Dream Cars

2024-02-15T22:18:00.007-06:00

GM’s Marvelous Motorama: Dream Cars From the Joe Bortz Collection

1953 Buick Wildcat I

During the golden age of the automobile, from the immediate post-World War II era and into the 1960s, is when General Motors led the way in all things automotive. By about 1955, the largest employer in the world had captured half the automobile market. This happened because of the convergence of multiple events and the personalities involved, one of whom was Alfred Sloan, the president of GM and Harley Earl. Sloan hired Earl, a custom-car builder from California, to design the upcoming LaSalle, slated for release for 1927. The success of Earl’s design led to Sloan hiring him to set up a department dedicated to styling, something not done up until then in the mass-produced automobile industry.

Styling proved to be the number one consideration of the majority of car-buyers for decades and Earl led the auto industry with advanced ideas in styling. Such features as tail fins and the wraparound windshield were copied by the competition.

Another innovation from GM was the GM Motorama, a multi-city traveling exhibition of all things General Motors. Those held from 1953 to 1956 are primarily known for the so-called dream cars (concept cars in today’s vernacular). Dream cars such as the sporty 1953 Buick Wildcat I and 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special were among many shown throughout the life of the GM Motorama. The traveling show introduced people to advanced ideas in styling and engineering to test their acceptance of these ideas as well as to familiarize them to what was coming within a year or two.

Today, among the most collectible of automobiles are the Dream Cars of the 1950s, especially those from the glory days of General Motors. Many were eventually scrapped after they were no longer a predictor of the future. Initially, some were given to VIPs who wanted them, but soon corporate policy dictated that such would not happen again. Some meant to be scrapped landed in the Warhoops junk yard in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Indeed, at least four of them were sent there and two were actually cut apart, but those pieces and the other two cars, untouched, remained in the junk yard for three decades. In 1989, a Chicago resident and car enthusiast named Joe Bortz was alerted to the presence of these cars in the salvage yard. A deal was made between the yard owner, Harry Warholak, Sr. and Bortz to purchase the cars. In the process, Bortz became the owner of the largest privately held collection of dream cars. Joe initially began some restoration of one of the cars, the 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne, but the process was interrupted for a time leaving it in essentially cosmetically unrestored condition. It was later shown in this condition at Pebble Beach, (a unique occurrence of showing an unrestored car there). Finally in the latter part of the 1990s, the Biscayne was fully restored. This effort was followed by the restoration of the LaSalle II Roadster, a compact sports car design considered as the design for the 1957 Corvette. The LaSalle II Sedan was also a compact car. Both LaSalle IIs featured a DOHC V-6.

These two historic dream cars as well as the 1953 Pontiac Parisienne, 1953 Buick Wildcat I, 1954 Pontiac Bonneville Special, and the unrestored 1955 LaSalle II Sedan are to be on display at the renowned Petersen Museum in Los Angeles for two years beginning in April 2024.


1953 Pontiac Parisienne

The LaSalle II Sedan will be displayed at the Petersen Museum in virtually junk yard fresh condition (with the exceptions being some clean-up and the installation of a new windshield). This is the first time a junk yard fresh car has been on display at this museum.

Both LaSalles will show what almost happened in the mid-1950s – a revolutionary V-6 engine that was approved for 1955 production and then abandoned virtually at the last moment for concerns that too much “new” was being introduced that year. For whatever reasons, that V-6 was not made available in the years following. Had GM done so, this action would have put them far ahead of the pack when gasoline became expensive in late-1973 and beyond and at a time when the federal government began issuing demands for improved miles-per-gallon. One can only speculate at what might have been.

This exhibition titled, GM’s Marvelous Motorama: Dream Cars From the Joe Bortz Collection, will be the largest gathering of GM’s dream cars since the days of the glamorous GM Motorama. Visitors will get a trip back in time and will be able to see how the future was seen from the standpoint of the 1950s and the time when General Motors led the way in all things automotive. The exhibit begins in the spring of 2024 and continues for two years.

2020-01-06T22:49:00.000-06:00

1985 Buick Wildcat

A Unique Blend of Art and Engineering

For 1985, Buick revived the name Wildcat for its sleek V-6 powered concept car. The label, Wildcat, was a familiar one to Buick enthusiasts; it appeared on three GM dream cars of the 1950s and from 1962-1970 was the name of the division’s sporty full-sized car. This rendition of the Wildcat was highly advanced – both in terms of its mechanical systems and aerodynamic styling – when it was first introduced. The 1985 Wildcat’s styling retains a futuristic look even 32 years after its debut.

Chuck Jordan

In 1982, the fourth Wildcat concept vehicle project was assigned to GM Design Staff with the direction of creating a car with specific mechanical appeal to emphasize Buick’s reputation for high-tech powertrains. A design that displayed its “mechanical guts” the way a motorcycle presents its engine for all to see and appreciate was a key goal. The director of design then at GM Design Staff, Chuck Jordan, described the Wildcat as a unique blend of art and engineering, of flowing sculptured surfaces punctuated by exposed mechanical elements. Jordan was quoted in a December 1985 Motor Trend article detailing the Wildcat as saying, “This was one of the best and toughest style jobs I’ve ever been on. It was a concept that Buick brought to us – to highlight a new high-technology engine with some of the mechanical appeal that a fine motorcycle has. We said, ‘That’s neat. We really ought to do that.’” What finally emerged from the drawing boards was spectacular and left a remarkable first impression on management types. As Jordan explained, “Whenever we can get [the executives] to come in and think it’s going the wrong way, think the front is where the back is, then we know we’ve succeeded.”

The result of three years work that left executives initially confused about where the front and back ends of the car were really located was a mid-engine car powered with a 230hp, 24-valve V-6 displacing 231 cubic inches (3.8 liters); it sat exposed behind the passenger compartment – a work of art and a precision mechanical device for all to see and appreciate. William L. Porter, who served as the chief designer of Buick Design Studio Number 1 at the time said, “Usually, our designs have minimized the mechanical elements. This notion of featuring mechanical components as part of the exterior design was a fresh idea, a dynamite idea for a concept car!”

The profile of the 1985 Wildcat was unique for the time with its long rear deck, short nose, and tinted clear bubble-like roof. “In designing the Wildcat, we were after a new design direction – a milestone car”, said Jordan. He pointed out that “there is no break in the line where the transparent part of the canopy meets the carbon fiber body.” The transparent canopy was not a new idea; it would have been called a bubbletop in the 1950s and 1960s, but this version looked futuristic rather than anachronistic. Technical breakthroughs in joining the transparent surfaces with the body were necessary to successfully achieve the desired look.

Just like the 1938 Buick Y-Job created by GM’s first styling chief, Harley Earl, nearly a half-century earlier, the Wildcat represented a laboratory on wheels. This concept car was a showcase of engineering innovation, including the high-tech V-6 engine with dual overhead camshafts (DOHC), field-programmable sequential-port fuel injection (SFI), and a performance version of Buick’s computer controlled coil ignition. Bore and stroke measured 3.8x 3.4 inches and peak horsepower was reached at 6,000rpm. Torque was rated at 245 ft.-lb. at 4,000rpm. Precise adjustments of the rate of fuel flow from inside the car were made possible with the SFI setup. The induction system incorporated runners for power and response while the Computer Controlled Coil Ignition (C3I) used an electronic control module in place of a standard distributor and ignition coil. Precise ignition spark was provided by the C3I system by taking into account variable factors such as engine speed, spark advance, air flow, coolant temperature, and detonation. This setup was calibrated to function at up to 13,000rpm though redline was initially set at 6,000rpm. According to Joseph M. Negri, who was manager of Buick Special Products at the time, the Wildcat’s engine was “the logical extension of our work” because the division had a strong reputation on the highways and race tracks (such as Indy) for technical leadership in V-6 engines.

Furthermore, the advanced vehicle featured full-time four-wheel drive, four-wheel disc brakes, independent suspension, anti-lock braking system, and a cockpit full of electronic instrumentation. The primary instruments – the tachometer, oil pressure, battery, fuel level, and coolant temperature – were placed in the stationary hub of the steering wheel. A cathode ray tube (CRT) displayed information on G-forces during a turn, horsepower and torque, spark function, percent of tire slippage, low air pressure warning for each tire, and oil pressure. At the time, CRT systems required a relatively lengthy warm-up period, so the Wildcat’s CRT filaments began the process as soon as the driver touched the door release. By 1990, a CRT touch screen was offered in the new Oldsmobile Trofeo.

The Wildcat lacked conventional doors, but rather the solenoid-actuated canopy pivoted at the front end of the car. The metallic gray interior was the work of several designers including Brian Baker, Nelly Toledo, and Corwin Hanson. In a phone interview with the author many years ago, Chuck Jordan said of the Wildcat’s systems that, “Buick was big on electronics. This is illustrated by the dash, steering wheel, and heads-up display. We pulled out every trick we could, but knew some would fall by the wayside.” Even so, “It was exciting because it wasn’t a typical Buick,” he added.

The fourth Buick show car to wear the Wildcat name did not greatly influence the look of the division’s forthcoming production cars, but served as a showcase for its high-tech V-6 engine which became the basis of the high-performance Buick Grand National and Turbo Regal of the 1980s. As Chuck Jordan explained its purpose, “It showed Buick had some ‘spark!’” The venerable 3.8 liter V-6, with its beginnings in the early 1960s, remained in production though 2008, though with only two valves per cylinder for the duration.

1938 Buick Y-Job - Modern Concept Car

2017-09-01T18:23:00.003-05:00

1938 Buick Y-Job - Modern Concept Car

By David W. Temple

There was a time when any new car was an experimental or concept car such as Henry Ford’s Quadricycle and Ransom E. Olds earliest Oldsmobile in which the powertrain, starting system, steering, and suspension needed to be evaluated. However, as cars became more advanced and more common any new design was less experimental, having perhaps an engine with new manufacturing methods tested in a car with otherwise proven technology. Then along came Harley Earl who reinvented the concept car in the late 1930s, though it was simply labeled “experimental” at the time. The concept car often exhibits multiple advanced ideas and to be truly accurate the term should probably be “concepts car.”

