Dale Clift

Captured by Tom Winger during his 1979 visit to MovieWorld – Cars of the Stars, this photo showcases The Dale, one of the most infamous automotive scams in history. Marketed in the mid-1970s by the Twentieth Century Motor Car Corporation, the Dale was a three-wheeled prototype designed by Dale Clift and heavily promoted by the company’s founder, Geraldine Elizabeth Carmichael. Promising revolutionary fuel efficiency and affordability during the 1973 oil crisis, the Dale attracted significant investor interest. However, the project was ultimately revealed as a fraud, and Carmichael went into hiding with the money. Only two prototype Dales were ever built, and the car never saw production. Photo from The Tom Winger Photo Collection.