Cyclops II (replica)- 1957

In March 1957, this minimalist vehicle, first introduced as the Cyclops Two appeared in the pages of Road & Track (R&T). It was seen in the form of a mad-capped illustrated narrative, entitled “Beyond Belief…”, a satire written by former automotive designer for General Motors and Columnist for Automobile magazine, Robert Wayne Cumberford, with drawings by noted automotive artist/illustrator Stan Mott.

The story was humorous and the illustrations dynamic. It became so popular, R&T built an example of the fictional vehicle—by then referred to as Cyclops II—and road-tested it later that year. Since then, the Cyclops II has appeared in a total of 22 R&T articles, fabricating extraordinary victories in competitions such as winning LeMans in 1960, The East African Safari in 1964, The Targa Florio in 1965, the Indy 500 in 1968, the Nurburgring in 1969, the Japanese Grand Prix 1971 and the Great Wall of China Grand Prix in 1972.

Fans have built their interpretations of the Cyclops II over the years. Glenn and Matt Thomas of Beavercreek, Ohio, made this 1957 Cyclops II replica, seen here, from scratch in 2010. Their father and son project started with a picture of Stan Mott in the original Cyclops II. They also had the 1958 R&T road test article that included a three-view schematic of the original car with the overall dimensions. Glenn developed a layout using a go-cart drive and steering system. They built the car in their garage using simple tools such as a circular saw, a drill press, a hand jigsaw, and a MIG welder. The basic materials are 16-gauge steel for the body and 3/4-inch plywood for the floor. The curved panels were fabricated using a homemade roller, consisting of a pipe sitting on wood base.

In September 2019, the Cyclops Racing Team showed up in force at the Bonneville Salt Flats for the World of Speed. Racers and spectators were astounded when Jack Englehardt’s Cyclops II entry was clocked at a blazing 17.4-mph, which was smashed by Glenn Thomas, driving this very Cyclops II Replica to a phenomenal 20.5-mph top speed!

Specifications:
Manufacturer: Glenn Thomas, after Automobili Cyclops SpA
Country of Origin: USA
Drivetrain Configuration: Rear-engine, rear-wheel drive
Engine: Air-cooled, OHV single-cylinder four-stroke;, 6.5hp
Transmission: Centrifugal clutch
Top speed: 20.5 mph
Years Produced: 1957-to present
Number Produced: Unknown
Cost: $295.00