Harley Earl’s Buick Y-Job was a radical car for its time, though not so radical as to be unappealing to the public. It is generally recognized as the first modern concept car due to the multiple advanced ideas incorporated into its overall design. In the case of the Y-Job it was built with advanced styling and advanced mechanical features, though under its hood was simply an improved version of Buick’s “Dynaflash” straight-eight which had been in use since 1931.

Harley Earl had the backing of Alfred P. Sloan, Jr. Earl had proven himself as a director of styling, so whatever Earl wanted he typically got. Earl also found Harlow Curtice one of the more receptive people to his ideas. Curtice became the head of the Buick Division in 1933; four years later Earl went to Curtice with a proposal for a very different kind of car – the one which became the Y-Job, and one which Earl described as a “semi-sports car.” The unique name’s origin was explained by Vince Kaptur, Sr., who was quoted in an article written by Karl Ludvigsen for the March 1974 issue of Motor Trend : “We were always working with X-cars, for experimental, and this job was one step beyond that [emphasis author’s]. We just called it the Y-Job.”

Kaptur was in charge of the car’s body engineering. Charles Chayne became the chief engineer for Buick in 1936 and his skills were put to use on the Y-Job’s mechanical systems. As for the styling of the car, Earl put George Snyder in charge of a team which included Joe Shemansky. Up to that point Snyder headed the Oldsmobile studio. He had an instinctive sense of what Earl wanted, so Snyder was moved over to another studio to focus on advanced design. According to an article by Michael Lamm published in the January/February 1997 issue of Special Interest Autos, “Art Moderne, the commercial art form that auto designers borrowed from architecture, was very much in vogue at the time. Snyder incorporated the parallelism, repeated lines and horizontality of Art Moderne in the Y-Job.”

The purpose of the Y-Job was essentially two-fold – it was a test of the acceptance of new styling ideas and to serve as Harley Earl’s personal car. However, the car’s styling led to some engineering issues which had to be worked through. The special car also got to be a test bed for Buick’s prototype Dynaflow torque converter transmission which became an option starting with the 1948 model year. In an article about experimental cars Earl referred to the Y-Job as “a composite of many ideas” and went on to illustrate their advanced nature by stating they were “ideas which for sound and logical reasons couldn’t be duplicated in volume in 1938.”

Another purpose was also served by the Y-Job – it gave Harley Earl the status he should have as the chief designer for GM. Earl was competitive, so when his contemporaries – Ed Macauley for Packard and Edsel Ford of Ford Motor Company – were out and about in their personal boat-tail speedsters, Earl had to “make do” with a production car, though modified to fit his wants. Earl, Macauley, and Edsel Ford lived near each other in Grosse Pointe, so Earl frequently saw them driving by in their special cars.

According to an article published in the May 2009 issue of the Cadillac & LaSalle Club’s publication, The Self-Starter, inspiration for the styling of the Y-Job came as the result of Harley Earl visiting his old stomping grounds at Don Lee’s distributorship in 1936. There he saw a 1934 LaSalle modified with a custom boattail speedster body it received after the car was totaled in an accident. Also there was a similarly styled car built on a 1936 Ford chassis by Frank Kurtis. Afterwards, Earl became quite fascinated with the boattail design.

The styling of the Y-Job was spectacular. Allegedly, it impressed Edsel Ford so much he offered Earl a chance to come to work for Ford Motor Company. Earl was soon appointed as Vice President in charge of Styling. Whether the two events are truly connected probably cannot be proven.

To continue reading about the Buick Y-Job purchase a copy of "The Cars of Harley Earl." Click this link or the one at top right to order through Amazon. https://www.cartechbooks.com/cars-of-harley-earl-limited-signed-edition.html

2014-12-03T23:18:00.001-06:00

1956 Corvette Impala

Five-passenger Luxury Sport

By David W. Temple

A Corvette-like dream car graced a turntable at the five venues of the 1956 GM

Motorama. It was the Corvette Impala, an automobile styled to give a little sports car “flavoring” to a five-passenger luxury car. The dream car’s toothy grille and rounded quarters revealed its styling was influenced by the newly restyled first generation Corvette. A special brochure about the Corvette Impala stated the car “incorporates wholly new considerations in fine passenger car design from the standpoint of sleekness, safety, and luxury.”

Named for the agile African antelope, the fiberglass experimental car designed by Bob Cadaret and Carl Renner had a 225hp Super Turbo-Fire V-8 engine coupled to a two-speed Powerglide. The V-8 was modified with a 9.25:1 compression ratio and a high-lift camshaft. Spent exhaust exited through a dual set of pipes passing through the driveshaft tunnel and into a transverse mounted muffler with dual outlets projecting through the lower rear body panel.

Styling of the Corvette Impala foretold that of the Chevrolet Impala which debuted for the 1958 model year. In fact, at one point the toothy grille was proposed for use on the new model, but was abandoned due to cost considerations. Even so, the integral bumper and grille theme was kept. Other styling features of the Corvette Impala included a tinted “Panoramic” wraparound windshield curving up into the pale blue-tinted brushed stainless steel roof, a wraparound rear windshield, beltline dip near the reverse slant C-pillars, and chrome-plated wire wheels with knock-off hubs. All of these – with the exceptions of the wire wheels and the brushed stainless steel roof – were adopted for the production car. Its nose emblem was very close to the production type used for the 1958-60 Corvettes, but with the name “Corvette Impala” embossed circumferentially around the crossed flags.

A unique, air-foil shaped, padded cornering bar (or strut) emerged from the steering column, angled upward before transitioning into a horizontal component extending across the entire width of the interior.

To learn more about the 1956 Corvette Impala and other cars related to the GM Motorama get a copy of my new book, “Motorama: GM’s Legendary Show & Concept Cars.” Just click the book cover image at far right or click the link here: http://www.amazon.com/Motorama-Legendary-Show-Concept-Cartech/dp/1613251599/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1

See my GM's Motorama page on Facebook... https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-General-Motors-Motorama-Page/322177371232507?ref=bookmarks

2014-07-07T22:09:00.001-05:00

The LeSabre's styling was revised for 1953

1951 General Motors LeSabre: A Laboratory on Wheels

Full-size clay model of the 1951 GM LeSabre

One of the earliest concept cars ever built was the 1951 GM LeSabre. (Note it was not a Buick but rather the General Motors LeSabre). Harley Earl, the first person ever appointed as vice president in charge of styling, headed the design of what was originally dubbed simply the XP-8. Within the GM Styling department a team was handpicked by Earl to handle the car's advanced styling. Engineering its mechanical systems was an even more ambitious matter.

The structural aspects of the LeSabre were as radically different as the styling. Most of the body panels were of light-weight cast magnesium. Magnesium was being used in aviation applications like the first intercontinental range bomber, the massive Convair B-36; its use in an automotive application certainly added a flavor of the exotic to what was an astonishing car for the time. The front fender valence, cowl, door lock pillars, and deck lid were single large castings of magnesium. The remaining panels were of sheet aluminum. Ribs were cast into the deck lid to add strength to this large piece. Casting these members in magnesium was a difficult achievement; multiple attempts were required to get the correct shape for these components in order to get adjoining panels to align perfectly. When a panel was flawed, the magnesium was melted and recast again – even multiple times when needed. The floors were aluminum honeycomb sandwiched between aluminum sheets. Magnesium and extensive labor were partly responsible for the staggering price tag for this one-of-a-kind car which amounted to approximately $500 thousand or even as much as $1 million (which is today roughly the equivalent of $5 million and $10 million.)

LeSabre's supercharged, all-aluminum V-8

The complex body with stiff sills and driveshaft tunnel was set upon a ladder-type frame made of chrome-moly steel; wheelbase measured 115 inches. The parallel wishbone front suspension was atypical, too. Its A-arms were cast alloy with the upper A-arm pivot rod being imbedded in a solid piece of cylindrically shaped rubber which itself was encased in a steel casting. Hydraulic tubular shock absorbers were attached to the steel casings and the lower A-arms. With the rubber in torsion, it acted as an effective springing medium – at least for a while. Eventually, the rubber began to lose its elasticity resulting in Chayne replacing the setup with torsion bars. The rear of the chassis received a transaxle comprised of a modified Buick Dynaflow with a DeDion differential attached to it. (Some years later a four-speed Hydra-Matic replaced the Dynaflow.) The DeDion setup is a type of semi-independent suspension with a drop-center beam axle connecting the two driving wheels aft of the open, double-jointed drive shafts; it is separate from the final drive unit which is attached to the frame. A transaxle combines the final drive unit with the transmission which is located between the driving wheels; it separates the transmission from the engine, thus moving a significant portion of the weight towards the rear to provide improved weight distribution in rear-wheel drive cars. The rear-mounted torque converter was driven at engine speed which made possible the installation of a generator and hydraulic pump in the rear of the chassis. Each was driven by the input shaft of the transaxle. The hydraulic pump operated four built-in jacks (one at each corner) to raise the car when needed (i.e., changing a flat tire). The double-jointed axle shafts were made of magnesium and the rear suspension was a tapered single leaf spring mounted transversely. Thirteen-inch wheels helped make the car low, but to get adequate braking, 3 ½-inch wide, 9-inch diameter finned brake drums with four brake shoes per drum were used. The overall height with the top up measured just 50 inches; the cowl height as measured from the ground peaked at a mere 36.25 inches.

The engine was yet another amazing piece of engineering for the day. It was an experimental V8 with aluminum block and heads displacing 215 cubic inches – a volume obtained with a square bore and stroke (3.25 x3.25 inches). The block extended below the crankshaft centerline; its main caps were cross-bolted. Wet cylinder liners were centrifugally cast of Ni-Resist iron. Problematic at first was the intake manifold design. Before the actual engine was constructed, a mockup was made and sent to GM Styling. Joseph Turlay, who was in charge of engineering the special V8, was told by Harley Earl to make the engine at least six inches lower. Turley’s initial thought was that his boss’s order was impossible to accomplish. However, with some ingenuity he did it. He reduced the height of the oil pan and added a windage tray to keep the crank throws from aerating the oil. The flywheel size was reduced without sacrificing the mass required by substituting bronze in place of iron; this alone reduced engine height by 1 ½ inches. A Roots-type supercharger was neatly packaged just above the intake manifold which served as the valley cover. The chain driven camshaft was suspended from the bottom of the intake. Combustion chambers were hemispherical with the intake and sodium-filled exhaust valves mounted at a 90-degree angle to each other. The intake rocker arms were mounted transversely on the engine, while the exhaust rockers pointed fore and aft. This unusual arrangement allowed for a more compact engine to fit within the limited space of the engine compartment. Valve seats were stainless steel inserts.

