FLLW and His Cars

[SWSinDC]

Has anyone seen a good book or article on Frank Lloyd Wright and his cars? His love of automobiles (the faster, the better) is well known. I have long thought that, had he been fifteen years younger and coming of age at the start of the automobile era, he may have been lured into car design.

[KevinW]

FLLW Quarterly Spring 1997 features the following articles;

Architecture and the Automobile

FLLW's cars

The Lincoln Continentals

[guestnow]

I find the cars fascinationg, from the early cantilevered car early-on, to the later tractor-based Broadacre illustrations.



I wonder what practicality problems exist of the Broadacre designs. They apparently have four wheels, but instead of the usual rectangular layout, you have two large wheels on the side and small front and back wheels.

[SWSinDC]

I find the cars fascinationg, from the early cantilevered car early-on, to the later tractor-based Broadacre illustrations.



I wonder what practicality problems exist of the Broadacre designs. They apparently have four wheels, but instead of the usual rectangular layout, you have two large wheels on the side and small front and back wheels.

The wheels are hardly the problem. The solar hemicycle windshield creates far too much drag, and the cut-out side windows let the cold in. The low roof does help with aerodynamics, but the natural stone driver's-side drum tends to weigh the car down.

[Guest]

You can see some examples here:



http://www.fba.fh-darmstadt.de/lehrinha ... ty%201.jpg



This is just one of a few variations. This one appears to have resemblance to what would happen if you took Goldmember's car (Austin Powers) and put Aztec calendars on the sides.

[DRN]

The car in the Broadacre renderings has always seemed to be at odds with Wright's other experience with cars.

He had great taste in cars: '07-8? Stoddard Dayton, mid 20's Packard, Cord L29, Cord 810, Lincoln Zephyr, Lincoln Continental '40 convertible & '41 coupe, '55 Mercedes sedan, Wright was even described in a book "Automobiles by Architects" as having been enamoured with the '55 Citroen DS19.

Why would he design such a tall, bulbous, and awkward car when he was normally drawn to cars known for long, svelte, sleek lines? The Broadacre "road machine" was to be driven like a horse drawn cab of old London with the driver high and at the back with the passengers in a separate lower compartment between the large wheels. Why so ungainly a design and with such a high center of gravity, not to mention the poor ride characteristics of seating over the axle?

Wright no longer drove much at the point the car was designed; he had apprentice chauffeurs. The design gave privacy to the occupants, something I'm sure he and Olgavanna wanted when riding in the Lincolns.

[hertz]

H.F. Johnson, Jr. was about half of Wright's age, and a skeptical potential client, when Jack Ramsey, the general manager of SC Johnson, persuaded him to go to Spring Green to meet Wright and discuss the company's proposed new office building. They were weeks away from building another architect's design, which they were not happy with. (You can see the design in "Wright in Racine").



Johnson and Wright argued about everything that day in July, 1936. The only thing they agreed on was their choice of cars: Lincoln Zephyrs. Johnson fired the other architect the next day, and became a client, friend, and patron of Wright.

Mark Hertzberg

[av8r1]

Carla Lind, in her book "The Wright Style" refrences FLW's red 1940 Lincoln in the section of the book which deals with his favorite color...Red.

Pdean.

[guestnow]

....a particular shade usually referred to as "Cherokee Red", which turns up in his buoldings as well.

[Guest]

The Auburn-Cord-Dusenberg Museum in Auburn, IN has Mr. Wright

[tonydeardorff]

The A-C-D Museum has the Cord L29, which is beautiful. They also have a Crosley which was the car for the apprentises that you were refering to.



Also, Joel Silver owns Wright's two Cherokee Red Lincolns. He showed them at last years Concours de Elegance at Pebble Beach, but I believe he keeps them at Auldbrass.

[Peter Beers]

Now that would be a great trip. Stay the weekend at the Haynes House and visit the Auburn/Cord museum. I think that one's definitely going to have to happen.



Thanks for reminding me about that.



Pete

[Wes Barwick]

Thanks for mentioning that Peter. I think I will try to do that myself this year. However, it will probably have to wait until after the Schwartz house.

[apboy2]

The Haynes House can be rented? Does anyone have details? (thanks in advance.)











"Well, there you are!"

[NickSpellman]

The website is: www.hayneshousellc.com