Monowheel circa 1952, photos by Dean Loomis. WW2 was just over, and anything was possible

These were all photographed for Life magazine, as this was being prepped to get to a motorshow in 1952. Sleuths who try to figure out where, would need to look for a Bob's Speedo Service and a Hancock gas station in 1952.

Found on http://interweb3000.blogspot.com/2012/02/vintage-monowheel.html
via http://thenewcaferacersociety.blogspot.com

The monowheels in Men In Black 3 look a lot like this one http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2012/03/men-in-black-3-mib3-is-going-to-be.html

New Cafe Racer Society blogspot always has cool stuff, here's just a sample of recent posts

 this guy above should be given a medal for being an inspiration to make the thing you want when no one sells one. Take a Vespa, use it to power a watercraft. Brilliant, and fuel efficient I bet. When you get to the otherside of the water, dismount the scooter and use it to get around, then return to find no one has stolen your watercraft cause no one can figure out how!

 how to make an innertube tire, and why

 Above: in the words of Jack Benny "Now that's just silly"

 Awesome useful art

"damn" and "it". My hat is off to it's creative maker!

For a lot more cool motorcycle related stuff: http://thenewcaferacersociety.blogspot.com

1960 Duetsch Bonnet HBR5 Coupe, it's French, and in 1959 this company was proud of it's LeMans competition entry

 fiberglass body

 Hardcore rally clocks

 Air cooled brake drum out where it car do some cooling good! Good design feature

1948 Tasco prototype, first car with t tops... which the designer patented, and sued GM for using on the 68 Vette without licensing

 a Derham-bodied prototype for a post-WWII American sports car and featured airplane inspired controls. It is a one-off vehicle designed by Gordon Buehrig. it is the first car in the world with a T-top roof. Buehrig patented the idea and sued GM when they used it on the 1968 Corvette. He received very little for his patent. This unique car includes fiberglass steerable front fenders. Mr. Richie Clyne donated this car to the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Automobile Museum.

The company name 'Tasco' is an abbreviation for 'The American Sportscar Company.' This mostly-aluminum prototype was created to inspire a contract with the Beech Aircraft Company for production of an aviation-styled automobile. from http://www.conceptcarz.com/events/eventVehicle.aspx?carID=15182&eventID=200&catID=1551

Valiant 100 (1967?) with a very carefully planned exhaust that is completely insulated to cut the noise down

 the tailpipes exiting like this caught my attention

Brake light sockets... real good places for electrical safety cut off switches for serious drag racing cars with truck mounted battery boxes

\

the Cyclemaster motor

Found on http://southsiders-mc.blogspot.com/ I believe

The above is from a Blog devoted to the Cyclemaster http://cyclemaster.wordpress.com/ thanks for the link from Vincent!

Auto Enthusiast March 2012 has an article on the Justice Brothers Racing Cars musuem, and the Smith Master Valve Special...

 I learned that the above, a Sprint Car built in the very early 1930's was only raced once, at 100mph for 35 miles, and then sat in a San Antonio garage for 51 years. That is a terribly sad story.

The engine is a 1928 Chevy, but the head is a patented Rotary Valve piece, and that is remarkable. More jaw dropping is that it was made by a guy who got only to 5th grade in school.

the Firestone balloon tires have no tread.

images from http://www.streetrodderweb.com/features/1002_justice_brothers_racing_museum/photo_07.html