Although the interior is quite tight, it can still consume a lot of miles.
Jay Leno has a huge garage full of exotic cars that can go up to 200 mph or more. But this week, he shares a unique one-off from an engineering standpoint that impressed him just as much. Leno has the 1931 Shotwell, a three-wheeler that was built by a 17 year-old.
Bob Shotwell built his car from scratch in his garage. It’s a remarkable feat, especially for a teenager. The power comes from an Indian four-cylinder air-cooled Indian motorcycle motor. The mill drives the rear-wheel via a three-speed gearbox. To keep the powerplant cool, a roof-mounted scoop draws cool breeze into the rear. Shotwell wrapped his creation in a teardrop-shaped body, which is very artful.
Shotwell drove 150,000 miles in his custom-built car over his lifetime. This included a trip from Minnesota, Alaska, and San Diego, California. Jay bought it in a very rough condition. But his team restored it beautifully. While they added some modern touches such as an electric starter and electric fuel pump, the original Shotwell design was preserved.
Jay claims that the Shotwell can travel 60 miles an hour on the highway. However, he is seen cruising around in this video. An electrical problem can make the ride a bit shorter, but it’s still interesting to see Leno working out the problem on the side of the road.