Info für Besucher ohne Javascript

Premium

Davis Divan - It's hard to stand on three wheels

This article was auto-translated. We apologize if some words are confusing or simply amusing. Would you like to help us improve?

Created on February 23, 2022

Reading time 14min

Written by:

Paul Krüger

Photos:

Gabor Mayer / Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

14

Archiv

15

Gabor Mayer / Courtesy of RM Sotheby's

14

Archiv

15

Davis Divan (1948) – Dreirädriges Zukunftsauto von Gary Davis

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Der erste "Serien"-Davis nach zwei Prototypen

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Einer von nur 13 Stück

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Klappscheinerwerfer mit Seilzug

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Schlichtes Heck mit grossem Kofferraum

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Torpedoform mit stark gewölbten Scheiben

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Elfteilige Aluminiumkarosserie

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Scheint aus diesem Blickwinkel fast zu schweben

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Konventionelle Heckansicht

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Hercules-Vieryzlinder mit 47 PS

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Seitenventiler mit 2175 cm3 Hubraum

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Vollständige Uhrensammlung mit Drehzahlmesser und Tacho bis 160 mph

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Über 700 Liter fassendes Gepäckabteil

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Winziges Rücklicht und schöner Schriftzug

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Vorführung auf einem Flugplatz in Kalifornien

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis "Baby" Three-Wheeler (1947) – Der erste Prototyp in einem Zeitungsausschnitt

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Fahrgestell zur Erprobung und Fahrwerksabstimmung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Vier Passagiere passen nebeneinander auf die Sitzbank

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Pickup Delivery (1948) – Illustration aus dem Prospekt

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Station Wagon (1948) – Illustration aus dem Prospekt

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Seven Passenger Sedan (1948) – Illustration aus dem Prospekt

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Four Passenger "Divan Sedan" (1948) – Illustration aus dem Prospekt

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1947) – Gary Davis neben seinem Zukunftsauto

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Schlichtes Cockpit mit sehr weit nach links gerücktem Lenkrad

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Durchsichtszeichnung für Rahmen und Technik

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Durchsichtszeichnung für die Karosseriestruktur

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) – Pressefoto zur Demonstration des abnehmbaren Hardtops

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) - in der Presse / Werbung

When logged in, you see more images in larger size.

Davis Divan (1948) - in der Presse / Werbung

You have only

1 out of 29

images seen in high resolution

Summary

A broken promise of the car of the future, a lot of disgruntled investors and an undignified end in court - Preston Tucker wasn't the only one to go down the drain with his ambitious car project. Gary Davis from California also lost his way with his tricycle, which was supposed to be the car for the people and ended up being far too expensive - especially for him. This article tells the story of the failure of the Davis Divan and shows it in historical, current and even moving images.

This article contains the following chapters

Kraft car
Aviation knowledge and aircraft factory
Ironing baby
Premiere and promotion
Delta and Divan
Luxury living for the boss
A first test report
Two lawsuits and three cars
Epilogue
One of twelve survivors

Estimated reading time: 14min

Preview (beginning of the article)

"Over four years ago, Gary Davis came up with the idea of the future car described here. He was driving a new, 10,000-dollar custom-bodied car he had designed for a movie star and had just delivered to her Beverly Hills estate. Purring barely audibly to itself, the large car approached a traffic light on Wilshire Boulevard. While pedestrians admired the gleaming sleigh, Davis ran the red stop signal with a twinkle in his eye, lost in thought. He had an idea! Why shouldn't he build a really good, affordable car? Why not a really 'mass-market' automobile? He had already sold hundreds of expensive production cars to Philadelphia's top ten thousand; he had already designed plenty of luxury specialty cars for stars, oil millionaires and other wealthy Californians. Now he would create an entirely new car for 'Mr. and Mrs. America'."

Welcome to Zwischengas!

Continue reading this article for free?

Photos of this article

Source: