 |
| |
1954 Pontiac Firebird I, Driver Mauri Rose |
|
In support of the GM Research experimental turbine engine program, GM Styling developed the 1954 GM Firebird I, an aerodynamic vehicle powered by a turbine engine. The idea of the GM experimental Firebird originated with Harley J. Earl, GM Vice President in charge of the styling staff, who also designed its fiberglass reinforced plastic body. The car's Whirlfire Turbo-Power engine and the chassis were developed under the direction of GM Vice President Charles L. McCuen, General Manager of GM Research Laboratories Division. The aircraft motif was evident in the car's ‘needle’ nose, delta wings swept back along the rear half of the body, a vertical tail fin and a plastic bubble over the driver's cockpit. On a completely streamlined vehicle like the Firebird, a tail fin or some flat vertical surface behind the car's center of gravity was needed to give the body directional stability or to hold it on course when it was in motion. The Firebird's power comes from the power turbine, rather than the thrust of exhaust gas through a tail cone, such as the high-velocity thrust that propels a turbo-jet aircraft.
Official GM Photograph from the General Motors Media Archives.
This image is available as a framed or unframed museum quality archive print that will last a lifetime and be a personal treasure of the history of General Motors.
GM PhotoStore images are printed as a matte finish and continuous tone with a full bleed. The images have exceptionally sharp detail at an apparent resolution of 4000 dpi. Note: some images may be cropped to fit print size.
You may also order this image printed on one of our PhotoGift items such as a mug or mousepad. PhotoGifts take 10-14 days to produce and are only available in the USA.
|
|
|