There were even more mechanical marvels to the LeSabre. The oval grille in front as stated earlier is not really a grille, but rather a door which hides and supports close-set headlights. When the headlight switch was set to “on” the door moved inward, rotated 180 degrees, and then moved outward with both headlights aglow.

Rare color catalog detailing the interior of the LeSabre

Instrumentation for the LeSabre was extensive and its upholstery was of leather.... For more on the LeSabre purchase a copy of the author's book, "Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars," available for pre-orders at Amazon.com (release date is January 15, 2015). Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars

2014-04-19T16:05:00.001-05:00

1954 Cutlass

A Radically Different Oldsmobile

     The 1954 Oldsmobile Cutlass made its public debut at the opening venue of the GM Motorama, the Waldorf-Astoria, in January 1954. While being designed at GM Styling under Art Ross, the car was known simply as the "long wheelbase F-88" and it shared some common features of the other Olds dream car, the F-88. Both were two-passenger cars with a similar instrument panel and powered by a modified 324 "Rocket" V-8 producing 250 horsepower. Wheels and some suspension components were also alike. However, as the name "long wheelbase F-88" implied, the Cutlass was a longer car. It was also a closed car with an unusual roof design ending in a tapering fastback with a louvered rear window. Up front was a divided oval-shaped bumper/grille combination with a set of driving lamps. The fiberglass body of the Cutlass was painted iridescent copper metallic, a special color developed for this dream car.
   Inside the Cutlass was a set of bucket-styled seats covered in pigskin; the seats swiveled to help ease entry and egress for the driver and passenger. There was no trunk lid, but access to the trunk was through a pass-through in the bulkhead behind the seats.
     Unlike some of GM's dream cars of this era, the Cutlass was made operable, and in fact, had a Michigan license plate attached.

What became of the Cutlass after its days as a show car came to an end is not known, though there was a claim made many years ago it was actually sold to someone in the northeast. If true, where is the unique car today?

For more on the LeSabre purchase a copy of the author's book, "Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars," available at Amazon.com. Click the book cover pictured at right to go directly there.

1955 LaSalle II Show Cars

2011-09-20T14:26:00.000-05:00

Two Showcases for the V-6 Experiment

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from author's files

A particularly unusual part of the history of the GM Motorama show cars can be found in a pair dubbed LaSalle II. Named after Cadillac’s companion marque, last produced in 1940, these cars were created at the time V8s were extremely popular with the motoring public. Increasingly greater horsepower was being achieved with growing cubic inches, higher compression ratios, multiple carburetion, etc., and this did not seem to be the time to test public reaction to a V6 engine, but that is exactly what happened with the LaSalle II project.

The pair of fiberglass LaSalle IIs show cars were not divisional specific. One was a six-passenger, four-door pillarless hardtop (XP-32, Shop Order 2217) and the other a diminutive two-passenger roadster (XP-34, Shop Order 2220). The pair was named after the first car Harley Earl designed for GM – the 1927 LaSalle. The four-door (with the rear doors being the suicide type) had a wheelbase of 108 inches and an overall length of 180.2 inches – just about the same length as some alternative sports cars of the day like the Muntz. A more modern comparison is a mid-sixties Falcon. The roadster was even smaller with a wheelbase of only 99.9 inches and an overall length of 151.7 inches. Ground clearance for both cars measured 5.1 inches. In an era when longer, lower, wider ruled the shape of the automobile, the LaSalle IIs flew in the face of established principles, though they were certainly low. The hardtop stood 69.5 inches high, while its companion roadster peaked at a mere 42.8 inches. Each fiberglass body sat on a custom-built steel frame with an independent suspension utilizing torsion bars in front. The windshield for the LaSalle II sedan was an “astra-dome” type much like that of the Biscayne. Its exhaust pipes, mufflers, and ports were housed in the rocker sills on the roadster, while the exhaust exited through a port in each lower quarter panel for the sedan.

Frontal styling for both LaSalle IIs had vertical grille openings based on the canceled 1941 LaSalle. The side coves of the pearlescent white cars were painted a contrasting blue (Bahama Blue on the roadster and LeSabre Blue on the Sedan) thus dominating the profile view of each car; they foretold the look of the Corvette for the following year. Carl Renner performed much of the design work on these cars and also worked on the restyled Corvette for 1956. He even went so far as to propose a 1957 Corvette based chiefly on the LaSalle II roadster’s styling, but that is as close as this show car got to production.

As already stated, the LaSalle IIs featured V6 engines, although the ones in the actual Dream Cars were aluminum castings without internal components. Even though these particular V6 prototypes were nonfunctional, GM had a V6 research program in the works over the preceding seven years. The incomplete engines mounted within the LaSalle IIs represented aluminum (heads and block), fuel-injected, double-overhead (DOHC) cam, power plants that would produce 150 horsepower. Today such engines are commonplace, but in 1955 they were quite radical. If they had gone into production, the history of the American automobile might have been very different – at least that is the opinion of Joe Bortz as quoted in an article by Charles D. Barnette for the Cadillac & LaSalle Club’s The Self Starter publication. Bortz, who owns both LaSalle IIs said, “To me these cars are the turning point in American history. At this time in 1955, long before the European automotive invasion into the American market, General Motors had already thought of and physically produced these two cars which had aluminum block V6, fuel-injection, double-overhead cam engines with independent rear suspension. As you know, during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, these were the ideas that were brought forward from Europe, and eventually Japan, that set the American automotive market on its ear. As I always say, this was the turning point in American automotive history, where if they [GM] would have stepped up on their ideas with these two LaSalle automobiles, American automotive fortunes would have been greatly changed.”

An additional feature of both cars was 13-inch turbine-style wheels with brake drums cast into their center sections. The wheel was bolted rigidly much further away from the center than a typical arrangement; tire removal meant lifting off only an assembly of the tire and rim, thus leaving the brake setup undisturbed. The bimetal brake drums bolted to the wheel hub to form a brake chamber that inhibited the entrance of moisture and dirt. These drums required only seconds to remove.

The LaSalle IIs were uncannily predictive of the future – a trait most Motorama experimental cars have in common. (Such prognostication was the result of advanced thinking within GM Styling, rather than through gifted insight into what would be in demand in the distant future.) The compact car would emerge in the 1960s and Buick would offer a V6 starting in 1962, an engine that would become very important to Buick in the 1980s.

In 1989, both LaSalle II show cars were recovered by Joe Bortz from Warhoops Auto & Truck Salvage near the GM Tech Center in Sterling Heights, Michigan. The roadster had been cut apart much like the 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne, also found at Warhoops. Fortunately, the sedan had not been butchered.

The LaSalle II roadster has the rare distinction of being one of very few work-in-progress cars to be invited to the Pebble Beach Concours D'Elegance. It was shown there along with other surviving dream cars of GM in 2008.

In 2010, Joe Bortz began the final phases of the restoration of the LaSalle II roadster. Part of that process was the design and installation of an electric motor to make the unique car mobile for the first time. A series of videos posted on Youtube.com were produced showing the progress of the project. Part one of the series can be seen here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnE0-ZVX4Ho&feature=relmfu Links to the remaining portions can be found at the website.

Currently, the LaSalle II sedan is undergoing restoration and will have a similar electric motor installed.

1952 Cadillac Custom Convertible

2011-08-26T16:33:00.004-05:00

A Gift from Harley Earl

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from author's collection

The first four years which followed the end of World War II were important ones for Cadillac. In 1947, they outsold Packard for the first time since 1934 (and continued to do so from that point onward), the 1948 models began a styling fad that would last throughout the decade of the ‘50s and into the early ‘60s, and then with the ‘49s came Cadillac’s advanced overhead valve (ohv) V8; it arrived just in time for the start of the post-war horsepower race. Such credentials helped solidify Cadillac’s image of being the “standard of the world” as they had long claimed to be.

The tail-finned Cadillac began to take shape during 1939. During this time Harley Earl and his team received an invitation to Selfridge Air Force Base to view one of the newest and most advanced fighter planes of the day, the P-38 Lightning. General Motors’ connection to the P-38 was their Allison Division which built the engines for the Lockheed-designed plane, a twin-boom fighter aircraft that later proved its worth in the skies over Germany, Burma, and the South Pacific during the second world war. Beyond its importance to the Allied war effort, the plane has the distinction of being the inspiration for the tail fin craze that consumed the Detroit auto industry and car buyers for many years.

There was more to styling the ‘48s than simply putting fins on the car. The Lightning also inspired the pontoon-like fenders and bullet shaped bumper guards as well as the wraparound windshield that appeared in following years. There was a problem to overcome in following through with the ideas that the fighter plane spawned, too. When executives received their first glance at what styling was doing, they were not exactly exuberant about the proposal, thus Earl ordered the styling department to delete the fins. Harley Earl was an intimidating person and when he said do this or that it got done – usually. The stylist in charge of the Cadillac design studio, Franklin Hershey, simply concealed the fins on the clay model with a cloth. Within a short time span, however, the idea of tailfins on Cadillacs began to appeal to management. Harley Earl went back to the studio and happily learned the fins had not been taken off the clay model.

As radically different as the 1948 and 1949 Cadillacs were, they were not as radical as they could have been. Other ideas for the new ‘48s included hidden headlights, skirted front fenders, and a very aerodynamic shape. These concepts were rejected because Harley Earl knew it was unwise to leap too far ahead of the styling practices of the day. In fact, he was quoted as saying, “A fundamental we have learned ... is not to step too far at a time, but every now and then we take a risk.” Dealers reacted the same way management did upon their introduction to the finned Cadillacs, but the general public was wild about the idea. Output for the next year’s model would nearly double the results of ‘48.

