Liz Carmichael

Geraldine Elizabeth "Liz" Carmichael (1937-) was a U.S. entrepreneur who marketed the three-wheel Dale sports car in 1975.

The Dale car was a design of Dale Clifft and was supposed to be produced by Twentieth Century Motor Car Corp in California. According to Twentieth Century's 1975 brochure, it had a two-cylinder engine, would reach 70 miles per gallon and would cost $2000. The body was to be constructed out of 'rocket structural resin' that would withstand damage well. There were only three prototype copies and only one of them could move under its own power.

After having raised a large amount of money from investors, Carmichael disappeared and the funds were unaccounted for. In the later trial, Clifft stated that he still believed in Carmichael and expected large royalties once the car would go into production. In fact he received only $1001 and a bum check.Carmichael was charged with grand theft, fraud and securities violations.

Once arrested it was discovered that Carmichael was actually a male born Jerry Dean Michael. His wife was the former Vivian Barrett and they were the parents of five children. Carmichael stated she had undergone hormone therapy and was in the process of completing a sex change.

Carmichael jumped bail following her arrest related to the Dale car and remained at large until the airing of an Unsolved Mysteries episode in 1989 which featured her story and resulted in revealing her true identity.

Further Reading

Archive April 28, 1975 Vol. 3 No. 16 She Really Is a He: The Bizarre Liz Carmichael Auto Caper [http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20065184,00.html]