Liz Carmichael

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Geraldine Elizabeth "Liz" Carmichael (1937-2004) 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 had previously been charged by the FBI for alleged involvement in a counterfeiting operation.

Following her arrest related to the Dale car, Carmichael's bail was paid by a news station who was guaranteed the rights to her story. She subsequently jumped bail and remained at large until the airing of an Unsolved Mysteries episode in 1989. This episode revealed that Carmichael had been working as a flower vendor in Dale, Texas under the name Kathryn Elizabeth Johnson.

Unverified sources (one claiming to be a grandchild) report that Carmichael died of cancer in February 2004.