The world of car studios, and the endless winnowing of designs into something that becomes production worthy is such a bottomless pit of fascination that I have to tie on a helium balloon before I head to a site like deansgagrage. Dedicated to the history of design with lots of insider stories, today there’s a post about one Jeff Gold’s efforts to rescue obscure studio art. Not surprisingly, a lot of it ended up on the equivalent of the cutting room floor. But it makes for interesting speculation as to the influence, small as it may have been, any given piece may have had in what finally emerged as a production-ready design. This one is by Pete Wozena; at GM, of course.
This one, also by Wozena, is a bit murkier. Although that rear end did show up in various GM products, more or less.
This more recent one by Ed Welburn certainly invokes Olds and Cadillacs.
George Anderson of GM is credited with this, but it screams Ford to me.
Finally, one by a more obscure artist, Charles McHose, whose employer is unidentified. What car(s) do you see having been influenced by this rendering from 1965?
“Ford factory stylist Charles McHose with the Shelby”
http://www.prnewschannel.com/absolutenm/templates/?a=2767
I know I’ve seen that rear wheel treatment somewhere, but darned if I can remember where.
I’ve always been crazy about styling art like this, especially from the wild 50’s and 60s. Thanks!
Rear wheel treatment = ’72-’73 Plymouth Fury.
http://www.fuselage.de/ply72/72ply04b.jpg
I want that brown one in my driveway STAT!
Yes, that’s the one. Even though that site says he was a Ford man, the five-letter name on the rear end keeps looking like Dodge to me. Maybe he went to Chrysler.
Sure like the Reddy Killowatt. Any special reason for choosing it? Ash Collins, the creator was a friend of my great uncle. I met him once. Wonderful man.
I think that Welburn Olds actually says “Cutlass Calais” on the headlamp cover, so maybe when the Calais was still a “version” of the G Body they might have even considered taking it even more upmarket?
It’s mind boggling how many coupes alone Oldsmobile had in 1985, for instance: Firenza, N Body Cutlass Calais, Cutlass Ciera, Cutlass Supreme, Eighty Eight B-Body, Ninety Eight FWD C-Body and the Toronado. And didn’t they still have *ALL* of those still through 1988? And then 2 different Cutlass Supremes…
*COUPES* (manic scream, faint)
Anyways, the bottom fastback says Pontiac in that bulgy fender skirty thing, but also says maybe Plymouth equivalent of a Dodge Charger in the thin slinkiness of the body.
Third photo down, suspiciously, I see lines for some reason that remind me of a 1986 Riviera! The last one? 1965 Dodge Charger, AMC Marlin and later, AMC Matador coupe. That l-o-o-o-ng open space would be awesome if all that glass rolled down!
I see a bit of 1968-69 Buick Skylark in the bottom one.
Maybe it’s just because I’m an SM fan, but the last one suggests Citroen SM, especially with the skirted rear wheels and rear end treatment.
http://clunkbucket.com/wp-content/uploads/citroen_sm.jpg