HONOLULU, Feb. 26, 2013 /PRNewswire/ — The Lane Motor Museum has contracted with Thrustcycle Enterprises LLC to restore the gyroscopic system for the 1967 Gyro-X in celebration of Alex Tremulis' 100th birthday in 2014. Featured on the cover of the September 1967 edition of Science and Mechanics, the Gyro-X was designed by Tremulis and built by Troutman and Barnes. Thomas O. Summers developed the car's gyroscopic system and was issued a U.S. patent for it in September of 1969.
Thrustcycle Enterprises LLC will be restoring the Gyro-X's gyroscopic and related control systems to function as designed in 1967, while the rest of the vehicle is being restored by the Lane Motor Museum at their restoration shop. "The Gyro-X uses hydraulic controls and a gyroscopic system that is quite different from what we're building today for our other vehicles," says David Ryker, Thrustcycle's Chief Technical Director. "Hydraulics present certain challenges for us, while also allowing us to do some things better than with pure electrics. There is definitely a place for hydraulics in energy recapture for certain types of vehicles." Ryker is familiar with the system as he was advised for his own gyroscopic vehicle in the 1990's by Summers. "It's an honor to be asked to restore the system created by the man I consider my mentor," says Ryker. He continues:
Alex Tremulis and Thomas Summers dreamt of creating vehicles that are more efficient than anything out there today. Better aerodynamics, less rolling resistance, and the ability to efficiently recapture energy normally lost to braking were all important to them. They also believed that gyroscopes would enable safer in-line vehicles by providing better control and preventing wheels from sliding out from under the vehicle during turns. When completed, the Gyro-X will not only be a historic vehicle, it will also be a technological marvel, even by today's standards. The Gyro-X will be the only gyroscopically stabilized vehicle with a hydraulic flywheel kinetic energy recovery system (KERS). We would like to thank Jeff Lane and the Lane Motor Museum for letting us participate in the restoration.
Alexander Sarantos Tremulis (born on January 23, 1914) was a famed industrial designer who was inducted into the Automobile Hall of Fame in 1982. His illustrious career included positions in Cord Automobile, Duesenberg, General Motors, Tucker Car Corporation and Ford Motor Company. Tremulis designed the gyroscopically stabilized Gyro-X for Gyro Transport Systems Inc. He also designed a streamlined motorcycle Gyronaut X-1, which won the land speed record at Bonneville in 1966.
The Lane Motor Museum is home to rare and unique vehicles, as well as those that have been influential to the development of transportation. Boasting the largest collection of European vehicles in the U.S, the museum is located 3 miles from downtown Nashville, TN. The Lane Motor Museum features a collection of 150 unusual cars and motorcycles not typically seen in the U.S.
Thrustcycle Enterprises LLC specializes in gyroscopic stabilization and control technology, and energy efficient transportation systems.
Contact:
Clyde Igarashi
Email
http://thrustcycle.com/