Mystery Cars

2

TV-G
In the 1950's, America had broken free from the shackles of wartime economics. It was walking with the swagger of a Nation that had the world by the tail. Scientists had harnessed nuclear energy. Jetpropelled airplanes were breaking speed records... and the race to space was on! But perhaps more than anything else, one thing melded imagination and consumerism, putting this era in perfect context: The concept car.

Where to Watch Mystery Cars • 2

12 Episodes

  • 1940 BRC (Jeep); 1955 Flajole Forerunner
    E1
    1940 BRC (Jeep); 1955 Flajole ForerunnerExamining how the mood of the nation before the Second World War influences the creation of the first Jeep in 1940 and how the political climate of 1955 inspires the Flajole Forerunner.
  • 1960 Plymouth XNR; 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne
    E2
    1960 Plymouth XNR; 1955 Chevrolet BiscayneThe story of how the 1960 Plymouth XNR is saved from a bombed out garage in Beruit and how the 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne is rescued from a junkyard in Michigan.
  • 1948 Tucker; 1934 Bendix
    E3
    1948 Tucker; 1934 BendixThe world of automotive design is full of rebels. Preston Tucker shook up the "Big three" when he introduced the Tucker Sedan in 1948. Vincent Bendix was much more secretive when he created the 1934 Bendix SWC.
  • Stainless Steel Fords; 1953 Chrysler Special
    E4
    Stainless Steel Fords; 1953 Chrysler SpecialFord's partnership with an American steel giant in 1936 produces a trio of stainless steel cars. Chrysler's partnership with an Italian body maker produces the 1953 Chrysler Special.
  • 1947 Woody Studebaker; 1953 Buick Wildcat
    E5
    1947 Woody Studebaker; 1953 Buick WildcatStudebaker tries to make a wood panelled station wagon in 1947, while Buick makes their foray into the world of fibreglass in 1953 with their Buick Wildcat I.
  • Trifon Airflow; Westinghouse Electric car
    E6
    Trifon Airflow; Westinghouse Electric carChrysler tries to make their cars more fuel efficient by testing the 1932 Trifon in a wind tunnel. Westinghouse attempts to save gas by building an electric powered car in 1967.
  • 1958 Fancy Free; 1956 Packard Predictor
    E7
    1958 Fancy Free; 1956 Packard PredictorIn 1958 Chrysler tries to figure out what female buyers wanted in a car and builds the "Fancy Free." Two years earlier Packard looks into the future with their 1956 Packard Predictor.
  • 1941 Chrysler Newport & Thunderbolt; 1960 Beatnik Bandit
    E8
    1941 Chrysler Newport & Thunderbolt; 1960 Beatnik BanditSize does matter. In 1941 Chrysler introduces two giant concept cars: the Thunderbolt and the Newport. In 1960 artist Ed Roth debuts his tiny "Beatnik Bandit."
  • 1938 Phantom Corsair; 1954 Packard Panther
    E9
    1938 Phantom Corsair; 1954 Packard PantherThe 1938 Phantom Corsair starts the entire car industry looking toward the future. The 1954 Packard Mitchell Panther on the other hand is a desperate final gasp for a failing company.
  • 1933 Dymaxion; 1955 LaSalle Roadster & Sedan
    E10
    1933 Dymaxion; 1955 LaSalle Roadster & SedanAt first glance, the 1933 Dymaxion looks more like a blimp than a car, but it goes fast. The 1955 LaSalle Roadster and Sedan didn't look like much of anything when they were found in the Warhoops junkyard.
  • 1957 Simca Special; 1959 Scimitar Station Wagon
    E11
    1957 Simca Special; 1959 Scimitar Station WagonVirgil Exner Jr – the son of the most famous car designer in America – has a few bold design ideas of his own including the Simca Special. The 1959 Scimitar Station Wagon embodies a different kind of bold idea. It proposes Aluminum as a new material for car makers.
  • 1966 AMC AMX; 1954 DeSoto Adventure II
    E12
    1966 AMC AMX; 1954 DeSoto Adventure IIThe 1966 AMC AMX had a rear window that would flip up to become a windshield for passengers in the "Ramble Seat." The 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II had a rear window that slid down into its elongated tail section.

 

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