1937 Airomobile Prototype by Lewis American Airways

Airomobile

After the Franklin Automobile Company closed in 1934, Carl Dohman and Edward Marks, former engineers with Franklin, formed their own company to develop a new air-cooled gasoline engine. Paul Lewis of Denver, Colorado had conceived the idea for this futuristic automobile and in 1936 contracted with Dohman and Marks to build a prototype.

They hired John Tjaarda, designer of the Lincoln Zephyr, to create the aerodynamically-styled model and construction began on the three-wheeled, front-wheel-drive car. It was pronounced road-worthy in April, 1937.

The Airomobile prototype shown above was driven more than 45,000 miles throughout the United States in a promotional effort to raise production capital. This effort fell short of its target and this was the only Airomobile built.

The 1937 Airomobile prototype featured:

• Engine: Air-Cooled OHV 4-Cylinder Horizontally Opposed
• Bore: 3-7/16 inch
• Stroke: 3-1/2 inch
• Displacement: 129.9 cubic-inches
• Horsepower: 60
• Target Price: $550
• Top Speed: 80 mph
• Fuel Economy: 43.6 mpg

This car was photographed by Douglas Wilkinson at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.

Related Pages

• Remarkable Cars Home Page

Thanks