# Fun challenge **URL:** \ **Category:** General Discussion\ **Created:** [February 28, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682 "2013-02-28T23:36:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2013, 11:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/1 "2013-02-28T23:36:48Z")
@mleich suggested that the members of [Cartalk.com](http://Cartalk.com) could probably identify every vehicle ever made, which put me in mind of a fun challenge. Let’s see who can identify some fairly obscure cars. Here’s 4. The 4th should be relatively easy, but is an interesting specimen nonetheless: 1: ![](http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy224/midwestcrx/dhc_zps0df3be68.jpg) 2: ![](http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy224/midwestcrx/dz_zpsc8f3d291.jpg) 3: ![](http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy224/midwestcrx/px_zps04776d31.jpg) 4: ![](http://i794.photobucket.com/albums/yy224/midwestcrx/bsv_zps2697e57c.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 12:38am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/2 "2013-03-01T00:38:07Z")
The last one is, I think, a Bricklin. The first is a one-off aquatic vehicle, a car that can be driven in a lake. The second and third are concept cars, but I have no clue what makes they are. ---
**Author:** ![bscar2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar2/32/2468_2.png) [@bscar2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar2)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/3 "2013-03-01T03:21:17Z")
#2 is most likely a Datsun ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 4:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/4 "2013-03-01T04:43:13Z")
I was thinkin’ maybe Fiat because it looks so much like the X-1/9. ---
**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 5:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/5 "2013-03-01T05:56:00Z")
#1 with a quick bing search of ‘‘boat cars’’ I find it a Dobbertin Hydrocar ‘‘surface orbiter’’ built by Rick & Karen Dobbertin. Interesting story about its development and attempted world travel. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 6:08am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/6 "2013-03-01T06:08:28Z")
Ken got #1. TSM got #4. bscar2 and tsm had good guesses on #2. Bscar was closer, but hasn’t gotten it yet. While people are looking up the Dobbertin HydroCar, be sure and check out his other creations. The man is either crazy, or a genius… Or both - but some of his vehicles are pretty inspiring: [Dobbertin Surface Orbiter](http://www.dobbertinhydrocar.com/Dobbertin%20Surface%20Orbiter.html) ---
**Author:** ![bscar2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar2/32/2468_2.png) [@bscar2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar2)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/7 "2013-03-01T21:48:32Z")
1977~78 Nissan Dome Zero concept car ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 10:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/8 "2013-03-01T22:19:12Z")
That’s the one! (though it was just a Dome - Nissan supplied the engine but didn’t build the car). ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2013, 11:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/9 "2013-03-01T23:22:08Z")
I looked for #3 by googling “three wheeled cars of the 1950s”…but could not find a match. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 12:17am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/10 "2013-03-02T00:17:33Z")
The answer surprised me, too. It’s a Pinanfarina (the guys who’ve made some of the most recognizable Ferrari bodies) Model X concept. Not surprisingly, it was tippy as hell in the corners and didn’t generate much interest. It’s a 4-wheeler, btw, though it’s hard to see in that picture - It has 1 wheel in the front, and 1 in the back (both steered) and the 2 side wheels provide the power… An even dumber layout than a 3 wheeler would have been, for my money. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/11 "2013-03-02T00:21:24Z")
Thanks Shadow. That one had me stumped. What a dumb design. ---
**Author:** ![bscar2](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bscar2/32/2468_2.png) [@bscar2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bscar2)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 1:18am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/12 "2013-03-02T01:18:18Z")
sounds even weirder than the Reliant Robin ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 2:11am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/13 "2013-03-02T02:11:43Z")
_ **" Thanks Shadow. That one had me stumped. What a dumb design. "** _ @the same mountainbike, Looks like it was created by moonstruck designers at the beginning of the space race when American cars were growing fins. I think it was more about making a car look like it was A-OK and ready for Lift-Off. Either that or Bonneville Salt Flats rocket car time trials. _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 2:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/14 "2013-03-02T02:13:20Z")
**_Didn’t Craig Breedlove Drive Something That Looked Like That ? CSA_** Aha, Spirit Of America circa 1962 ! - 3 wheels and fin. ---
**Author:** ![meaneyedcatz](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/meaneyedcatz/32/692_2.png) [@meaneyedcatz](https://community.cartalk.com/u/meaneyedcatz)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2013, 11:31am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/15 "2013-03-02T11:31:52Z")
The Bricklin was designed to be a car built around safety, Bumpers and stuff like that. They came in “safety colors” also. There were 5 colors, even safety brown, yeah right! ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 6:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/fun-challenge/77682/16 "2013-03-04T06:33:47Z")
Yeah. A shame it wasn’t very well built, and overheated a lot because of its inadequate radiator design.