Bringing great excitement for the ‘49 model year was a replacement for the old L-head eight cylinder with the ohv V8. The new power plant displaced 331 cubic inches and provided significantly greater performance and fuel economy. With the upper limits of its capability being reached, the engineering department recognized that the L-head was due for replacement. A program was initiated during the latter part of 1941, but the war interfered with the project soon thereafter. Compression ratios were on the rise due to the availability of higher octane gasoline (up to a rating of 88 by 1948). Furthermore, still higher ratings (up to a range of 12:1 to 13:1) were being planned, thus the modern Caddy engine was designed with this in mind. The engineers apparently did their work correctly because the engine continued in its basic form through 1963. The only other street car that could measure up to Cadillac in terms of performance at that time was Oldsmobile which had their own ohv V8 displacing 307 cubic inches.

Harley Earl, the VP of GM Styling and his team of stylists made the cars of GM look exciting and thus desirable. In particular, a Cadillac was something to aspire to because in the eyes of many it made a statement like no other automobile could. It said of its owner, “I have arrived at the top.” However, there were a few Cadillacs that made that statement a little more boldly. A limousine, the two-door hardtop Coupe de Ville, and a convertible said so a bit more clearly. There was one more way that surpassed these – a customized Cadillac specially ordered by Harley Earl.

Gary Cooper and Sammy Chapin sitting in the '52 Custom Convertible

Harold R. Boyer was no ordinary person. He received an engineering degree from MIT – no small accomplishment in itself – and helped in the effort to convert American factories from civilian to war production in order to combat Nazi Germany and the Japanese Empire. During the Korean Conflict, Boyer was in charge of the Cleveland plant that produced Cadillac engines for tanks. Much of his work was classified. Boyer knew the powerful like General Curtis LeMay (the man who masterminded the bombing operations over Japan in the latter part of World War II and who later became the commander of the U.S. Air Force Strategic Air Command) and he was also friends with Harley Earl. Through his association with Earl, Boyer also became acquainted with the famous like movie star, Author Godfrey.

Earl and Boyer met when the latter was with the Oakland Motor Division of GM. Eventually, Boyer was loaned by GM to the Department of Defense. His career brought him back to serve at GM until his retirement in 1964; his last major duty for the company was to coordinate the pavilion for GM at that year’s World’s Fair in New York City. Boyer served on the board of directors of various companies including that of Lear Jet, was a pilot, and owned & flew a Beechcraft Bonanza.

One day while Boyer was assigned to managing Cadillac’s Cleveland Tank Plant, he had a conversation with Harley Earl regarding automobiles. Mr. Boyer mentioned his dream car would be part Cadillac and part sports car. Evidently, Earl became intrigued with the concept of a Cadillac sports car and began having one designed with Boyer’s input. A regular production 1951Series 62 convertible was sent to GM Styling to be redesigned into the car shown here. Originally the special Caddy was painted black and had standard issue wheel covers. The body was shortened 10 inches and lowered six inches in overall height to achieve the sports car look. Grille extensions, turn signals, headlight rings, and the hood emblem were updated to 1952-model year components. The instrument panel was modified to include manifold and oil temperature gauges, as well as a tachometer and an aircraft-type clock. A newspaper article about the unique car which appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer stated the custom Cadillac was equipped with a 230 horsepower, dual-carb engine and that it was capable of 130mph. If the report was correct, then the engine, as originally configured, was essentially the same as the one which powered the 1953-54 Eldorado (though these models lacked dual carbs). According to the article, GM was “so impressed by the vehicle” that they were considering placing it into production. One must wonder if this creation was the inspiration for the sporty dream car, the 1953 Cadillac Le Mans of which only four were built. Reportedly, it, too, was considered for production; dealers who were quarried about it believed a market existed for about 5,000 of them. However, production was not forthcoming.

At Boyer’s request, the special Cadillac was upgraded and in 1955, the car got a new engine. The sporty wire wheels may have been installed at that time as well. A four-barrel carburetor replaced the dual-quad setup. At some point, the car’s color scheme was changed, too. This is the way the car remains today.

Harold Boyer’s granddaughter purchased the car upon his death in 1987, and she preserved it until selling it several years ago at an auction. The Custom Convertible now belongs to a Palo Alto, California resident who showed the car at the 2011 Pebble Beach Concours D’Elegance.

In the opinion of many at that time, the 1950s Cadillacs represented the pinnacle of luxury, and sales of the make reflected this belief. However, the ultimate luxury cruiser of the time had to be a Harley Earl-designed Cadillac – something very few people could own.

To view photos of the car on display at Pebble Beach, click here: http://forums.aaca.org/f169/pebble-beach-1952-cadillac-custom-body-310368.html

Additional photos can be seen here: http://cadillacdatabase.org/Dbas_txt/Drm52-53.htm

1955 Chevrolet Bel Air

2011-07-26T16:03:00.012-05:00

GM's 50-Millionth Car - A Golden Opportunity

Text by David W. Temple
Photos from author's files

General Motor’s 50-millionth production automobile was assembled with great fanfare on November 23, 1954. At 9:50am that day, GM’s 50-millionth body met its 50-millionth chassis and assembly personnel secured its many components under banners commemorating the grand event. Within five minutes of the body-drop, the front fenders were being attached followed mere minutes later by the hood. Once complete, the car was driven to a nearby platform built specifically for this occasion while a band played “See the USA in a Chevrolet.” Chevrolet general manager, T.H. Keating made a few remarks then introduced GM president Harlow Curtice who told the employee audience, “Ours is a great achievement. It is one in which all of us can well take great pride. It should inspire us to even greater achievements for the future.” Curtice also noted that 50-million cars “are more than any other country or combination of countries has ever produced.” The keys to the special Bel Air were ceremoniously handed over to Harlow Curtice as part of the festivities.

The Chevrolet Bel Air two-door hardtop including its chassis was painted Anniversary Gold and had a reported 716 trim parts plated with 24-carat gold (though another report gave the number as “more than 600”) along with a duplicate set of replacement parts for repairs if necessary. The interior was color-keyed to the exterior and had the 50-millionth commemorative medallion made for the event attached to each door panel. Chevrolet also offered the Anniversary Gold paint color as a limited option (reportedly just 5,000) for four-door models only. The 50-millionth car not only appeared at the “Golden CARnival” parade in Flint, but also at the GM Motorama. General Motors even painted one of their diesel locomotives in Anniversary Gold with the special 50-millionth car logo as part of the celebration.

The ’55 Chevy passenger cars were all new this year; three-hundred million dollars were spent on the redesign and new tooling for its 3,825 new components. Just as with the Biscayne dream car, the new Chevrolets were designed under the leadership of Clare MacKichan as well as Ed Cole (who would later become president of GM). According to Fingertip Facts for the 1955 Chevrolet (a book printed for salesmen), “Chevrolet first found out, through exhaustive research, exactly what people want in a car of lowest cost; then developed – in one compact design – values that exceed people’s greatest expectations of a car of Chevrolet’s class… As a result, the new Motoramic Chevrolet is by far the most beautiful, most enjoyable, and finest performing Chevrolet ever built.” Up front was a Ferrari-like egg-crate grille. The hood-line was nearly flush with the front fenders and the profile sported a beltline or “Dutch Darrin” dip as seen on several dream cars. The beltline dip served to make a car look lower than it really was. In this case, it accentuated the low look of the new Chevrolet that was over two inches lower than the previous ’54 models. Surprisingly, the ‘55s were about one-inch shorter and one-inch narrower than the previous year models. The wraparound windshield finally made it to Chevrolet (including pickups) this year as well. With the new body came a new chassis with box-section frame rails and ball joints up front instead of king pins. The Bel Air convertible received an X-member for additional strength. A six-cylinder was standard and the new V8 optional on all models.

The unique Anniversary Gold Bel Air two-door hardtop became privately owned at some point after its days of generating publicity for GM came to an end and according to Classic Chevy World magazine’s editor, Joe Whitaker, the car was recently known to be owned by a North Carolina resident.According to him, this owner (who prefers his privacy so he will be called “Mr. Gold”) owned a different 1955 hardtop he was planning to restore. Mr. Gold learned of some garage owners who were building another 1955 hardtop into a race car so he went there to see it. Extensive modifications were nearly underway when Mr. Gold’s inspection of it showed it to be in better condition than the car he originally planned to restore. Since this car was about to get major modifications Mr. Gold suggested swapping it for his car. The offer was accepted.

After getting the car home and beginning the dismantling process, Mr. Gold noticed lots of gold plating and gold paint inside the car. He also found a special plate on the firewall, so he called Tom Trainor who worked for GM for 30 years and was a Chevy hobbyist (and is since deceased). Tom found that the VIN on Mr. Gold’s Bel Air matched that of the 50-millionth GM car.

Unfortunately, the body of this car was reportedly later destroyed in a fire. Its frame and miscellaneous other components were reported to have survived.

GM of Canada Show Cars - 1950s

2011-07-08T22:34:00.000-05:00

Forgotten '50s Show Cars from GM of Canada

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from CNE archives and author's files

Brochure for GM's Mid-Century Motorama at CNE in Toronto

While conducting research for my book, “GM’s Motorama: The Glamorous Show Cars of a Cultural Phenomenon,” I learned of several General Motors’ show cars for the Canadian auto show circuit. These cars were modified production cars with special paint colors, unique upholstery, etc. (Such cars were common at the GM Motorama in the United States, so the display of modified production cars by GM of Canada really is not surprising.) Whether the modifications were performed at GM of Canada or the cars were sent across the border to Michigan to be modified is unknown to me. Further research has uncovered additional show cars; there are no doubt more of these to be found.

Five are now known to have been crafted for the 1950 auto show circuit. These were the Chevrolet Royal Canadian, Pontiac Fleur de Lis, Pontiac Magnificent, Oldsmobile Westward Ho, and the Oldsmobile Golden Jubilee – all names associated with Canadian culture and history. All of these were shown at the GM Mid-Century Motorama at the Canadian National Exhibition held in August/September 1950. Presumably, they were also shown elsewhere in the country.

No similar cars have been discovered for the years 1951, 1953, and 1955 through 1958. Most likely, many were built during these particular years. However, those from 1952 are now known; they were another Chevrolet Royal Canadian, Pontiac Catalina Supreme, Oldsmobile Caribbean, Buick Ranger, Cadillac Coronation Coupe, and the Special Delivery (evidently based on a Pontiac Sedan Delivery).

For 1954, a 1953 Corvette was modified with a prototype detachable hardtop and roll-up windows. Other than in some trivial details and its color scheme, it was identical to the one shown in the U.S.

