I did a little digging and it seems this came out of a DARPA Project in the late 1950s. Chance-Vought eventually won the contract with their Gama Goat: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gama_Goat
+Jeff McCloud yes ...but no one in the military....( I mean the infantry-soldiers), really liked the Gama Goat ....I've heard many stories of army men deliberately trying to " abuse" them in order to get rid of them....The Gama Goat also had the two stroke Detroit 3 cyl. diesel (which was too loud, especially if one considers that it was designed as recognition vehicle !! ) Nevertheless....I DO LOVE the Gama Goat, for a number of reasons.... BUT.... it is not up to date anymore, not for the type of patrol, recon, combat and surveillance duties that the Hmvee masters better !!! And not but least....the Gama Goat lacked of armor ....it was made of aluminum sheet to be light enough to swim... because that was the request of the US Army
So, the question is, why GM never produced on a large scale production line. Wow imagen turning up at the swap meet (or any where else, for that matter) with this truck. The entire concept looks brilliant. Oh and Nadar ain't my friend.
Hope such vehicles return, in a similar small-size vehicle! Mr Musk, or Entrepreneurs everywhere, are you reading?! This is GREAT. Make the rear a swap-able different-use configuration! And...electric! I drove GOATS (oddly similar, right?) in Giessen, FRG, & their noise was beserkly-stupid. Still loved them :-) I'd BUY one!!
If this is a 4 wheel drive, they do not explain it or show it. It looks like only the cab has the drive wheels and that would make it a 2 wheel drive. But in this old film it says it has a Corvair air-cooled engine, a standard Power Glide Transmission and a 2 speed transfer case and 4 wheel drive. If it was a 4 wheel drive, they would have had problems getting power to the back wheels with that articulating cab and they do not show any kind of a drive coupling on the back of that cab unit. On the transfer case they mention. Looking back in to some old manuals of the Corvair, they call the trans-axle a transfer case sometimes and I'm wondering if that is what they mean when they mention the transfer case. Also they mention that it is a two speed transfer case, but that was the standard auto transmission for the Corvair, a two speed transmission. A lot of cars came with a standard 2 speed automatic transmissions back then. An upgrade would have been a 3 speed automatic transmission. Many of you may not know, but back then, when they said the car came with a standard transmission, they meant a 3 speed Manual Shift transmission. Sometimes it meant a 4 speed manual shift trans, but that too was usually an upgrade. Now I could be wrong, this old film doesn't show a lot of detail, but they never show any kind of drive shaft or coupling for the back wheels, especially when they were transferring the cab to another back half. I would think that would be an important point to make, hooking up another specialized back half as they make the point about the special dolly wheels to allow the cab to drive over to the next hook up back half. Without them on the front and back would only wind up on it's back or face. You can see an HD hose when they are showing a close up of the articulating jaw (or yaw) and roll jaw. So it could be that the rear wheels were hydraulically driven, but I doubt that as there is no mention of hydraulics. Unless someone can point out a drive unit for the rear wheels, all I can see is really a 2 drive wheel standard 2 speed automatic/trans-axle. However, that is assuming this has a posi or limited slip trans-axle. If it has the standard axle it would only be a 1 wheel drive cab and would get stuck quick.
There'd be a uni joint in the centre point of the joint, like in articulated dump trucks. Uni joints are usually connected by a 'yoke' , and based on what the video shows, it'd likely be connected to the yoke via a bolt rather than just a pin, which means it can be undone and the cab can drive off from the transfer case
You are right about that. Because of the film quality, so old it has darkened, it is hard to see. But at about 2:28, you can just make out a housing that the 5th wheel is slid over a set of 4 studs with nuts holding it on. Looks like the uni might be connected to a splined yoke much like a driveshaft, that could be slipped together. That would put the uni joint in the center for the articulating joint and the rubber cover would be nutted down to the studs to protect the uni. I guess it would be like a modern C/V joint today. At about 1:25 you can make out what looks like a set of rods that go from the cab to the trailer. They almost look like stabilizers but I'll bet that they are bolted to a swing plate or bar under that trailer that would take the towing load and limit the cabs turn radius to the trailer. I had an uncle that owned a junk yard that I would go through every once and a while and eventually worked there in the early 70's. I remember there was a vehicle he had that had a setup a bit like that. Can't remember what it was, I was just a kid, but I remember the driveshaft had a coupling like that. He had a lot of old and some weird vehicles in that yard. I remember a truck that had an early automatic transmission that had a drum brake set up on the driveshaft for braking the rear wheels. It was not an emergence brake, there were no drum brakes on the rear axle. I remember thinking that you would be in a lot of trouble if the universal joint broke. But thanks for the reply, it made me take a closer look. I had to watch the video a few times but I finally could see the setup you were talking about. It was a very interesting vehicle that could have had a good run in the civilian market. My first car was a Corvair and I loved it. I own 4 at the moment and will be restoring them soon. But I'm in the process of restoring my 68 Camaro at the moment. But I have to admit, that little Corvair was a fun car to drive, if you new how to take care of it. There are more and far better parts today than there was back when I had my first Corvair. They even have O rings that eliminate that oil leak at the valve push rod tubes that was the biggest problem for that engine. Thanks again for your reply. Y'all stay safe.
