The Stout Scarab – A Fab Minivan From…1935?

1935 Stout Scarab (via COMPLEX MAG)

1935 Stout Scarab – Rear (via COMPLEX MAG)

The Scarab was the first to ever do it, as far as minivan-type vehicles go. Designed by the “Father of Aviation,” William Stout, who designed the Ford tri-motor airplane for Henry Ford. Mr. Stout wanted his outlandish vehicle to be an office on wheels. This chromed-out trail blazer is credited with many impressive innovations, such as being the first car to do away with running boards. The interior was fit for a very legit party, as passengers could could configure their seating arrangements any way imaginable, including for a small card table. It also was the first to use independent suspension and coil springs and possessed a unique transmission set-up that was later repeated by the Lamborghini Countach.

Stout planned to produce the Scarab in limited quantities by invite-only at a hefty price of $5,000, which would be about $80,000 today. Needless to say, the public wasn’t buyin’ it. It’s super futuristic styling was considered downright ugly by our great-grandparents. Only nine were ever built, each hand made. No two Scarabs were exactly alike.

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Why are the most fabulous things in the world always the most rare? And why must the public at large have such mundane taste? It would be wonderful to have access to a time machine and an island of one’s own – it could become an amazing place filled with misfit gems like this. An alternate world with all things awesome.