(Before restoration.) The American attempt at an air-cooled "people's" car failed, despite the car having a unique aerodynamic design that set it apart from most other cars. Even though it achieved nearly 44 mpg, the futuristic model didn't captivate Americans ~ nor the important financial backers that could have provided capital to launch this prototype into mass production. "Following the closure of the Franklin Automobile Co. in 1934, former Franklin engineers Carl Doman and Edward Marks organized their own firm to develop a new air-cooled engine design," according to the National Automobile Museum. "Paul Lewis of Denver, Colo., conceived the idea for this futuristic automobile in the early 1930s, and in 1936, contracted with Doman and Marks to build a prototype. "Working from an aerodynamically styled model created by John Tjaarda, a designer of the Lincoln-Zephyr, construction began on the unusual three-wheeled front- wheel-drive Airomobile and it was pronounced road-ready in April 1937." The National Car Museum's Airomobile prototype was driven more than 45,000 miles through the United States in an effort to raise production capital. "While the Airomobile proved itself a technical success by performing creditably at speeds of up to 80 mph and averaging 43.6 mph of fuel, financial backing was not forthcoming. "Although intended as a low-cost mass-produced people's car, this was the only Airomobile produced." MODEL 1937 Airomobile, experimental sedan BUILT BY Lewis American Airways Inc. Rochester, N.Y. PRICE $550 (projected) ENGINE Doman-Marks air-cooled OHV horizontally opposed 4-cylinder, 60 hp. BORE 3 1/2 inch STROKE 3 1/2 inch DISPLACEMENT 129.9 cubic inch

(Before restoration.) The American attempt at an air-cooled "people's" car failed, despite the car having a unique aerodynamic design that set it apart from most other cars. Even though it achieved nearly 44 mpg, the futuristic model didn't captivate Americans ~ nor the important financial backers that could have provided capital to launch this prototype into mass production. "Following the closure of the Franklin Automobile Co. in 1934, former Franklin engineers Carl Doman and Edward Marks organized their own firm to develop a new air-cooled engine design," according to the National Automobile Museum. "Paul Lewis of Denver, Colo., conceived the idea for this futuristic automobile in the early 1930s, and in 1936, contracted with Doman and Marks to build a prototype. "Working from an aerodynamically styled model created by John Tjaarda, a designer of the Lincoln-Zephyr, construction began on the unusual three-wheeled front- wheel-drive Airomobile and it was pronounced road-ready in April 1937." The National Car Museum's Airomobile prototype was driven more than 45,000 miles through the United States in an effort to raise production capital. "While the Airomobile proved itself a technical success by performing creditably at speeds of up to 80 mph and averaging 43.6 mph of fuel, financial backing was not forthcoming. "Although intended as a low-cost mass-produced people's car, this was the only Airomobile produced." MODEL 1937 Airomobile, experimental sedan BUILT BY Lewis American Airways Inc. Rochester, N.Y. PRICE $550 (projected) ENGINE Doman-Marks air-cooled OHV horizontally opposed 4-cylinder, 60 hp. BORE 3 1/2 inch STROKE 3 1/2 inch DISPLACEMENT 129.9 cubic inch