A special 1959 Chevrolet Corvette is known to have been exhibited at that year’s CNE.

Chevrolet Royal Canadian

The Royal Canadian, built from a four-door Deluxe, must have stood out the most among these five cars due to its striking color scheme of Carteret Red and Delicate Oyster White. Gold-plated bumpers, moldings, and hub caps further accented the exterior. Equally jaw-dropping was its interior with two-toned upholstery of white tartan and plain scarlet, white fabric sun visors and headliner, white door panels, white leather seat ends and white leather rear package shelf.

Pontiac Fleur de Lis and Magnificent

Pontiac Fleur de Lis is at center, right. (CNE archives)

Two Pontiacs, both Silver Streak four-door sedans, were less flamboyant than the Royal Canadian. (Canadian Pontiacs, incidentally, were built on a Chevrolet chassis and used a mix of Chevy and Pontiac components for the interior.) The grey-white Fleur de Lis had a fabric and leather interior of grey-white and French Blue while its companion, the Magnificent, was finished in a less subdued scheme of a metallic green lower body and special new crinkle-finish champagne top. Inside were cream nylon duck and green fabrics combined with a forest green carpet.

Oldsmobile Westward Ho and Golden Jubilee

Olds Westward Ho, near center; Golden Jubilee reflecting in mirror at lower right (CNE archives)

The Westward Ho, a two-door club sedan, was finished in Cudahy Yellow. It featured a two-toned interior of Cudahy Yellow (seat inserts) and Cadillac Black leather. Door panel inserts were black. A salmon-colored lower body and black roof distinguished the Golden Jubilee. A matching interior of salmon nylon waffle weave and silky black broadtail along with bits of black leather further enhanced Golden Jubilee two-door club coupe.

GM Travelera at the 1952 CNE

Along with the 1952 crop of GM production cars as well as the 1951 GM LeSabre experimental car, were six special show vehicles at the 1952 Canadian National Exhibition. General Motors’ theme for their display was “Travelera.” As with the 1950 show cars, these were likely displayed at other auto shows in Canada.

Chevrolet Royal Canadian

The 1952 Royal Canadian was very similar to the 1950 version. Described as “breathtaking in beauty and excellence,” it was finished in two-tone paint – Parade Scarlet and deep Guards Blue (roof). Again, gold-plated hardware decorated the exterior. No information is available on this car’s interior, though assuming it was roughly similar to the 1950 Royal Canadian seems reasonable.

1952 Chevrolet Royal Canadian (CNE archives)

Pontiac Catalina Supreme

Few details of the Catalina Supreme are available. It was described simply as a “sophisticated study in Georgian White and contrasting shades of red.” The Catalina was Pontiac’s first production two-door hardtop.

Oldsmobile Caribbean

Just as with the Catalina Supreme, details of the Olds Caribbean are scarce. It was advertised as expressing “the glamour and romance of distinctive motoring at its best.” This show car was painted in “glowing Carib Green.”

Buick Ranger

1952 Buick Ranger; note rifle mount (CNE archives)

The Buick Ranger featured a western theme. It was built from a Roadmaster convertible and was said to be painted El Rancho Beige and Canyon Brown. However, a black & white photo of this car shows it to have had a monotone scheme. The wheels were clearly darker so perhaps the brown paint was applied to them. Brown may also have been the color of the convertible top’s fabric. Fitted on at least the driver’s side door (possibly both doors) was a rifle (type unknown) and holster! This was not the last of the Buick’s with a heavy western theme.

Cadillac Coronation

All that is currently known of the Cadillac Coronation is what was said of it in an advertisement about GM of Canada’s presence at the 1952 CNE: “The dignified styling of the Cadillac Coupe de Ville is given a new distinction by the exquisite use of Sequoia Beige and Royal Maroon.”

Special Delivery

The Special Delivery (considered part of the truck line) was evidently based on the Pontiac Sedan Delivery. It was painted Parchment Cream and Coral with a matching interior. Genuine carpeting was applied to the cab and body floors.

An advertisement (illustrated in this article) about the Travelera stated other so-called Special Delivery trucks were also painted in this scheme. Reportedly, two-tone schemes were not available on GM of Canada trucks until 1954.

Corvette show car for 1954

A Corvette displayed during the 1954 GM Motorama (starting with the Miami show) tour featured a prototype fiberglass top in addition to roll-up windows. (Production Vettes had snap-in panels.) A taller windshield and frame assembly was installed on a 1953 Corvette painted a pale yellow (similar to Harvest Gold or Fiesta Cream) and the interior was outfitted with non-production upholstery and door panels with waffle-pattern inserts, as well as a small glove box on the right kick panel. A similarly patterned upholstery and door panel design, along with the hardtop, would appear for the 1956 Corvette, though the latter item would of course be offered as an extra-cost option.

Corvette prototype hardtop for Canadian auto shows (CNE archives)

For the Canadian show circuit, a second example was built from a late-production 1953 Corvette with serial number E53F001260. This car was displayed at 1954 Canadian National Exhibition as well as other venues in Canada. Other than its color scheme, the only apparent difference between it and the original Corvette hardtop prototype was its wheel covers were stock Corvette units without the crossed-flags center piece installed on the yellow hardtop.

1959 Corvette at the CNE

1959 Corvette with wire wheels at CNE (CNE archives)

Very little seems to be known about a special Corvette show car seen at the 1959 CNE. The only details available are those clearly revealed in the black & white photo accompanying this story. It was equipped with Dayton wire wheels with the knock-off type spinner. Presumably it was further enhanced with other non-production features.

Epilogue

Of all the cars described above, only the Corvette prototype hardtop from the 1954 Canadian show circuit is known to still exist. It has undergone some restoration work, but is currently dismantled.

If anyone has any additional details of the cars mentioned in this article or is aware of other Canadian show cars not covered here, please contact me through the “comments” section on this page.

Ford Show Cars, 1965-1968

2011-06-28T18:43:00.006-05:00

Text by David W. Temple
Photos from author's files

1965 Ford LTD Executive and Green Mist

The 1965 LTD Executive was a custom-built show car authorized by Ford, built by Gene Winfield, and shown at multiple venues across the country as part of the Caravan of Stars, an auto show produced by model car manufacturer AMT, customizer George Barris, and Ford Motor Company beginning in 1963. Ford executives believed this program would bring even more attention to the company’s cars. Others soon joined the effort – Bill Cushenberry, Gene Winfield, as well as Vince Gardener of Dearborn Steel Tubing.

The LTD Executive received a 1966-style grille, modified headlight bezels, recessed taillights, a stainless steel panel from the windshield header to the midpoint of the roof, and a padded vinyl covering from that point rearward. All emblems and name plaques were removed and a special medallion placed behind the front wheels. Upholstery was fabric and leather. The car was photographed with stock wheel covers for early publicity photos, but the wheels and wheel covers were later replaced with Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels. At some other point it was fitted with Rader aluminum wheels.

Another show car, dubbed the Green Mist, was also a part of the Caravan of Stars. Like the Executive it was built from a Galaxie 500/LTD, but in this case a two-door version. The Green Mist featured a custom-fabricated grille, NASCAR-type headlight panels, custom taillights, extruded aluminum rocker moldings, Rader Hot Wire wheels (fitted later), and a two-piece top. The rear component of the top was trimmed with fake landau irons; this section could be left in place. With the whole top removed a Thunderbird Sports Roadster style tonneau could be fitted behind the rear seat. As this car’s name suggests, it was painted in a custom-mixed emerald green.

1966 Magic Cruiser and Black Pearl

The 1966 Magic Cruiser could be transformed from a fastback to a station wagon and back via hydraulic and electric controls. One of the specifications given to George Barris who was hired by Ford to build the car was that the movable roof section rise within seven seconds. A series of aircraft hydraulic systems, screw jacks, and a switch on the dash made that possible. Lowering the tailgate allowed for easy entry to a rear-facing third seat, and like on Ford’s production station wagons, the second and third seats could be folded down for addition cargo storage.

In front, the two-door hardtop LTD-based Magic Cruiser had one-piece tempered glass headlights, shaved door handles, and a set of Western wire mag wheels. It was painted a custom-mixed “Gold Sunset” and the interior was two-toned with pleated vinyl and lamb’s wool carpeting. Under the hood was the new 428.

This show car was probably re-skinned to become the Magic Cruiser II the following year.

Another LTD two-door hardtop was converted into the Black Pearl. It was a mild custom wearing “Firefrost Black Metallic” paint and a black vinyl top. Door handles, deck lid keyhole, and block lettering on the hood were removed. Taillights were deeply recessed. Stock wire wheel covers and with custom triple-stripe white wall tires were fitted to the wheels. Pearl white seats with satin and leather bolsters covered the seats and a pearl white mouton carpet was applied to the floor.

1967 Magic Cruiser and Interceptor

One of the ways FoMoCo promoted its new 1967 full-sized cars was with a couple of show cars christened Magic Cruiser II and XL Interceptor. The Magic Cruiser II built by George Barris was, as Ford described it, a “super fastback” that could be turned into a station wagon when the fastback section of the roof and two special window-side panels were electrically raised. It was possibly built from the original Magic Cruiser shown during 1966.

The XL Interceptor had numerous modifications such as magnesium wheels, special tires, textured appliqués on the lower bodysides, floating design taillights, reflector slots in the quarters, a modified grille, and plastic lens covers over the headlights. A 428 resided under the hood of the light blue murano pearl show vehicle. The two unique cars were shown nationally at various events that year such as the Chicago Auto Show.

1968 Fiera

The 1968 XL-based Fiera featured several styling modifications. Among these were a lowered roofline which altered the angles of the front and rear windshields resulting in a very sleek looking car. The mostly stock-looking grille was deeply recessed and had auxiliary rectangular driving lights positioned on either side of the stock grille divider. Under the louvered hood was a 428. Vent windows, side moldings, front side marker lamps, and rear side reflectors were deleted. Racing-style outside mirrors replaced the stock units. The rear wheel openings were enlarged a bit and a pair of brake cooling vents was installed just ahead of the rear wheels. Wide-oval white wall tires were fitted to a set of custom wheels. A wide trunk molding extended to the taillights; the extensions replaced the stock back-up lamp assemblies.

Epilogue

All of the above cars were probably crushed after their auto show duties were at an end. However, in the past such cars have escaped the crush order. Perhaps one or two of these cars still exist.

