The 1932 Helicron, discovered in a French warehouse in 2000, is an automotive unicorn. Older vehicles used propellers for propulsion, creating the tough, hard-to-drive cars that are now in Tennessee. A new video from the Barcroft Cars YouTube channel provides a comprehensive overview of the vehicle that perfectly encapsulates its uniqueness.
The Helicron is completely rebuilt, and it’s road legal, rotating propellers and all. The car has been completely restored with as many genuine parts as possible. However, some things need to be made, like the propeller shroud. The gauges should also be repaired, although the dashboard of the car is still original, along with the 19-inch wire wheels, headlights, brake pedal, steering wheel, light switch, steering wheel and type plate.
It measures 14 feet long, and steers the rear wheels. The original designer flipped the chassis, placing the engine compartment at the front and the steering wheel at the rear, which made it frustrating to drive with its large turning circle. The length doesn’t help.
The original engine is not found on the car, which is a flat two motor. Instead, the restoration process resulted in a more powerful and modern engine from Citroen that drives a propeller, with a crankshaft that is directly coupled to the blade hub. It has a fixed support with a climbing pitch, which helps the car accelerate because it is not fast. A simple hill may require the driver to get out of the vehicle to push it, but the steering, accelerator and brake pedals are easily accessible from outside the car, making it slightly safer to drive than modern vehicles.
It 1932 Helicron unlike other cars. Instead of the engine turning a drive shaft that rotates the tires, this engine uses a simpler design – a propeller. These cars often use simple and efficient motorcycle engines. The idea never worked, and many propeller-driven vehicles from the era failed to survive. They are a testament to our creativity, ingenuity and, perhaps, the hubris of our time.
