Just Cool Cars: '48 Davis paved way for 3-wheelers
LOS ANGELES — Why do you need four wheels when three will do?
That apparently was the idea behind one of the last century's great automotive failures, the Davis, a bullet-shaped car that put one wheel in front and two in back.
The Petersen Automotive Museum here is trying to raise money to restore its light-blue Davis to pristine condition. At the moment, the museum's mechanics have a ways to go to get it back to new condition.
The Davis was the product of auto dealer Glen Gary Davis, who built it in the San Fernando Valley not far from the site of the museum today. To thrifty veterans looking for their first new car after World War II, he promised 50 miles per gallon and a starting price of $995, according to the museum.
Like so many automotive products of the period, his dream faded fast. The museum's history shows that there wasn't enough money or materials to get it off the ground. No more than 17 vehicles were produced.
The single wheel in front made the car highly tippy, says Petersen Curator Leslie Kendall. And the notion of a single bench seat for the driver and three passengers didn't exactly catch on with other automakers. The car was a nightmare to drive, but it did have a good turning radius.