Do any readers have additional information and/or photographs of these cars?

Oldsmobile F-88 Dream Cars

2011-06-18T13:04:00.003-05:00

The 1954-57 F-88s

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from author's collection except as noted

The original 1954 Oldsmobile F-88 on display at the Waldorf Astoria

The General Motors Motorama was launched to bring attention to the products of the corporation which included not only its automobiles from Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Chevrolet, and GMC, but also auto parts and non-automotive divisions. More notably, it featured experimental or dream cars to test public reaction to new ideas. These cars also exposed the public to advanced concepts so as to acclimate them to features that would be found on automobiles in the near future as well as what might be seen in the distant future.

In 1954, Oldsmobile was represented with two experimental prototypes both of which were sporty two-seaters dubbed the F-88 (XP-20, Shop Order 1939) and Cutlass. Incidentally, prior to its formal naming, the latter was known inside GM Styling as the long wheelbase F-88 because it shared some of the XP-20’s features, but sat atop a stretched Corvette frame giving it an eight-inch longer wheelbase. The subject of our story, however, is the F-88 series of experimental cars.

Upholstery and color samples for F-88 show car

The styling of the 1954 F-88 is credited to Art Ross who headed the Olds studio. (All the stylists of GM were under the leadership of the legendary Harley Earl who brought the concept of styling to the mass-produced automobile.) This two-seater experimental sports car could easily have gone from dream car to production car with assembly being done on the Corvette line. Unfortunately for Chevrolet, their Corvette was not selling well and a divisional competitor made no sense by the time the F-88 arrived on the show circuit. Ironically, Oldsmobile was better suited to offering the sports car at the time as they already had a powerful V-8; Chevrolet would not offer a V-8 (the 265) until the following model year.

Oldsmobile’s 324 Rocket V-8 with a single four-barrel carburetor was boosted to 250 horsepower for the F-88; the engine was mated to a Hydra-Matic automatic transmission. The engine’s compression ratio was pushed higher (to 10:1) than the stock 185hp 324 that came in an Olds Eighty-Eight or Ninety-Eight and a label on the fuel filler cap specified that 94-to-100-octane fuel be used. Writers for Motor Life magazine (April 1954) speculated that the top speed of the experimental car would be approximately 150mph. Regardless of the horsepower rating attributed to the F-88, it reportedly did not run during the time of the GM Motorama tour and only after the show circuit ended was its electrical system needed to make the car run connected. During the summer of 1955, this car was used in a Shriners Parade in downtown Lansing, Michigan. It was used in other parades as well. In fact, thanks to auto restorer Ed Lucas (FEL Enterprises) the fate of the original F-88 is now known. This car was damaged by an engine fire shortly before or just after a parade in 1956. He has seen photos of the car on fire.

The fiberglass body of the Motorama F-88 was painted metallic gold with dark green wheel wells; the green paint even extended to the floor pans. A minimal of chrome trim – at least by fifties standards – decorated the F-88. A simple chrome molding ran from the tail light pod to the dip in the beltline at the door then swept back and down before turning rearward and terminating at the rear wheel opening. The outline of the molding resembled the shape of a hockey stick. Large chrome “88” numerals cleverly disguised engine heat vents on the front fenders and an “around the world” emblem was affixed to the nose and deck lid for product identity. An oval-shaped honeycomb grille filled the opening of the combination bumper/grille surround and in back a thin molding bordered the recessed license plate mounting. The oval exhaust openings at the rear of the quarters also got a chrome-plated surround. Furthermore, seven chromed bumper guards were mounted to the body-colored bumper. Long conical tail lights were mounted to the upper quarter panel extensions; a similarly shaped tail light would later be used for the ’59 Cadillac. The wheel cover design for the 13-inch wheels resembled a turbine with a three-blade spinner or “flipper.” During the Motorama tour, the wheels were fitted with black sidewall tires though these were later changed to wide whites.

Spare tire compartment

The F-88’s convertible top folded into a well which was covered with a hinged lid just as on the Corvette. Its fuel filler was mounted just behind the top well and along the fore/aft center line of the car; the deck lid opening was cut around it. The trunk, as one would expect, was not spacious, but having the spare mounted under the trunk floor and accessed with a drop-down integral bumper guard did help maximize the usefulness of the volume provided. (The drop-down bumper section would show up on other GM dream cars before being adopted for production vehicles – the Chevrolet Cameo and GMC Suburban pickups.) Of course the show car likely never had to carry any luggage anyway. Even so, the trunk was as well finished as the rest of the vehicle.

A Corvette frame was used, though provisions certainly had to be made to adapt the “Rocket” V-8 in place of the Corvette’s “Blue Flame” six-cylinder. Wheelbase remained the same as the Vette’s at 102 inches while the overall length of the car measured 167.25 inches. Overall height with the top down was just 45 inches.

Amateur's photo of the Motorama F-88 interior

The interior of the F-88 was quite dissimilar to that of the Corvette. Though it featured bucket seats, they were of a different design than those in the Vette. A bulkhead behind the seats had openings formed around the seats’ backrests to provide recesses for their adjustment in the fore/aft direction. Between the seats and positioned on the bulkhead was a radio speaker grille. The seats and steering wheel were covered in pigskin. A set of competition-style instruments was arranged vertically in three round housings beginning at the top center of the F-88’s dash. Its upper instrumentation housing contained an odometer along with a 150mph speedometer and a 6,000rpm tachometer laid out concentrically; the center one was divided into the amp (above) and temperature gauges; the bottom housing did double duty, too, with the fuel gauge in the top half and the oil pressure gauge occupying the lower half. Fresh air vents sat atop the dash along the cowl edge and in the kick panels. The console which was finished in chrome and textured metallic gold carried a chronometer, shifter, radio and radio controls. Initially, the dash, upper door panels, instrumentation stack, and carpeting were a golden color. At some point, the dash color was changed to dark green then later the dark color was extended to the upper door panels, center instrument pods, forward console, and carpeting. The steering wheel was replaced with a production type as well.

Multiple XP-20 F-88s were built. Harley Earl drove one (Shop Order 2292) which underwent numerous modifications during 1955 and 1956. GM vice president (and the former head of the Olds division) Sherrod Skinner had another F-88 (Shop Order 2264).

Sherrod Skinner's F-88

Many more details of the F-88s are available in my new book, "Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars." http://www.amazon.com/Motorama-Legendary-Show-Concept-Cartech/dp/1613251599/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_img_1

Harley Earl had his F-88 updated more than once.

One more Olds F-88 – a completely different car except for being a two-seater – was built specifically for Harley Earl, but that is another story.

1955 Chevrolet Biscayne

2011-06-09T16:22:00.001-05:00

From Riches to Rags to Riches

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from author’s archives except as credited

There was a time when General Motors was the unquestioned leader of the automotive industry. Throughout the 1950s, GM dominated automobile sales in this country with a nearly 50 percent market share by the middle of the decade.

One of their successful marketing techniques during this era was the GM Motorama, a traveling extravaganza with venues in major cities across the country. Its goal was to bring attention to the company’s many and varied divisions (such as AC, Allison Engines, Frigidaire, etc.) to, of course, stimulate sales. Through free admission, Broadway-style stage shows, and – most memorably – experimental vehicles typically called, “dream cars” (“concept cars” in today’s vernacular), millions of people were attracted to the great spectacle held consecutively from 1953 to 1956 as well as previously in 1949 (as “Transportation Unlimited”) and 1950 (“Mid-Century Motorama”), as well as again in 1959, and 1961. The years from 1953 to 1956, however, are the most noteworthy thanks to dream cars and prototypes such as the GM LeSabre, Cadillac Le Mans, the Buick Wildcat series, the first Chevy Corvette, the turbine-powered GM Firebird I, II, and III, plus many more.

The Biscayne at a GM Motorama along with other show cars

One of the myriad of fiberglass-bodied dream cars shown during the heyday of the GM Motorama was the 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne. At its inception, the Biscayne was simply dubbed XP-37 (XP presumably meaning experimental prototype), S.O. 2249 (S.O. meaning “shop order”). The project – as all such projects – proceeded under the leadership of Harley J. Earl. Earl, who was GM’s first vice president of design. Those who mastered the art of styling the automobile through Earl’s philosophy were the ones charged with the responsibility for advanced projects such as the dream cars of the GM Motorama. In the case of the Biscayne, Clare MacKichan (pronounced MacKeekan) who headed the Chevy Studio from 1953-61 was charged with the design. Each car created for the touring exhibition had its own theme and purpose. In the case of the XP-37 it was an “exploration in elegance” as expressed in GM-produced literature about the car. The metallic green four-passenger, pillarless four-door hardtop featured side coves and “suicide” doors; it was the only Chevrolet dream car of the GM Motorama to have these features. The side coves which wrapped around the back of the Biscayne would be seen on the following year’s Corvette though reversed from that of the Biscayne. Several other features such as the taillight panel design would eventually be found on the 1961-62 Corvette. A so-called “Stratospheric” wraparound windshield curved upward into the roof; its upper portion was tinted to reduce glare from the sun. Its basic shape was adopted for the 1959-60 GM cars. (This is what the GM Motorama dream cars were meant to do – reveal features to be seen in the immediate future or indicate what could be found on GM cars some years away. Designing them pushed GM’s stylists to think ahead or outside the box as the saying goes. These cars tested the public’s reaction to new ideas as well as familiarized them with advanced styling ideas.) In an era when chrome was used to establish status, the elegant Biscayne’s comparatively minimal chrome trim must have been surprising to many.

The custom-built air cleaner was recovered from the salvage yard, but the original engine was gone.

Underneath the Biscayne’s fiberglass hood, resided a 215 horsepower version of the new Chevrolet “Turbo-Fire” V-8, which in its stock form produced up to 180hp (with a four-barrel carb). The Biscayne’s modified Turbo-Fire engine had a high-lift camshaft, dual exhausts, and a four-barrel carburetor to boost its output; the 215hp rating suggested to the public there was more performance to be had in a Chevrolet in the near future. A two-speed Powerglide was mated to the high-performance engine. Despite all the hype about the Biscayne’s engine, the show car was a “pushmobile.”

