Today’s Chrysler Town & Country minivan includes second row seats that turn 180 degrees to face the rear. While this feature may seem unusual, even revolutionary, it’s hardly a recent innovation. In 1936, the Stout Scarab had this feature and even more forward-looking features. What’s the Stout Scarab, you might ask?
William Bushnell Stout
In 1936, Detroit engineering genius William Bushnell Stout created his experimental commercial vehicle, the Scarab. At the time, Stout was primarily known as an aircraft designer, but his dream was to build the ultimate smooth-riding automobile. Unlike other designers of streamlined vehicles who were proponents of aeronautic design, Stout believed that the body design of road-bound vehicles should resemble earth-bound creatures like turtles or beetles rather than birds. And thus was born the Stout Scarab.
The Tin Goose
It wasn’t that Stout was against aeronautic design; after all, he had made his reputation as an engineer after building the first all-steel body airplane. He built 15 of these planes before selling his airplane company to Henry Ford. He then went to work for Ford Motors in Dearborn as a chief aeronautic engineer, eventually creating the bestselling Ford tri-motor airplane or “tin goose.” Stout, however, had some design conflicts with old man Ford and left the company with the idea of building his own line of automobiles.
The Stout Scarab
While the Stout Scarab’s body design was laughingly compared to a loaf of bread, it was far ahead of its time, inspiring VW’s highly successful microbus of the 1960s and 70s. The Scarab’s body was a sturdy all-aluminum tubular airframe covered with aluminum panels. It had a living room-like interior complete with fold-down table and movable reclining seats, except for the driver seat. But it was the Scarab’s uniquely designed independent four-wheel suspension system that was the standout feature. To demonstrate the smoothness of the ride, Stout would place a glass of water on the fold-down table and drive the car for a distance without spilling a drop of water. He even claimed that he had driven a Scarab from Detroit to San Francisco without spilling a drop.
Other unique first-time Stout Scarab features included a rear-mounted Ford V-8 engine, thermostatically controlled heat and electric door locks. Only nine Stout Scarabs were ever built. The main drawback besides its unusual body design was its $5000 price tag, a hefty amount when compared to the average Cadillac which went for $3500.
The End
After World War II, William Bushnell Stout attempted to revive the Scarab, only this time with a fiberglass body. Unfortunately, this dream never came to pass.
In 1956, at the time of his death, Stout was working on an airplane with a wing design similar to flying insects.
About five of the original nine Stout Scarabs are still known to exist.
