1975 TCMCC Dale Mock-Up
Quick Specs
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Dale Clifft
Quirky Three-Wheeler, Quirkier History
Built in the Los Angeles suburb of Encino, the Dale was inspired by the 1974 Commutercycle designed by inventor Dale Clifft. Clifft had sold his concept for a three-wheel economy car to G. Elizabeth Carmichael, an entrepreneurial transgender woman who at the time was wanted on counterfeiting charges filed out of state during the time she had been presenting as a man named Jerry Dean Michael. Only three Dales were made: a poorly constructed operational prototype, this non-running mock-up, and a styling mock-up. The body shell of a fourth example was also fabricated, but never finished. With the Dale promoted as combining 70 miles-per-gallon fuel economy with 85 miles-per-hour performance, the fuel crisis of the mid-1970s enabled Carmichael to raise over $2 million from unwary investors before her arrest and ultimate conviction on fraud and other charges.
Collection of the Petersen Automotive Museum.
This vehicle featured in ‘The Vault’.
1975 TCMCC Dale Mock-Up Gallery
Vehicle Imagery may be used for personal, media editorial, or educational purposes. Please credit Petersen Automotive Museum, petersen.org, if used. Photos may not be used for commercial purposes.
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