eBay: Own A 1956 Taylor Aerocar

Flying cars are brilliant in concept but not so great in reality. The end result always seems to be a rather awkward airplane mated to a fancy golf cart. Still, Moulton Taylor's Aerocar is pretty damn impressive. Even in the 1950s, hanger space was expensive. Popping off the wings and towing them home to the garage at the end of a flying day made a lot of sense. Being able to morph into an automobile was also incredibly convenient when flying cross-country, since it gave you a way to drive from the airport into town for your afternoon meeting at Spacely Sprockets.

This particular Aerocar -- serial number 0002 -- is powered by a 160 HP Lycoming engine and has seen 1,103 hours in the air and 303.3 hours puttering around town as an automobile. Its last annual inspection was performed in July 1976, so expect a massive amount of restoration work.

The Aerocar is the only certified airplane in history that can be legally driven on US roads. It originally carried a price tag of $25,000 and was capable of cruising at 100 mph in the air. I'd put in a bid, except for one little detail -- the starting price is a ridiculous $3,500,000. That's enough to purchase several very nice P-51 Mustangs with enough left over for a Ferrari or two.

Check out the eBay auction for lots more photos [via Gizmodo]