The Flying 2CV

THE FLYING 2CV

This Flying 2CV was built by Steve Blair and Gary Fraser to attract traffic at the Forged Metals Company's booth at the 1997 Paris Air Show. They said that "more booth traffic" was their motivation. I think more childish emotions were being expressed here.

Some of you might make a connection to other posts I have done on Navy SEALS. Gary was my first connection to SEAL Rolexes and Tudors. He's on the far left in this photo, just above the watch.

To get the full picture we go back to about 1996. Here’s the first photo of the first car, while its fabrication was just starting. Remember this was in California. They had a particular vision in mind that expressed America / Freedom / Beach Boys / Surf / We Can Do Anything.

In its first version the original Forged Metals Booth Display 2CV was just showing off Forged Metals' capabilities and sense of humor. It was  a gaudy “hot rod” kind of thing and didn’t have wings or pretend to fly.

It did have a trailer with a cocktail bar inside. The upholstery was “cowhide" and you can see on the rear wing a painting of Forged Metals man (he could fly).

Here's Forged Metal Man's neon sign (Gary made him)

 

A little more booth eye candy - the 2CV's neon sign:

Two years later Forged Metals, following Gary's design, turned the hot rod Woodie 2CV into the flying 2CV.

Naturally, Forged Metals was good at metal work.

I’m not sure if all the work was done inside or if they sublet some of it. There was a single wing and a "pusher" engine.

 

Each time the car was taken to Paris, the exterior cosmetics varied from this version - but the car always ran on its own steam. But it never flew.

Sadly the trailer/cocktail bar was sacrificed when they made the wings removable. It was converted into a wing carrier, because it's impossible to drive on public roads with the wings on. Here it is in Paris at the air show. That's Gary standing in front of the car.

The following show saw the same car but with flashier decor tacked on along with Forged Metal Man, the company mascot. It was renamed Spirit of Fontana.

 

In this iteration the seats were made of wicker, like early aircraft seats. No expense was spared.

Another view as the car is coming together.

In a subsequent show the flying car became a stealth flghter. Here it is with my 1985 gray 2CV. This is the first time the cars were together. Gary and I had met earlier and he convinced me he had a "one of a kind 2CV". I demanded proof. Here it is!

I owned the car on the left (as I have since it was only a few months old). 

 

Here is the flying car down on Shelter Island with wings on the trailer. North Island Naval Air Station is in the background.

Here is some of the supporting material, such as a special steath t-shirt 

Fold-up model of the car/plane



Your interpretation may vary ...



The original plans were rescued at great risk from being burnt in Gary's fireplace - you know in any spy movie they burn the evidence before the authorities can see it ...

When Forged Metals was sold, the car went away with the company.  Eventually the new owners donated the car to the San Diego Air & Space Museum.

EPILOGUE

Gary wanted a 2CV of his own and tracked me down and badgered me to sell him my car. After years of pestering, I finally sold him this car in 2003 or 2004. I had 5 2CVs at that time, so I could spare one. This car, which was slightly famous from featuring in an Attack of the Killer Tomatoes movie starring John Astin. Here it is in 1990 being "driven" by the heroine, Angela Visser, formerly Miss Universe.

After a couple years owning my car, Gary repainted it and put the wood panels from the first Forged Metals car onto it (he had saved these for a decade in his basement). So the gray car now has these wooden panels from the first generation flying car.

Here we are visiting the Flying 2CV on a gray day a couple years ago. It's a bit forlorn, sitting in a field, used only at parades and such.

I stopped to see it a few weeks ago with a friend from Germany. Notice the sunshine!

Sadly Gary did not live long enough to convert the Tree CV into yet another Flying 2CV. When he passed away, I got the car back along with all the supporting materials. I decided to repaint the neon sign in appreciation of the car's current appearance.

Mike