Looks good, my only observation is to do with the steering geometry, on full lock the front tires will scrub, or scuff as the inner front wheel making the smaller diameter turn is at the same angle as the outer front wheel. Unless there is a very clever variable wheel alignment system, it's gonna kinda suck.....
This thing has a tilt cab. No Corvair-based van or pickup ever had tilt cabs. No GM Van ever had tilt cabs. Dodge had L-Series vans that looked like A-Series ones. Ford considered a medium-duty cabover that looked like the first generation Econoline, but this is the only Corvair or van with a tilt cab.
its was indeed a great idea, an inovation, but guess what, it was all thrown in the trash in favor for the standard body that is still used today with no technical changes, shame...
@@Maples01 I have NEVER! Heard of that happening. .... sounds kinda fishy corvair oil runs around 180' to 220' Oil pressure not temp would rupture a cooler
@@ronpilchowski9898 A leaky cooler dripping oil on an overheating engines causes fire, boy you must be slow, I told you they run hot, the cooler is placed on top of the engine, where do you thing oil leaks end up!
Outstanding, never heard of it. Thanks for sharing.
This is preposterously amazing! Beyond cool! I want one!
That is a great video, thanks for sharing it
Wow, I wish GM made them to be released to the general public. I would gladly obtain one. It looks to be an awesome truck to say the very least.
Ho
Amazing vehicle!
Talk about out of the box thinking! I'm pretty sure GM was working on a lunar design too! Thanks for posting.
i have a ramp-side now to get a load-side and convert it into one of these!
You got to let the public see the progress
its perfect i want one
Coolest truck ever!
that is Seriously COOL! Good job KW
Vggf
I did a little digging and it seems this came out of a DARPA Project in the late 1950s. Chance-Vought eventually won the contract with their Gama Goat:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gama_Goat
+Jeff McCloud yes ...but no one in the military....( I mean the infantry-soldiers), really liked the Gama Goat ....I've heard many stories of army men deliberately trying to " abuse" them in order to get rid of them....The Gama Goat also had the two stroke Detroit 3 cyl. diesel (which was too loud, especially if one considers that it was designed as recognition vehicle !! ) Nevertheless....I DO LOVE the Gama Goat, for a number of reasons.... BUT.... it is not up to date anymore, not for the type of patrol, recon, combat and surveillance duties that the Hmvee masters better !!!
And not but least....the Gama Goat lacked of armor ....it was made of aluminum sheet to be light enough to swim... because that was the request of the US Army
Thanks for sharing!👍
So, the question is, why GM never produced on a large scale production line. Wow imagen turning up at the swap meet (or any where else, for that matter) with this truck. The entire concept looks brilliant. Oh and Nadar ain't my friend.
That thing is crazy......I'd drive one.
Hope such vehicles return, in a similar small-size vehicle! Mr Musk, or Entrepreneurs everywhere, are you reading?! This is GREAT.
Make the rear a swap-able different-use configuration! And...electric! I drove GOATS (oddly similar, right?) in Giessen, FRG, & their noise was beserkly-stupid. Still loved them :-)
I'd BUY one!!
Interesting idea. Wish sound was better, can't hear audio.
I need several.
need to make this with modern engine would sell like hot cakes
Man I would pay money for this.
If this is a 4 wheel drive, they do not explain it or show it. It looks like only the cab has the drive wheels and that would make it a 2 wheel drive. But in this old film it says it has a Corvair air-cooled engine, a standard Power Glide Transmission and a 2 speed transfer case and 4 wheel drive. If it was a 4 wheel drive, they would have had problems getting power to the back wheels with that articulating cab and they do not show any kind of a drive coupling on the back of that cab unit.
On the transfer case they mention. Looking back in to some old manuals of the Corvair, they call the trans-axle a transfer case sometimes and I'm wondering if that is what they mean when they mention the transfer case. Also they mention that it is a two speed transfer case, but that was the standard auto transmission for the Corvair, a two speed transmission. A lot of cars came with a standard 2 speed automatic transmissions back then. An upgrade would have been a 3 speed automatic transmission. Many of you may not know, but back then, when they said the car came with a standard transmission, they meant a 3 speed Manual Shift transmission. Sometimes it meant a 4 speed manual shift trans, but that too was usually an upgrade.
