlights to create a head light beam of white light of the car called Orbitron that he built:

So they were one off's.

Ed Big Daddy Roth's Road Agent and cameo by Rotar​

He also built possibly the first ATV (for surfers to drive on the beach):

Surfite, 1964
Surfite was a genuine surfer’s car. Under its unique custom surfboard carrier body was an Austin Mini Cooper chassis, powered by a 1269cc Austin Mini Cooper chrome-plated engine.

Ed tried to get Surfite in a movie that he heard was being filmed in Sportsman’s Cove in Malibu, and even though it was only a split second, Surfite made a brief appearance in Beach Blanket Bingo.

Cartoon Hot Rods [Ed Big Daddy Roth] 4K Custom Hot Rod 2020 Kustom Kars Rat Fink Man 4K classic cars​

World's Largest Ed "Big Daddy" Roth Collection at Galpin Auto Sports | DriveTribe​

There should be an Innovation Class on him and others that think differently, like him.

 

[somebodyelse]

I guess that they don't know who Ed Roth is and that he built one in 1961:

Picture: Rotar, 1965

Rotar stands for “Roth Air Car”.
Roth created Rotar (the Roth Air Car). Powered by two Triumph motorcycle engines and weighing just 750 pounds, Rotar is able to hover several inches above the ground.

Ed used two Bell Auto Parts built 650cc Triumph twins laid on their side.

A high pressure prop was mounted to each engine that created a cushion of air that allowed Rotar to propel itself on land and water.

Directional flaps on the bottom were plywood and the rear fin was fashioned after Ed’s ’59 Cadillac.

That's a hovercraft. Most people wouldn't consider them to be flying. There are some earlier examples, also somewhat weird but not to Roth's OTT custom levels.
Charles Fletcher's Glidemobile:

Ford Levicar Mach 1:

Curtiss-Wright Model 2500 Air Car:

 

[EJ3]

That's a hovercraft. Most people wouldn't consider them to be flying. There are some earlier examples, also somewhat weird but not to Roth's OTT custom levels.
Charles Fletcher's Glidemobile:

Ford Levicar Mach 1:

Curtiss-Wright Model 2500 Air Car:

The Alef also appears to be just a powerful hovercraft.
You are correct in that most think of flying as NOT a hovercraft:
When one thinks of flying vehicles, one thinks usually of airplanes, helicopters, and balloons. But there are other types of vehicles that (technically) fly. A hovercraft flies on a cushion of higher-pressure air underneath it. A hydrofoil does fly on wings, but the wings are embedded in water rather than in air. A third type of flying machine, an ornithopter, is more like a conventional airplane but its wings flap, providing propulsion as well as lift.
Being that Ed "Big Daddy" Roth had a strong streak of Barnum in himself:
Without promotion, something terrible happens... nothing!
P. T. Barnum
Roth may not have been first. But, as far ass a practical one (that would protect you from the elements as normal cars do) that would also fit in a single car garage: I'll go with the date of Roth's build.
Having seem it in person, I'll say that it looks like Ed Roth's was of a much more practical size than the others.
As to the history of hovercraft ("flying cars" if you will [I don't, as they do not meet what I would call a car: being able to drive down the street with a normal level of braking, acceleration, handling and hit the speed limits of interstates in short order.]) The ones that you show do not appear to be able to do that (so they do not meet the definition of what most people would think of as a car.):
The idea for an air-cushion vehicle was first thought of by Sir Christopher Cockerell in 1955. He built a working model, improved upon it, and by 1959 the machine worked well enough that it could cross the English Channel between England and France. Although that first hovercraft was only large enough to carry a crew of three, many variations since then have been used as ferries, recreational vehicles, and even for military operations.
1959-1961 is not a long time.
Ed Roth's was 1961. Inspired by the burgeoning “space race”, Roth created Rotar (the Roth Air Car). It incorporates a bubble canopy (made in an old pizza oven) and joystick-style controls. Powered by two Triumph motorcycle engines and weighing just 750 pounds, Rotar is able to hover several inches above the ground (AND drive like a normal car). A Roth Studios postcard of the era proclaimed, “There is a remote possibility that this will be the first car to reach the MOON.” Roth grounded the Rotar after a fan blade flew off at an indoor event.
It would be interesting to see the dates of manufacture of the others.
And whether or not Ford's functioned at all, functions as a car or just a hovercraft or was just a mockup for show of a concept.

 

[somebodyelse]

The Alef also appears to be just a powerful hovercraft.

