Vanderbilt Cup Races

'Pizza Rocket'

By Robert Lewis- Owner of Tritan A2 #001

"My vehicle is a 1984 Tritan A2 made by Tritan Ventures, Inc. in Ann Arbor, Michigan for Domino's Pizza. It is Vin #001 of only 10 ever made and I believe it is the first commercially produced pizza delivery vehicle. The builder, Douglas Amick, was an aeronautical engineer and used a similar three-wheeled layout and Amick Arch that he and his father, James Amick, conceived for their wind powered "Windmobile" in 1969. By utilizing key learnings from the Windmobile project, their next iteration was the Tritan Aero 135. This three-wheeled vehicle was powered by a 14 horsepower Tecumseh garden tractor engine with the goal of providing efficient commuter transportation for two. "Car & Driver Magazine" reviewed and panned it in 1982, calling it, "An Answer to a Question That Nobody's Asking".

Fast forward to 1984 and Amick was able to get his new design concept, the Tritan A2, in front of executives at the nearby Domino's Pizza headquarters. A product of the oil and gas crisis, the Tritan A2's aerodynamics were honed in the University of Michigan's low speed wind tunnel, leading to a slippery 0.15 coefficient of drag. Powered by a rear mounted 30 horsepower 440 cc air cooled rotary engine made by Syvaro, the Tritan A2 is said to be able to reach speeds of 95 mph and achieve up to 80 mpg. With its forward sliding cockpit, large rear wing for stability, and tight, 24 foot turning radius, it would be the envy of every pizza delivery driver across the nation.

Vin #001 was campaigned and tested by Domino's Pizza from 1985-1986, where it was also displayed at new store openings across the country. Each Tritan A2 was originally sold to Domino's for $15,000, which is more than the current DXP delivery vehicles cost after inflation is calculated.

After meeting Tom Monahan, the founder of Domino's Pizza, at the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum in Indiana in 1986, Tritan A2 #001 was presented to David A. Geisler, the owner of the Pioneer Auto Museum.

I had no idea that these vehicles even existed until I saw a "For Sale" ad in Ohio for Tritan A2 Vin #005 on Facebook Marketplace. Most people impulse buy a pack of gum, but here I was about to impulse buy a random fiberglass space ship on three wheels from 2,000 miles away. After agreeing on a sales price with that seller, he informed me that he had already promised it to another buyer. Although disappointed, I set out to learn everything I could about them and eventually purchase one."

"I located the other 6 surviving Tritan A2's after researching what little information there was online and speaking with my friend and fellow Tritan A2 owner, Steve Cochran.

Since there were only 10 total vehicles made, I channeled my inner Ricky Bobby and decided that, "If you ain't first, you're last". I called the Pioneer Auto Museum on a whim and left a message regarding Tritan #001 for David Geisler. During my call with Mr. Geisler, he recognized our shared love for unique vehicles and we struck a deal, sight unseen, about a month later. Pioneer Auto Museum had only driven Vin #001 once in 1986 and subsequently lost the keys after parking it in their museum for 33 years. As you can imagine, shipping an inoperable three-wheeled vehicle that sits a few inches off of the ground from a remote part of the Midwest to Southern California proved to be another challenge. We waited months for the weather to improve, but it continued to snow in South Dakota until the middle of May when it was picked up by the enclosed shipper.

Because this vehicle represents an important slice of pizza delivery history (pun intended), my goal for the restoration was to keep it as original as possible, while also making it safe and reliable. Even after 37 years, it has been preserved in such incredible condition that the original CVT transmission belt is still installed. I have spent years looking for the rarest and most unique vehicle to start my collection and feel honored to be its new steward."

"My favorite memory thus far has been when I showed my Tritan A2 at the Little Car Show in Pacific Grove during the 2019 Car Week and won the award for "Veteran's Choice". My father and deceased grandfathers were war veterans, so receiving this award means even more to me. Two of the show attendees told me that they had fond memories of seeing my vehicle being driven in Ann Arbor, Michigan 35 years ago. Another local gentleman even helped me troubleshoot some minor issues and stored it safely for me while I was in town. My Tritan A2 also caught the eyes of Hagerty and AutoWeek writers, who featured it in their articles about the car show. To be recognized by the automotive publications that I grew up reading is a tremendous feeling.

Although my Tritan A2 is anything but fast, I have lovingly named it the "Pizza Rocket" and look forward to sharing it with other pizza and unique vehicle enthusiasts in the near future."

"Avoid the Noid!"