Personal Project: My Bubble Car Design 1989-2011

 Here is a studio lit shot of My Bubble Car I designed, taken in 1989[ 4x5] of the final 1/2 cutaway model I did at Art Center for Freeman Thomas' studio design class called, Trans-One.[Transportation Design One]

 Back in 2005 I had developed the design quite a bit more, and the newer versions since about 2000, all are looking closer to my 3D Render you see today.

 I did some color and paint tests back in 2007 on the Bubblecar, here is a bright colorful pink.

 I loved the Honda root-beer color back in 2007, so I did a version of The Bubble Car in that too.

 A full chrome version as well, one of my favorites for my Bubble Kar.

 The original project I labeled as a 'VW-Orbit' [ non sponsored project], so in honor of that I did one in the VW New Bug Turbo Green.

 My Bubble Car Concept Design had to be done in RED!

 A clean White Bubble Mini Car.

 Yellow Bubble Car in homage to my favorite band Yello!

 Here is a Geometry shot showing the basic Model, still a Work In Progress[ WIP]

 An explode view showing the base parts including the "People-Pod" the base swing-arm cage, and the wheels with separate power on each.

 Here is an alternate view from below, the mini radial engines are an option I am looking at. I had electric at one time, but the 1989 was "fluid Driven, whit a single engine in the bubbles floor.

Personal Project: My Bubble Car Design 1989-2011

Personal Project

My Bubble Car Design

1989-2011

Every car designer has a look, or specific design they fell in love with early on in their career, and I am no different. My design happened to be my first transportation design, done in my first class project during my 3rd term at Art Center. My instructor was Freeman Thomas. I had left for almost 3 years and this class took place on my first Trimester back at ACCD, so I was very into this project to say the least.

 My Bubble Car is a design that is founded in a few simple designs of the past, namely the VW bug, the Model-T, and the Jeep. All three are very iconic designs IMAO, and I wanted a design that was very unique but also a "World Car", something that would have a timeless feel to it, rather that having a trend affixed like fins or going for a specific look[ hard edge or rounded etc.], I chose the most basic and simple shape I loved, the Sphere.

My basic challenge was to design a car around a perfect sphere so that the "pod" where the two people sat could Gyroptically be balanced[ I will fill you in in future posts on this]. There are many advantages to a perfect sphere as a base for design, and one is that all impact is forced to a single point is space so the shape is the strongest shape you can have, and being this is a micro, or mini car, I wanted it safe.




I plan to post quite a bit more along with the history and sketches I did decades back in the design, and I will also continue with the development. The dream is to build at least ONE!


I plan to post many added images over the next few weeks including all the early sketches I have from school to the most current design version I have done.

Cheers, THOM