The Gaylord Gladiator was an American automobile model.
| Gaylord Gladiator | |
|---|---|
_2021.jpg) | |
| Overview | |
| Type | Car |
| Manufacturer | Gaylord Cars, Luftschiffbau Zeppelin |
| Production | 1955–1957 |
| Designer | Brooks Stevens |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Personal luxury car |
| Doors | 2 |
| Chassis | 41xx steel |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | Cadillac 365 V8 |
| Dimensions | |
| Curb weight | 1,800 kilograms (4,000 lb) |
History
editThe Gaylord Gladiator was conceptualized in the 1950s by James and Edward Gaylord, sons of the possible inventor of the bobby pin, and the owners of Gaylord Cars.[1]
They approached Alex Tremulis with their design, but he was working for the Ford Motor Company at the time. They then went to Brooks Stevens, who designed it.[2] The prototype was presented at the 1955 Paris Motor Show, receiving a negative reaction.[1]
Between 1955 and 1957, either three or four were produced, costing $17,500 to purchase (about $205,000 in 2024). Two of the cars were bought by Farouk of Egypt and Dick Powell. Manufacturing was transferred to airship manufacturer Luftschiffbau Zeppelin, but they failed to build the cars correctly. The Gaylords sued, and they eventually ceased production. Only two are known to exist; one is owned by a private American, the other—which was restored in 2017—is in the Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen.[2]
Design
editThe Gaylord Gladiator featured a 365-cubic inch Cadillac V8 engine and a 41xx steel chassis. It was painted black and white, with whitewall tires. Tiny swords were used as needles in the instruments.[2]
Gallery
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Chassis -
Front view -
Back view
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References
edit- ^ a b "Gaylord Gladiator: The Bittersweet Tale Of 'The World's Best Car' | Feature | CarThrottle". www.carthrottle.com. 2018-07-25. Retrieved 2024-10-27.
- ^ a b c McAleer, Brendan (2020-06-26). "American Maybach: The doomed Gaylord Gladiator". Hagerty Media. Retrieved 2024-10-27.