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Hemmings Motor News Blog

Hemmings Motor News has been around since 1954. We're proud of our heritage, but we're also more than the Hemmings full of classifieds that your father subscribed to. Aside from new editorial content every month in Hemmings, we have three monthly magazines: Hemmings Muscle Machines, Hemmings Classic Car and Hemmings Sports and Exotic Car.

While our editors traverse the country to find the best content for those magazines, we find other oddities related to the old-car hobby that we really had no place for - until now. With this blog, we're giving you a behind-the-scenes look at what we see and what we do during the course of putting out some of the finest automotive magazines you'll ever read.
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Besasie’s Bizarre Batmobile: The X-3 Explorer

Posted May 12, 2011 8:30 AM by dstrohl
Pathfinder Tags: 1957 Chevrolet chassis cadillac V-8 car doors custom cars steering

Car people familiar with the Besasie clan of Milwaukee probably know of them in connection with designer Brooks Stevens. Ray Besasie Sr. had been Stevens' personal mechanic since 1940. Joe Besasie designed a number of concepts for Stevens - including the Excalibur - and Ray Besasie Jr. built and raced cars for Stevens (as well as the Excalibur Kart).

Yet the Besasies put their prodigious talent to work on their own projects as well, including the Besasie Explorer, which became the focus of a two-page spread in the March 1961 issue of Mechanix Illustrated.

As noted in the article, Joe designed it while Ray Sr. and Ray Jr. built it. The Explorer played host to a number of innovations, including center-seat steering, a knee-controlled hydraulic steering mechanism, and no doors. They based it on a 1957 Chevrolet chassis and used a modified 365-cu.in. Cadillac V-8 that the they claimed was good for 350 horsepower, 21 MPG, a 6-second 0-60 time and a top speed of 140 MPH. According to a March 1961 Popular Science article, the Besasies sold the Explorer for $20,000 (about $147,000 in today's dollars) before they even built it.

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redfred
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Engineering Fields - Electrical Engineering - Been there, done that. Engineering Fields - Control Engineering - New Member

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Location: Long Island NY
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#1

Re: Besasie’s Bizarre Batmobile: The X-3 Explorer

05/12/2011 1:13 PM

Even if I had the money for these kinds of cars, this would not be my cup of tea.

All I can say is "Meet George Jetson..."

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rcrmonte3
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#2

Re: Besasie’s Bizarre Batmobile: The X-3 Explorer

09/12/2013 4:06 PM

As the proud owner of the Besasie X-3, I would like to comment. This car WAS in a bodyshop in Waukesha, WI in 2008 to repair some damage. It now resides in my barn undergoing restoration. It currently needs new wiring in the engine compartment(damn mice/critters!), a new brake system, the activator for the top(a hydraulic convertible top motor) rebuilt, new windshield wipers & windshield gaskets, a fresh paint job, and a new radiator & cooling fans. It also may need the engine rebuilt, but I'm not sure of that, yet.

As far as the steering is concerned, there is NO steering gearbox. The steering consists of a hydraulic pump(read: power steering pump), 2 hydraulic cylinders, & some hoses to carry the fluid to where it is needed. The 2nd hydraulic cylinder is mounted parallel to the tie rods and, I believe, connected to the left side steering knuckle.

I am not an engineer or even close. I just happen to like cars and history. This car is part of the history of Milwaukee, therefore, it will be restored to running condition and once again be seen on the streets & roads of Southeastern Wisconsin.
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redfred
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#3
In reply to #2

Re: Besasie’s Bizarre Batmobile: The X-3 Explorer

09/12/2013 4:17 PM

Congratulations and I wish you the best with your restoration efforts.

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rcrmonte3
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#4
In reply to #3

Re: Besasie’s Bizarre Batmobile: The X-3 Explorer

09/12/2013 5:11 PM

Thanks, redfred. The way the X-3 is built, I'll need all the luck I can get---LOL.
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