Interior features included thin-shell front and rear bucket seats; the front ones swiveled outward. The rear seats were separated with a small console that served as a storage area and arm rest. Seats were trimmed with chrome and covered in green leather.

When the dream cars were no longer considered especially dreamy some higher-ups within the GM hierarchy ordered certain cars to be scrapped. The Biscayne was among the group ordered scrapped. It was transported to Warhoops Used Auto & Truck Parts in Sterling Heights, Michigan, along with at least three other Motorama cars. Two of the cars were cut apart; two were left in tact. The once carefully maintained and gleaming Biscayne was badly butchered.

In 1989, Joe’s son, Marc, read a contemporary magazine article about the cars of the GM Motorama which at its conclusion mentioned the persistent rumor that some of the cars lay within the confines of the Warhoops salvage yard. He mentioned this tantalizing claim to his father and suggested calling the salvage yard. Joe’s reply to the proposal was, “If those cars were ever there, they would be gone by now.” Marc, undeterred, made the call. He introduced himself and inquired about the Motorama cars. The man on the other end of the phone, Harry Warholak, Sr., recognized the name “Bortz” and asked if he was related to the guy who collected such cars. (At that time, Joe already owned the 1953 Buick Wildcat and other show cars.) When Marc confirmed that fact, Warholak invited Joe to call. Ultimately their phone conversations resulted in the elder Bortz purchasing the Biscayne as well as two other 1955 dream cars, the LaSalle II roadster and the LaSalle II sedan along with the 1956 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham Town Car.

The Biscayne and LaSalle II roadster were cut into several pieces at Warhoops. (Gil Cunningham)

Unfortunately, the Biscayne was cut apart into so many pieces it appeared to be hopelessly beyond restoration. The mostly custom-fabricated frame and the engine were long lost. The body – cut into ten sections – and trim (much of it having been dug out of the ground) along with the other three dream cars were loaded for transport back to Joe’s warehouse near Chicago. Over a span of two decades, fate intervened in a series of fortuitous ways making possible the seemingly impossible task of restoring the Biscayne. As Mr. Bortz summarized the restoration, “The Biscayne was saved by accident and in increments.”

A couple of the major elements of good luck were the discovery of photographs of the Biscayne’s original chassis and Joe’s association with famed street rod builder, Kerry Hopperstead. Hopperstead was absolutely certain he could recreate the chassis for the show car from the GM photographs. Using the known dimension of the wheel size (15 inches as revealed by the wheel covers) for the Biscayne, the photos, and the construction details of the underside of the body, Hopperstead was able to deduce the dimensions and shape for the box-section frame. The frontal section, however, was a simple matter as it was a production 1955 Chevrolet type so a donor car was acquired for that. When the chassis was completed the Biscayne’s body was lowered onto it, but a new problem became very apparent – the body which had been reassembled some years earlier was “out of square” as evidenced by the positioning of the wheels relative to the wheel openings. The body had to be cut apart again!

The Biscayne under restoration at Martino's shop (Marty Martino)

Next, Bortz went to Mel Francis, to “square” the body and to fabricate a new roof panel. (The original panel was badly warped.) Even with the issues posed by the chassis and body solved, came a number of additional hurdles. One of those was the front windshield; the original was gone. Its compound curves made the task of fabricating another major challenge. Bortz estimates that 20 attempts failed before a successful effort was achieved. Other parts which had to be fabricated included one of the cast brass wheel covers, the right rear door skin, the rear bumperettes, and most of the interior. Two more experts were given the challenge of solving these and other issues.

Joe’s personal restorer for the past four decades has been the renowned Fran Roxas, considered to be one of the best if not the best restorers of American classic cars in the United States. Fran assisted Joe in being an overseer of the entire project as well as making many components for the car which were missing.

Marty Martino became another link in the long chain of events leading to the final steps of the Biscayne’s restoration. Joe approached him with the proposal to work on the Biscayne after seeing his impressive recreation of another GM Motorama car, the 1956 Pontiac Club de Mer. Marty’s tasks included detailing the car’s undercarriage and engine compartment, making its windows operable, and essentially recreating its interior. All of this was done within a 14 ½ month period often working 14-hour days.

Much of the interior had to be refabricated including the seats. (Marty Martino)

As originally built, the electric window switches were nonfunctional. The position of the windows could be changed only by removing the door panels, loosening some bolts, placing the windows up or down as desired, tightening the bolts again, and reinstalling the door panels. After some experimentation Marty was able to make the front windows functional via electric motors from an early-70s Cadillac, but the geometry of the rear doors made impractical doing the same for those windows.

New front and rear seats were constructed as was a rear console based almost completely upon factory photographs. A fragment of one seat frame was amongst the parts recovered from Warhoops and it was useful in recreating the external frame surrounding the seats. Amazingly, traces of the original upholstery material remained in the Biscayne. New leather of the same grain and color was obtained through Bill Hirsch Automotive Products.

Marty was also responsible for recreating from photographs the complete set of instruments just like the nonfunctional originals (including the 110mph speedometer). A structural brace behind the dash left no room for such things as a speedometer cable. However, a set of modern gauges was mounted inside the glove box to monitor oil pressure and coolant temperature.

Photo by Marty Martino

Painting the Biscayne was left to the accomplished staff of Page Customs. Using a spectrophotometer allowed for matching the custom-mixed color dubbed by someone within GM as “Atlantic Green,” though this time with RM Diamont urethane clear coat/base coat.

Finally in 2010, the completed Biscayne was ready to be shown and the venue for its first outing as such was The Concours d’Elegance of America at Meadowbrook attended by designers from the past including Chuck Jordan (now deceased) and Wayne Cherry, both former heads of GM Design. Also in attendance was the current leader of GM Design, Ed Welburn.

After a long, expensive, and meticulous effort spanning 22 years and a half-century after being butchered, the Biscayne in every detail is again the impressive show car it was in 1955.

Author’s note: For a much more detailed accounting of the Chevrolet Biscayne’s history including its recovery from Warhoops and restoration, read the author’s article about the car in the April 2011 issue of Collectible Automobile. To read about all of the dream cars of the GM Motorama purchase a copy of the author’s new book, “Motorama: GM's Legendary Show & Concept Cars,” here: http://www.amazon.com/Motorama-Legendary-Show-Concept-Cartech/dp/1613251599/ref=pd_rhf_gw_p_d_2

The Ghost of the Norseman

2011-05-29T17:58:00.011-05:00

1956 Chrysler Norseman - A Specter from the Wreck of the Andrea Doria

Text by David W. Temple

Photos from Chrysler Historical Collection, Marty Martino, and author's files

More than two-hundred feet beneath the Atlantic Ocean and deep within the darkened hull of the 697-foot long Italian ocean liner Andrea Doria lays the debris of what was once an experimental dream car. The ship sank several hours after being struck by the Stockholm on the night of July 25, 1956. As a result, the unique lines of the Ghia-built 1956 Chrysler Norseman were destined never to be seen by those who designed it, nor were the spectators of the coming auto shows going to have the opportunity to ooh and ahh at the stylish fastback. The few people who did were the craftsmen at Ghia in Turin, Italy and possibly the people who loaded the car aboard the ship as well as some of its crew, or maybe not. That would depend on whether the car was crated or placed on a pallet as was customary for Chrysler’s other Ghia-built show cars. No one is absolutely certain of the method employed. It was probably in cargo hold number two, but even that is an uncertainty.

Photographs of the car are rare. Evidently no color ones were ever taken resulting in conflicting information about its color scheme. Was it silver or green? We will probably never know. The few black & whites taken of the Norseman were done at Ghia shortly before the car was sent to the loading dock. The negatives for the interior photos seemed to have been lost and original prints are extremely scarce. This car was almost completely lost to history.

Not many photographs of the 1956 Chrysler Norseman seem to exist - none evidently in color. This front three-quarter view of the car highlights the hidden headlights, the bumper-grille combination, wraparound windshield, and the cantilever roof.

There are a few facts about this sunken show car that have survived over the last five-and-a-half decades, though. The origin of the Norseman was sometime during 1953 in a studio occupied by imaginative stylists such as Cliff Voss, William Brownlie, as well as others along with capable engineers and managers who were all under the legendary leadership of Virgil M. Exner. (Coincidentally, the Andrea Doria went into service that same year.) The car's name was derived from Exner's Norwegian heritage.

This is the wooden buck of the Norseman.

The team spent 50,000 man-hours and approximately $200,000 to design and build the Norseman. Ghia needed 15 months to construct the one-of-a-kind idea car.

Arguably, the most unusual feature of the Norseman to emerge from Chrysler’s design studio was its cantilever roof. The Norseman is nearly unique in this regard since no production car and very few show cars have had this feature. Perhaps the concept would have been adopted for production if the car had not been lost. The lack of A-pillars gave an unobstructed view through the wraparound windshield; the idea had much appeal with Exner. According to his son, Virgil Jr., “He liked to provide good visibility in his cars.”

There was more than good visibility involved in the design. Glassmaker, PPG, built the heat-treated structural windshield to make it more crash resistant. Furthermore, the roof was attached in tension to a ¼-inch rod located in place of where the A-pillar posts would normally be present. In theory, such a car in a rollover accident would be provided strong support; the retainers holding the roof and rods together were meant to shear thus releasing the roof from its tension state. Additionally, the roof had a couple of novelty features. One was a brushed aluminum insert and the other was a 12-square foot backlight that could be retracted forward into the roof via an electrical switch. This idea never went into production on any Chrysler product, but a somewhat similar idea – a backlight which retracted into the trunk – was used by Lincoln and Mercury. Fresh air intakes for the passenger compartment were located in the leading edge of the roof, too.

Clamshell-type, hidden headlights and a full-width concave grille in combination with a thin bumper located along the horizontal center line and capped at each end with pod-mounted parking lights dominated the front-end view. All of it was finished with a valance panel sweeping underneath the assembly. The front fenders, with their hidden headlights, resembled the nose of a shark.

The Norseman’s hood dipped sharply in front, leaving it beneath the frontal portion of the fender line. A light crease beginning at the top of the headlight doors gained prominence as it swept back to the rear of the car and actually formed a horizontal fin along the quarter panel. The fin on the driver’s side ended with the fuel-filler door. This set of fins – as did those atop the quarters – stopped several inches short of the rear of the car.

