http://www.rexfeatures.com/features/516925/
Awww - what an inspiring but fugly story:
The unique Aurora, a 19 feet long monster that was built by an eccentric New York priest as the ultimate safety vehicle, is now turning heads again.
Father Alfred Juliano bankrupted himself creating the prototype, which remained the only one ever built. It was supposed to be the safest car ever built and included features that are now common, but at the time were unheard of. Features such as seatbelts, a roll cage, side-impact bars, a collapsible steering column, foam-filled bumpers and a padded instrument panel.
Other features that aren't currently commonplace are its windscreen, which was curved away from the driver so the possibility of impact with it was reduced. This design also meant that windscreen wipers were not required, but it also distorted the view through it. The large "front-end air-scoop" replaced conventional grill. It was thought to reduce frictional drag and to lessen injuries to pedestrians it hit. The seats swivelled 180 degrees - so before a crash those inside could turn round and take the impact backwards (as if that would lessen injury).
The silver sedan, shaped like a whale with its mouth gaping, had been sitting in a field in the US for nearly 30 years before madcap Brit Andy Saunders snapped it up. He has spent the last 12 years of his life doing up the motor that was a disaster from its launch in 1957. On that day Father Alfred Juliano had planned a huge media party to greet his 30,000 dollar invention. But TV reporters had to wait all day because it broke down 15 times on the journey to the launch and was towed to seven garages.
The Aurora was funded partially by Father Juliano's congregation which donated cash to his whacky project. After the ambitious scheme failed and Father Juliano went bankrupt the car was taken on by several other owners before it was abandoned ten years after its launch. It was rediscovered in a field behind a bodyworks shop in Branford, Connecticut.
Thanks to Formula-S for emailling me this creation!
1 comment:
So much effort put in to such an odd apparition. I truly believe that Andy Saunders put as much or MORE work into the restoration than Padré Alfred Juliano did in building it in the first place! As odd and Fugly as it may be, it is quite a piece of history nonetheless. Plus, it does make a statement about church members supporting projects that SOUND good, but don't quite hit the mark.
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