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Stretch Hatchback

well, you have stretch limos
 
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While returning home from a nice weekend in the West of England, it occured to me that one often gets tired on long drives. For instance, I used to drive from the South of England to Central Scotland quite regularly, and often stopped in the Lake District for a snoozette. And then I thought about all those people trapped in their car after a breakdown has occured, or in major traffic holdups.

It's incredibly inconvenient to not be able to lie flat in such situations, simply because the seat won't go far enough back because it hits on the rear seat. Rather than afford the expense of a large gas-guzzling car, I thought it should be possible to stretch out your hatchback in such situations.

The system would work roughly like this. The pillars between the front and rear doors would contain a roll of metal, and similar rolls would be positioned underneath the front seats and somewhere on the car's roof. The driver, once the engine is off and the handbrake secure, would be able to crank a handle to unroll the metal rolls, thereby extending the car - the front of the car edging slowly forward, giving the driver enough space to put his seat fully flat. De-luxe models could have an electric motor to assist in the cranking.

PeterSilly, Apr 27 2003

Nash Rambler http://www.arcticbo...arcticboys50s8.html
Amazing reclining seats that, when all down, created a bed. Rumor has it that these were popular cars with high school boys in the 60s or whenever. They must have wanted to nap between classes. (Interesting photo wherein the driver appears to be supporting the steering wheel.) [bristolz, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

Austin Maxi http://www.geocitie.../2865/pictures.html
"The Austin Maxi, the ideal lover's car! It must be about the only car ever produced to include special brackets for converting the seats into a double bed."
They obviously haven't seen [bz]'s link. [angel, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

see kingswood pics there http://members.trip...tom/kingswood4.html
put it on Liquid Petroleum Gas and stretch out in comfort [peter2, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

[link]






       + ...and hatchback in the rest of the world is ...
po, Apr 27 2003
  

       The extremely ugly Pontiac Aztek has a hatchback-camper thingy going on.
waugsqueke, Apr 27 2003
  

       How does the car extend when the brakes are engaged? Wouldn't you have to turn it upside-down first?
snarfyguy, Apr 27 2003
  

       You need a four-wheel drive car where the wheel pairs can be simultaneously driven in opposite directions.
FarmerJohn, Apr 28 2003
  

       Actually the brakes don't need to engage, .... you could keep one foot on the ground while you rest up.   

       yabadabadoo   

       (suggest amputation at other end so we don't get more like this) ..   

       .see kingswood link {LPG} (sorry ub its still the best stretchHatch around)
peter2, Apr 28 2003
  

       Gold's Law: If the shoe fits, it's ugly.
thumbwax, Apr 28 2003
  

       The fundamental problem with the idea you propose (assuming it's not intended as satire) is the sheer bendiness of the chassis associated with an extensible frame. Aside from handling (of lack thereof) it'd be a death-trap in the event on a head-on collision.   

       A number of estate-cars and people-carriers have seats that can already be reclined to (almost) the point of flatness. I am sure some hatchbacks must also. Would this do?   

       OTOH, I like the idea of a stretched limo with a hatch-back. I saw one once in Vegas with a hot-tub on the back in place of the trunk. This way you could have an enclosed hot-tub!
FloridaManatee, Apr 28 2003
  

       [snarf] - handbrakes typically only engage the back wheels, therefore the front is free to move.   

       [Manatee] - You can get some incredibly strong metals. Not being a metallurgist, I don't know the names of any, but certain alloys are very strong indeed. I wasn't proposing that the car would be capable of driving when extended.   

       [UB] - but then I wouldn't be able to reach the pedals.   

       [peter2] - steady on there...
PeterSilly, Apr 28 2003
  

       Why go to the trouble? We have stretch limos, we have hatchbacks. Cross the two and you'd have what I presumed the idea was when I first read the title: an extra long hatchback. Then you <i>could</i> have a bed in there.
AJCrowley, Apr 28 2003
  

       [AJ] - I did think of that, but then you'd need longer garages and drives, and the amount of road space required per vehicle would increase - all undesirable side-effects.
PeterSilly, Apr 29 2003
  

       Extended hatchback <=> station wagon.   

       Ford's been trying to pull off some sort of extension-ceiling Avalanch wannabe convertible thing for years. Seen many drawings.
RayfordSteele, Apr 29 2003
  
      
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