This hovering space-wagon is a fantastic space age concept car designed by Syd Mead for US Steel in 1961. Knowing full well that the future would all be about electronic rave picnics on the surface of extra-solar alien worlds, Mead saw fit to install a fairly bitching DJ mixer in the back of the vehicle. The gentleman in the mustard slacks at the forefront of the image appears to be some sort of Venusian: notice that his scrawny, horrible legs appear to be twice the length of his torso. Thanks for uploading it to the In The Year 2000 pool, Grain_Edit!
In the other pools: despite highlighting it on Monday, this week’s Electro-Selectro entries were pretty dry. However, props go to J_bary for uploading this image of an electronic nose from the 1950s that sniffed out power-line leaks. Sometimes the most boring things are fascinating: who knew that electrical maintenance men used to use soap bubbles to detect power line leaks before this high-falutin’ electronic nose gadgetry revolutionized the industry? Thanks, J!
Dean, that’s why I said his legs are TWICE the length of his torso. He is definitely not “Mr. Normal”
“power line leaks”? In this case telco trunk line sheath leaks. Telcos still use pressurized main lines. In this way the higher pressure inside the cable sheath keeps moisture from seeping in and mucking up the wires.
awesome! it even comes with a full-sized spare…hover…wheel….
Thanks John for selecting my image of the Syd Mead concept car to post on Boing Boing.
The image above comes from a rare promotional book produced by US Steel in 1961.
On my blog “grain edit”, I posted more images of Syd Mead’s illustration work from the book.
Hey John–you should measure yourself sometime. On average, the legs are usually about half a person’s height. The distance between the bottom of the feet to the knee is generally the same as between the knee and the hip, and the hip to to the shoulders. So Mr. Scrawny is really Mr. Normal.