Photograph credit score: Cool Concepts
In 1943, because the Netherlands struggled underneath Nazi rule, Hub van Doorne, co-founder of DAF, dreamed up a car so outlandish it may solely thrive throughout these instances Meet the DAF Cell Raincoat, a three-wheeled oddity that blended automotive and motorbike with a daring streak. At simply 80 centimeters extensive, it may squeeze by way of an everyday door—a characteristic that wasn’t simply good, it was a refined insurgent yell.
Weighing a lightweight 330 kilos, the Cell Raincoat was a feather in a sea of cumbersome wartime gear. Its lone entrance wheel, pushed by a 150cc ILO four-stroke engine, managed a peppy 45 km/h—not precisely a velocity king, however strong for a motorized tricycle with huge ambitions. DAF’s personal hydraulic torque converter, a sneak peek at their later Variomatic, smoothed out the trip, modest because it was. The true magic? That entrance wheel may swivel 180 levels. No reverse gear wanted when your entrance finish may simply twirl round.
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Its dimension and nimbleness turned the Cell Raincoat right into a wartime shapeshifter. At 31.5 inches extensive, it slipped by way of doorways, letting homeowners stash it indoors—secure from nosy Nazis or grab-happy troops. The foldable canvas roof, a fast escape hatch if it tipped onto its single aspect door, added a sensible edge. Positive, muddy tire tracks on the lounge ground would possibly’ve ruffled some feathers, but it surely was a small commerce for conserving the trip safe.
After the struggle, the Cell Raincoat discovered a brand new highlight: the circus. Its pint-sized body and quirky allure made it a clown favourite.Born in a time of gas rationing, it sipped sparingly—a should when each drop counted.
Hub van Doorne’s objective wasn’t to mass-produce a automotive; it was to make a press release. He believed everybody deserved wheels, even within the bleakest days. The Cell Raincoat, now showcased on the DAF Museum in Eindhoven, by no means hit manufacturing, however that solely boosts its mystique—a frozen second of 1 man’s gritty creativity outsmarting a harsh actuality.
Historical past doesn’t rejoice the Cell Raincoat for velocity or luxurious; it cheers its guts. This was a trip that smirked at wartime limits, on the notion that innovation ought to kneel to wrestle. Each quirky angle and odd element spins a story of grit, of a Dutch engineer who noticed a problem and crafted an answer that was as sensible because it was wild. The Cell Raincoat didn’t win the struggle, but it surely redefined what a automotive could possibly be—a tiny, three-wheeled proof of human spark, nonetheless cruising our minds a long time on.
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