Now I could be wrong, this old film doesn't show a lot of detail, but they never show any kind of drive shaft or coupling for the back wheels, especially when they were transferring the cab to another back half. I would think that would be an important point to make, hooking up another specialized back half as they make the point about the special dolly wheels to allow the cab to drive over to the next hook up back half. Without them on the front and back would only wind up on it's back or face. You can see an HD hose when they are showing a close up of the articulating jaw (or yaw) and roll jaw. So it could be that the rear wheels were hydraulically driven, but I doubt that as there is no mention of hydraulics.
Unless someone can point out a drive unit for the rear wheels, all I can see is really a 2 drive wheel standard 2 speed automatic/trans-axle. However, that is assuming this has a posi or limited slip trans-axle. If it has the standard axle it would only be a 1 wheel drive cab and would get stuck quick.
There'd be a uni joint in the centre point of the joint, like in articulated dump trucks. Uni joints are usually connected by a 'yoke' , and based on what the video shows, it'd likely be connected to the yoke via a bolt rather than just a pin, which means it can be undone and the cab can drive off from the transfer case
You are right about that. Because of the film quality, so old it has darkened, it is hard to see. But at about 2:28, you can just make out a housing that the 5th wheel is slid over a set of 4 studs with nuts holding it on. Looks like the uni might be connected to a splined yoke much like a driveshaft, that could be slipped together. That would put the uni joint in the center for the articulating joint and the rubber cover would be nutted down to the studs to protect the uni. I guess it would be like a modern C/V joint today. At about 1:25 you can make out what looks like a set of rods that go from the cab to the trailer. They almost look like stabilizers but I'll bet that they are bolted to a swing plate or bar under that trailer that would take the towing load and limit the cabs turn radius to the trailer.
I had an uncle that owned a junk yard that I would go through every once and a while and eventually worked there in the early 70's. I remember there was a vehicle he had that had a setup a bit like that. Can't remember what it was, I was just a kid, but I remember the driveshaft had a coupling like that. He had a lot of old and some weird vehicles in that yard. I remember a truck that had an early automatic transmission that had a drum brake set up on the driveshaft for braking the rear wheels. It was not an emergence brake, there were no drum brakes on the rear axle. I remember thinking that you would be in a lot of trouble if the universal joint broke.
But thanks for the reply, it made me take a closer look. I had to watch the video a few times but I finally could see the setup you were talking about. It was a very interesting vehicle that could have had a good run in the civilian market. My first car was a Corvair and I loved it. I own 4 at the moment and will be restoring them soon. But I'm in the process of restoring my 68 Camaro at the moment. But I have to admit, that little Corvair was a fun car to drive, if you new how to take care of it. There are more and far better parts today than there was back when I had my first Corvair. They even have O rings that eliminate that oil leak at the valve push rod tubes that was the biggest problem for that engine.
Thanks again for your reply. Y'all stay safe.
EIBBOR2654 no worries mate :)
This is a great video and makes me want one of these too, but how is it a 4x4 when the cab separates from the bed?
+LBCTITAN It has a PTO (power take-off) to drive the rear wheels.
I have a 65 Chevy corvair but I also have a Chevy quadrasteer truck closest thing to this ever built
Did this have two engines?
Looks good, my only observation is to do with the steering geometry, on full lock the front tires will scrub, or scuff as the inner front wheel making the smaller diameter turn is at the same angle as the outer front wheel. Unless there is a very clever variable wheel alignment system, it's gonna kinda suck.....
what is the date of this film?
This thing has a tilt cab. No Corvair-based van or pickup ever had tilt cabs. No GM Van ever had tilt cabs. Dodge had L-Series vans that looked like A-Series ones. Ford considered a medium-duty cabover that looked like the first generation Econoline, but this is the only Corvair or van with a tilt cab.
its was indeed a great idea, an inovation, but guess what, it was all thrown in the trash in favor for the standard body that is still used today with no technical changes, shame...
They lack much power, the engines were a failure
Corvair engines are still used in airplanes.
A problem Easy to overcome
Lacking power... the same could be said for the model T
@@ronpilchowski9898 Corvairs ran hot, to the point a oil cooler rupture often resulted in fire
@@Maples01 I have NEVER! Heard of that happening. .... sounds kinda fishy corvair oil runs around 180' to 220'
Oil pressure not temp would rupture a cooler
@@ronpilchowski9898 A leaky cooler dripping oil on an overheating engines causes fire, boy you must be slow, I told you they run hot, the cooler is placed on top of the engine, where do you thing oil leaks end up!
Who wants to drive a vehicle where the driver has to put a bag over their head? No body wants to be seen driving something that ugly and that funky.