THE SPARROW STORY
Vince Zavala Fitting the Rear Bodywork and Forward-Opening Door on the New Sparrow
This workshop image shows Vince Zavala, the lead R&D hand on the project, dialling in the bodywork at the rear of the new Sparrow. The photograph also gives a clear view of the door in its open position, which the team singled out because it explains one of the car's key packaging decisions.
From the Sparrow archive. Product plans, events and availability described here belong to the original historical period.
How the door works
The new Sparrow uses a single door on the sidewalk side that swings up and forward rather than out. Because it does not sweep sideways, the car can be parked in very tight spots, close to a wall or another vehicle, and the driver can still get in and out easily. When parallel parked, the door also puts the driver on the kerb side, away from moving traffic.
Corbin's specification notes list a United States patent for this door arrangement. The approach fits the car's overall purpose as a single-occupant commuter that takes up less road and parking space than a conventional car.
Bodywork at the prototype stage
On a hand-built prototype, panel fit is adjusted by eye and by hand before final paint, and the rear of the Sparrow is where the bodywork closes around the single driven wheel and swingarm. Getting these surfaces right affects both the look of the car and its aerodynamics, since the tail is where the body leaves the air mass and where drag is most easily created or reduced.
Zavala appears elsewhere in the archive as the person who designed the billet aluminium motor mount and swingarm for the AC drive, and who assembled the display for the 2017 San Francisco Auto Show at short notice.