Lord K's Garage #131: 1936 Stout Scarab

The Stout Scarab was an aerodynamic masterpiece that featured a rear-engine layout, flow through ventilation, concealed running boards, and modular seating.

Not only did it have a unit construction body made out of light aluminum, it featured the famous Ford flathead V8 engine placed at the rear driving the rear wheels via a Stout-built three-speed manual transaxle. It has a 135-inch wheelbase, 4-wheel independent coil spring suspension, and the most spacious cabin of any American car as the result of no running boards and no drive shaft tube.

(Photo by sjb4photos @ Flickr)

(Via paul.malon @ Flickr)

(Via aldenjewell @ Flickr)

Designed by William Stout, an aeronautical engineer (of the Ford Tri-Motor and Pullman Railcar fame), the Scarabs were produced in very limited numbers, with only nine examples built. Part of their rarity was due to their $5,000 price tag per vehicle, an incredibly steep price in the post-Great Depression era. However, Scarabs did find homes with some of America's industrial giants. Scout Scarabs resided in the garages of the Wrigleys (chewing gum), the Dows (chemicals), the Strahanans (Champion Spark Plugs) and the Firestones. Mr. Stout was a close friend of these pioneers as well as Henry Ford.

(Via aldenjewell @ Flickr)

(Via paul.malon @ Flickr)

The designer had a lot of ideas - he wanted to build an aerocar:

(Via paul.malon @ Flickr)

and a trailer home on the Scarab platform:

(Via paul.malon @ Flickr)

Of nine Scarabs built, each one was unique, with custom trim and ornamentation.

(Via paul.malon @ Flickr)

This particular car which was sold to a French publishing magnate and spent its entire life in France, supposedly used by General Eisenhower in North Africa and then by General DeGaulle.

(Photo by Pat Durkin - Orange County, CA @ Flickr)

It was then used by a circus to house monkeys until Philippe Charbonneaux, a French automotive designer, bought it in the early sixties for his museum.

Another car was a part of the once-famous Harrah Collection - completely restored by its present owner:

(Photo by gswetsky @ Flickr)

(Photo by gswetsky @ Flickr)

In 1946, Mr. Stout created his last car, the Project Y, a revamped Scarab. Only one was built.

(Photo by sjb4photos @ Flickr)

(Photo by DmentD @ Flickr)

Just like the prewar Stouts and its contemporary, the Tucker Torpedo, it was ahead of its time.

(Photo by Pat Durkin - Orange County, CA @ Flickr)

Source: conceptcarz.com

Headline image via paul.malon @ Flickr