Given the altitude it reaches I'd disagree - unless you're arguing that helicopters, quadcopters etc. are also just powerful hovercraft. The difference is whether you can fly just on the thrust of the rotor(s) rather than having to contain the high pressure air cushion, only rising to a height where the leakage round the edges matches the inward flow from the fans.

 

[EJ3]

Given the altitude it reaches I'd disagree - unless you're arguing that helicopters, quadcopters etc. are also just powerful hovercraft. The difference is whether you can fly just on the thrust of the rotor(s) rather than having to contain the high pressure air cushion, only rising to a height where the leakage round the edges matches the inward flow from the fans.

I also don't believe everything that I see in a video, with what can be done.
When I see, here and learn more about it, I may change my mind. You know, like Amirm does here for us.
There are lots of things that companies (especially those looking for funding) promote that may or may not be fully true.
I'll stick with my opinion until I KNOW MORE about it.
Maybe at the time that I watched the video, I did not have good sound, but in just that aspect it seemed to be not real.

 

[somebodyelse]

There are lots of things that companies (especially those looking for funding) promote that may or may not be fully true.

Tesla's self-driving videos, the truck maker that had it rolling downhill rather than under its own power...

I don't have much doubt that they could make something like that do a quick hop under control like in the video given the other large drones known to be flying. I have a lot more doubt that what they built to do that would qualify as a car in any meaningful sense, beyond being vaguely the right shape and having four rather skinny wheels.

 

[Earth]

Bubbletop volksrod build, 2006

I hope that guys been able to do an ace paint job since...

 

[somebodyelse]

I hope that guys been able to do an ace paint job since...

I'm not so sure - I kind of like the Rat look. Although if the bonnet's a nice pink tongue...

 

[Paul7777x]

Bubbletop volksrod build, 2006

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I hope that guys been able to do an ace paint job since...

That is as bizarre a vehicle as I’ve ever seen.

It looks like a Jetsons top half bubble on an old and battered lawn mower.

But I quite like it

And I don’t know why…

 

[Timcognito]

You will never drive it in the rain two uncovered carburetors and alternator are exposed.

 

[Paul7777x]

Presumably some AI nonsense… but I want one anyway.

 

[Paul7777x]

You will never drive it in the rain two uncovered carburetors and alternator are exposed.

But it never rains in England.

Oh… wait…

 

[Timcognito]

Presumably some AI nonsense… but I want one anyway.

View attachment 539841

There is a real one

Joby Aviation

Experience Joby Aviation’s all-electric air taxi: vertical take-off and landing, seamless door to door travel, all from our app.

www.jobyaviation.com

 

[Somafunk]

Whilst taking mum/my aunts out for a car drive/tour of our local Galloway hills here in sw Scotland I heard the grumble of this as it pulled into the car park behind me, a feckin delorean, that actually runs……. …and in the middle of nowhere without a garage or phone reception for miles, even my 70yr old mum knew what it was when they came back from their walk.

 

[somebodyelse]

Whilst taking mum/my aunts out for a car drive/tour of our local Galloway hills here in sw Scotland I heard the grumble of this as it pulled into the car park behind me, a feckin delorean, that actually runs……. …and in the middle of nowhere without a garage or phone reception for miles, even my 70yr old mum knew what it was when they came back from their walk.

Probably taking the scenic route home from the DeLorean Eurofest 2026 in Belfast. The dates spanned the Stormont Classic Car Show which was expecting ~140 of them from various countries.

 

[Chr1]

Ahhhh... Things are making sense now. I got back from a few days in N Ireland last week. I was north of Belfast and thought I saw a DeLorean. Twice.
Thought it was kinda weird as they're so rare. Thanks for the heads up. All makes sense now!

 

[Count Arthur]

It's a shame that the whole De Lorean story was such a fiasco, they were nice looking cars - reminded me a bit of the Lancia Beta Montecarlo:

Also nice looking, but unfortunately water soluble.

 

[Somafunk]

Probably taking the scenic route home from the DeLorean Eurofest 2026 in Belfast. The dates spanned the Stormont Classic Car Show which was expecting ~140 of them from various countries.

Cool, I should’ve really thought of that as Belfast (original delorean factory) is not that far away, admittedly a short ferry journey over the Irish Sea but close enough.

 

[Paul7777x]

Probably taking the scenic route home from the DeLorean Eurofest 2026 in Belfast. The dates spanned the Stormont Classic Car Show which was expecting ~140 of them from various countries.

Or from 1985

 

[Somafunk]

Or from 1985

Ohh bravo…… Needs more likes