Drawing of the Ford Gyron, "Shape," December 1959

Summary

Ford Motor Company revealed its Gyron concept car in 1961. Designers intended for a gyroscope to keep the two-wheeled car upright, but the technology was too expensive for a show car. Instead, the fiberglass Gyron used outrigger wheels to keep its balance while an electric motor moved it at 5 mph. The Gyron was destroyed in the 1962 Ford Rotunda fire.

Ford Motor Company revealed its Gyron concept car in 1961. Designers intended for a gyroscope to keep the two-wheeled car upright, but the technology was too expensive for a show car. Instead, the fiberglass Gyron used outrigger wheels to keep its balance while an electric motor moved it at 5 mph. The Gyron was destroyed in the 1962 Ford Rotunda fire.

Artifact

Photographic print

Subject Date

08 December 1959

Collection Title

William Shenk Papers 

 On Exhibit

By Request in the Benson Ford Research Center

Object ID

90.1.1745.17

Credit

From the Collections of The Henry Ford. Gift of William B. Shenk.

Material

Paper (Fiber product)

Technique

Gelatin silver process

Color

Black-and-white (Colors)

Dimensions

Height: 8.75 in

Width: 11 in

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