328:. Financial troubles from the distributor forced Bowden to rush development of the Spacelander, which was released in 1960 in five colours: Charcoal Black, Cliffs of Dover White, Meadow Green, Outer Space Blue, and Stop Sign Red. The bicycle was priced at $ 89.50, which made it one of the more expensive bicycles on the market. In addition, the fibreglass frame was relatively fragile, and its unusual nature made it difficult to market to established bicycle distributors. Only 522 Spacelander bicycles were shipped before production was halted, although more complete sets of parts were manufactured.
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Beginning in the 1980s, there was a resurgence of interest in the
Spacelander as a collector's item. Two bicycle enthusiasts, John Howland and Michael Kaplan, purchased the rights to the Spacelander name from Bowden, and have manufactured a small number of reproductions and replacement parts. The
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that stored energy when riding downhill and gave a boost when riding uphill. Although the bicycle's unusual appearance created substantial public interest initially, British bicycle makers were reluctant to invest in the high degree of re-tooling needed to manufacture the bicycle. In 1949 Bowden
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who created the chassis, Bowden drew the initial design for the auto directly onto the walls of his house. Shortly before his departure to the United States Bowden penned a sketch design for a two-seater sports racing prototype, the
Zethrin Rennsport, being developed by
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Sports, and was dressed in a contemporary all-enveloping streamlined body. This design theme was carried through to his subsequent work on the early
Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Thunderbird.
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instead of aluminium. Although he retained the futuristic appearance of the
Classic, Bowden abandoned the hub dynamo, and replaced the drive-train with a more common
137:. He was also the designer of the Spacelander, a space-age bicycle which was commercially unsuccessful when in production, but has since become a collector's item.
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in 1959, he met with Joe Kaskie, of the George
Morrell Corporation, a custom molding company. Kaskie suggested molding the bicycle in
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Bowden designed a third iteration of the bicycle, called the 300, but only a small number of prototypes were ever made.
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first reproduction was sold in 1988 for $ 4,000. The reproduction's design has been modified to improve durability.
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Elliott, which, in 1947, was the first
British car to break the 100 mph barrier. Working with
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with partner John Allen. The studio was one of the first such design firms formed in
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assembly. The new name, Spacelander, was chosen to capitalize on interest in the
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The Bowden
Spacelander bicycle, prototype designed in 1946; manufactured 1960.
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In 1945, he left the Rootes Group and formed his own design studio in
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which he named the
Classic. The bicycle was constructed of pressed
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pursued the possibility of having the
Classic manufactured in
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Mattson, Jerry (March–April 2014). "The Bowden Spacelander".
185:. By the late 1930s, Bowden was chief body engineer for the
149:, London on 3 June 1906. He received violin training at
402:. The Historical Society of Michigan. pp. 30–34.
264:, Bowden submitted a design for a highly streamlined
232:. This used the same wheelbase as the short-chassis
117:(3 June 1906 – 6 March 1998) was a British
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358:"Benjamin Bowden, 91, Auto and Bicycle Designer"
297:Multicolored Bowden Spacelanders on display at
551:"The Spacelander's Long, Strange Trip (pg. 3)"
499:"The Spacelander's Long, Strange Trip (pg. 2)"
473:"The Spacelander's Long, Strange Trip (pg. 1)"
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133:Elliott, an influential British
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108:Bicycle and automobile design
19:For the baseball player, see
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304:In 1952 Bowden emigrated to
219:Bowden designed the body of
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523:Dixon, Leon (April 1985).
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400:Michigan History Magazine
155:Regent Street Polytechnic
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91:Polytechnic Regent Street
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604:People from Notting Hill
260:For the 1946 exhibition
619:British cycle designers
444:"Obituary: Ben Bowden"
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115:Benjamin George Bowden
42:Benjamin George Bowden
308:before moving to the
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141:Early life and career
100:Designer and engineer
173:, designed by Bowden
579:Spacelander Bicycle
262:Britain Can Make It
179:automobile designer
145:Bowden was born in
119:industrial designer
79:Lake Worth, Florida
529:Cyclist (Magazine)
362:The New York Times
314:Muskegon, Michigan
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364:. 23 March 1998
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195:World War II
183:Rootes Group
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73:(1998-03-06)
71:6 March 1998
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614:1998 deaths
609:1906 births
312:. While in
245:The Classic
230:Val Zethrin
199:armored car
123:automobiles
52:3 June 1906
593:Categories
585:collection
560:1 February
534:1 February
508:1 February
482:1 February
368:1 February
339:References
326:Space Race
318:fibreglass
278:hub dynamo
274:driveshaft
135:sports car
48:1906-06-03
21:Ben Bowden
270:aluminium
207:George VI
193:. During
151:Guildhall
62:, England
221:Healey's
191:Coventry
181:for the
131:Healey's
127:bicycles
453:5 April
418:FreeBMD
266:bicycle
169:A 1948
276:and a
234:Squire
187:Humber
81:, U.S.
60:London
420:. ONS
562:2014
536:2014
510:2014
484:2014
455:2014
426:2020
370:2014
205:and
125:and
68:Died
38:Born
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