The Lane Motor Museum in Nashville TN was established by auto enthusiast Jeff Lane in 2002 based on his personal collection. The museum now has over 400 cars, 150 of which are on display at any time.
Of all the vehicles in the museum, perhaps the strangest is the Helicron (above), which receives its propulsion via an aircraft propeller and engine. It is not a car-and-plane hybrid as it cannot fly and was meant to be driven on public roads. Discovered in a French barn in 2000, having been placed there by the original owner in the late 1930s, the Helicron was constructed in 1932. It has been completely rebuilt but many of the mechanical components are original, such as the frame, wire wheels, dashboard, steering wheel, steering gear, brake pedal, light switch, headlights, and the type plate. The wood frame was sandblasted and treated, the steering gear was rebuilt, and the interior was upholstered. The current engine is a 4-cylinder, air cooled Citroën GS engine with the propeller coupled directly to the crankshaft. The original engine was lost but it is known to have been a horizontally-opposed, two cylinder, four stroke engine. The rear wheel assembly is used to steer the vehicle. The Helicron is reported to have passed a French safety inspection in 2000 and is approved for use on their roads. Speed is controlled by a throttle and top speed is said to be around 75 mph.
Perhaps more unusual is the fact that the Helicron isn’t the only propeller-driven car in the Lane Museum’s collection; it’s joined by several Marcel Leyat creations. The image above shows the 1919 Leyat Helico. Marcel Leyat believed that propeller-driven cars were the wave of the future. He thought they would be popular because they were simpler – they contained no rear axle and no transmission, differential or clutch were required. Steering was handled via the rear wheels. In the front the giant propeller was powered by an 8 horsepower Scorpion engine that provided movement for the vehicle.