The fifth Wheel

`The Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company` introduced a completely new type of tire in 1929, namely a low-pressure tire, referred to the company slogan as ‘Air Wheel’. In press releases it was also listed under the name ‘Musselman Type’, which was done in reference to its inventor Alvin J. Musselman.

The company Goodyear acquired the patented rights from its inventor and hoped for a breakthrough, especially for use in aircraft and vehicles transporting heavy goods.

For advertising purposes, the company had a huge tire with the dimensions “…twelve feet tall by for foot wide …” – a height of 3.6 meters.

In order to promote the tire nationwide, the factory had a special car made by the company ‘Flxible Co’. The basis of the vehicle was a Buick, built in 1929, whose chassis was extended. The special bus structure offered plenty of space for passengers inside, with each row of seats being made easier accessible by separate doors. However, the main focus was not on the minibus, but on the mighty, large ‘Air Wheel’, which was literally pulled behind as the “fifth wheel” via a swinging arm hinged at the rear.

The show vehicle drove on its promotional tour through 24 states of the USA, was on the road for two years and reeled a total of 12,000 miles on the speedometer.

The promotion success was apparently rated very highly in the management of Goodyear, because a second, identical Buick was set on wheels. From then on, both vehicles continued their journey together through the United States of America