I can use Cold Start for shameless self-promotion, can’t I? I think I can. I mean, who’s gonna stop me? David? He’s still asleep, covered in cats and motor oil! No, I can do this, because I said I can. Here’s the deal: tomorrow, at 6 pm, at some room called The Fishbowl in Hill Library on the campus of NC State University, I’ll be giving a talk as part of a program they do at NC State called Arts and Your Major, which I think they have to do because State is a technical sort of school, and lots of kids go there and get all into engineering or chemistry or Fibonacci sequences or some crap like that and forget art exists. That’s sad! But I’m going to solve this problem, by talking about cars! Which is how I solve every problem!
Have I written my talk, or made my slides yet? Ha ha ha, no, no I haven’t, thanks for asking. Have I been staying up until 3 am making wall art for the LA Auto Show and trying to catch up on member drawings? Yes, that I’ve been doing, which is why this talk has a non-zero chance of devolving into me ranting and getting dragged off the stage (dias? Bema? platform?) by security guards.
Oh that car up there is a 1931 Wikov Type 35 Kapka, one of the first real streamlined cars built in what is now the Czech Republic. I threw that in because I realize most of you don’t have a chance of making it out to this talk, so I should give you a bit of good car stuff to start your day. And this Wikov is good.
These were sort of an experiment in streamlining on the part of Wikov, keeping with a lot of Czech developments in the aerodynamics field that were happening at the time, and it was built on the chassis of their Wikov 35 cars. Those cars were very conventionally styled, with no regard for wind resistance:
The dramatic shape of the Kapka re-bodied version is very much in keeping with early aerodynamic understanding, which really focused on the ideal “teardrop” form:
While mass production was hoped for, only six of these were actually built. Critics were enwrapt, but it was just too weird for mainstream people, once again proving designer Raymond Loewy’s MAYA maxim (Most Advanced, Yet Acceptable) right.
Anyway, if you’re near NC State, come out and see my talk! Afterwards, you can ask for a slap or hug! Your call!
TBH I just want to hang out with Jason for an afternoon and talk weird cars and practical vehicles the whole time. I don’t drive (the horror!) but it’s actually due to disability — apparently even God Himself (or whomever, I’m not picky-choosey) can’t get MY head on straight! — although I’d not mind riding shotgun in the Changli, to say the least.
You might have to charge that lil thing in between, though — while I don’t live in Raleigh (so you don’t have to deal with Beltline traffic, oh dear lord in heaven the sheer insanity of Beltline traffic), I’m about 30min out from Chapel Hill if you Bo Duke it… 45ish min if you drive halfway sensibly.
But, hey, I like a lot of what you like, and I’ve got one article in particular I want to flatter you shamelessly about in person, so… maybe someday?