The wheel opening were quite dramatic as well; they were low-cut in both the front and rear and each were scalloped similarly to those of Buick’s limited-production 1954 Skylark.

Outside door handles were not employed. Instead, a push-button release not unlike those of the ‘40s Lincoln Continental was used.

The rear of the Norseman was no less sensational. Other than its retractable backlight, this show car also featured elliptical nacelles housing chrome-plated bumperettes each with small, round stacked taillights. (A somewhat similar arrangement appeared on the 1957 DeSoto line.) The fastback roof flowed back so far it formed the opening for the center bumper. In profile the Norseman looked something like a rocketship from a contemporary sci-fi movie.

The sporty and comfortable looking interior of the Norseman featured bucket-type seats in front and back, satin metal decor, as well as a pull-out writing desk. Instrumentation was suspended in pods beneath the dash.

The front seats swiveled forward to ease entry into the rear passenger compartment. Note the presence of individual consoles between the seats.

Inside the Norseman were even more spectacular features. Its seating consisted of four power-assisted bucket-type seats covered in metallic light green leather with either contrasting gray or gray-green inserts. Each pair of seats was separated by a console with a glove box. Also incorporated into these consoles was a retractor for the buckle component of the seat belts; the other half of the reel-type seat belts retracted into the side of the front seats and probably the quarter trim panels in back. Interior lamps also appear to have been installed within the individual consoles. An experimental form of lighting was luminescent paint applied to the back side of the Norseman's front seats. Instrumentation was suspended from the padded dash in pods and a small writing desk could be pulled out from underneath the passenger side glove box. Satin finish metal trim wrapped around from the door panels to the dash.

While the outside and inside of the Norseman were flashy, the engine compartment may have or may not have been equally so. No photographs of it seem to exist to know if it was dressed up with chromed components though this was typical practice for Ghia. Regardless, the show car was reportedly fitted with a 235hp 331 Hemi instead of the high-performance version that was standard issue for the Chrysler 300-B. However, the car may have been refitted with the 340hp letter car engine if it had arrived at Chrysler.

The Norseman’s chassis was a modified 1955 Chrysler type with a suspension of torsion bars in front and leaf springs in back. This is not often reported in other stories about this car, but Virgil Exner, Jr. believes this is true. His belief seems to be supported by a news article about the car published in the August 10, 1956 issue of the New York Times which quoted unnamed engineers as saying the Norseman had an “advanced suspension” but gave no other details about it. Torsion bars were employed for the 1957 Chryslers so the presence of the setup on the show car seems logical. Other modifications included a wheelbase stretched from 126 to 129 inches and a full underpan to reduce air resistance underneath the car.

If the Norseman had arrived safely, Chrysler undoubtedly would have thoroughly tested the car at its engineering proving grounds near Chelsea, Michigan before showing it to the public to gauge their reactions to the radical design. Brief consideration was given to having Ghia build a second Norseman, but the time needed to do this would have meant the car would not be available for evaluation until late 1957 or early 1958. Assuming the car was insured for its full cost, the money certainly would have been available for the project. However, the natural fast pace of the auto industry at that time would have rendered a second Norseman as obsolete by the time it was ready to be tested and shown. Hence, the idea was rejected.

After 55 years under water, the Andrea Doria has deteriorated greatly. Its upper decks have collapsed over the years. Even if the Norseman had been so tightly secured as to stay in place even as the ship pitched over on its side and sank, it could not possibly have survived the years of exposure to the salt water of the Atlantic. Some reports claim the body was of aluminum. Virgil Exner, Jr. believes it was built of steel. Either way, the body would have corroded long ago. Chances are the car was crumpled as the ship flipped on its starboard side and struck the ocean floor. However, there are a few reports of divers spotting an unusual car within the ship. This, though, is rebutted by professional wreck diver and New Jersey resident, John Moyer, who has made over 100 dives to the Doria to recover artifacts from it. He has even taken some time to try to locate whatever remains of the Norseman, but never did. Unfortunately, there was little time to search. A diver is limited to 20-25 minutes to explore inside the dark and silt-filled hull of the ship. Complicating the matter of searching for the show car’s remnants is the tremendous amount of silt which can be stirred by the ocean currents at any given moment, rusted shards of metal which can tear a pressure suit, and the question as to where to look. The Andrea Doria’s manifest shows nine cars were placed in the ship’s garage, but whether or not that included the Norseman is not known. That means the garage as well as cargo hold two had to be searched. With the conditions within the ship Moyer could easily have swam past the debris of the show car and never known it. Even though the body of the car was not expected to have survived, parts such as the drivetrain and frame would be recognizable if they could be seen. Smaller cosmetic parts such as the unique wheel covers of the show car probably survived, too, as they are believed to have been chrome-plated brass.

The sweeping roofline of the Norseman is readily apparent in this view. Its backlight retracted upward into the cantilever roof.

The fate of the Norseman is final. Its loss at the time was of great concern to Exner, Jr. His father was in the hospital recovering from a heart attack at the time the Andrea Doria and its unique cargo sank so there was some apprehension in telling him of the event. When finally told the news, the elder Exner said, “That’s really neat.” According Exner, Jr., his father "was a romanticist. He was disappointed by the loss of the car, but thought it was great that it would become a part of automotive folklore.” Indeed, the Norseman has become just that.

Marty Martino, who is known for his recreation of another lost show car - the 1956 Pontiac Club de Mer - is slowly recreating the Chrysler Norseman. Additional photos can be seen here: http://www.kustomrama.com/index.php?title=Marty_Martino%27s_1956_Chrysler_Norseman (Photo by Marty Martino)

The car still draws much attention from automotive hobbyists. In fact, as this is being written, a second Norseman is being built albeit slowly. No, Chrysler and Ghia are not involved this time. Marty Martino who is well known for his recreation of another show car, the 1956 Pontiac Club de Mer, and his part in the restoration of the 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne displayed by GM at that year’s Motorama, has long been crafting a replica of the Norseman in fiberglass. It will take much more time to complete the car as Marty is currently involved in another special “hush, hush” project. Many look forward to the day he completes the second Norseman. One request of Marty… please do not send it across the Atlantic for any reason!

More on the sinking of the Andrea Doria can be found here: http://www.andreadoria.org/

1954 DeSoto Adventurer II - Granturismo Show Car

2011-05-19T22:56:00.001-05:00

The 1954 DeSoto Adventurer II show car was built for Chrysler by Ghia in Turin (Spanish for Torino), Italy. It was one of many show cars Chrysler Corp. had built during the 1950s but one of only a few not designed by the company’s chief stylist Virgil Exner.

Photography and Text by David W. Temple

When World War II ended, automobile makers were not quite ready to offer new designs. Chrysler Corporation was no exception in that regard; their first all new designs appeared in the latter part of 1949. In the case of the public, new styling made little difference during the first few years after the war as they were hungry for new cars to replace their well worn ones. Eventually, though, styling made a major difference to the consumer. In the specific case of Chrysler, however, company president K.T. Keller was not styling minded. Chrysler had a reputation for good engineering, but styling was not always their strong point. The new ‘49s and those that followed through 1954, had the “three box look” – as in one box piled on top of two others. The Chrysler products were not nearly as flashy as those coming from Ford and General Motors. Actually, this did not need to happen. Chrysler designers created some styling proposals that somewhat resembled Lincolns and did away with bolt-on rear fenders. The look was modern, but for whatever reason the proposed styling was not chosen for the production cars.

A DeSoto logo similar to those used on production 1953 and 1954 models appears on the hood of the Adventurer II. The logo signifies the namesake of the car, Hernando De Soto the 16^th century Spanish explorer of the Americas.

General Motors, on the other hand, had people in charge who knew the value of styling as a selling tool. Harley Earl and his people inside GM Styling were leading the way in that regard and as a result GM was getting the vast majority of customers. Change was needed at Chrysler because engineering alone was not selling their cars in great enough quantity. Keller left the presidency of Chrysler Corp. in late 1950 and was replaced by Lester “Tex” Colbert. Colbert had a different vision for what the company’s cars should become and he already had what he needed to implement his vision. Virgil Exner had been with Chrysler for about a year when “Tex” became president. Exner first worked under the legendary Harley Earl at GM and then for Raymond Lowey at Studebaker. When Exner stepped into his job, the styling of the new cars was locked in place for a while, but there was work to be done in the advanced studio. Exner went to work on show cars like the Chrysler K-310, Chrysler C-200, Chrysler Special, Dodge Firearrow, DeSoto Adventurer I, etc. He had learned that Ghia in Turin, Italy could build show cars for modest sums of money and arranged for through Ghia’s design chief, Luigi Segre, to have show cars built there. This arrangement had another advantage – Exner was drawn to Italian design, so no better situation could have resulted. Under Exner’s guidance, Chrysler’s cars got the styling needed to attract buyers while the exotic show cars served as design exercises and as a means of generating publicity.

DeSoto’s “Red Ram” 170hp engine coupled to a two-speed Powerflite automatic transmission was chosen to power the Adventurer II show car.

The black and red interior was made just for two.

Colbert had something else important aimed at making the cars of the company more exciting – the Hemi V8. The engine which had been under development since 1935 was ready for production for model year 1951 and appeared in Chryslers and Imperials first. Chrysler’s “Fire Power” displaced 331 cubic inches while Dodge, DeSoto, and Plymouth got smaller, less powerful versions during the following model years. DeSoto’s Hemi displaced 276.1 cubic inches and provided 160 hp for 1953 and 170hp for 1954. The design of the new hemi-head offered more power from a given displacement without the need for increased octane fuels. The key to this was in the hemispherical combustion chamber shape (hence the name). The arrangement reduced the chance for pre-ignition, allowed higher volumetric efficiency, and resulted in a cooler running engine.

A DeSoto “Red Ram” 170 horsepower V8, two-speed Powerflite, and a 125.5-inch wheelbase S-19 Series chassis served as a platform for the two-passenger car featured here dubbed the 1954 Adventurer II. Somewhat ironically, this car did not have much in common with the preceding, four-passenger, Exner-designed Adventurer I nor did Virgil Exner have much to do with its styling. This car’s design was largely the responsibility of a creative stylist and engineer at Ghia named Giovanni Savonuzzi. Savonuzzi had designed a sleek aluminum coupe body for engineer Virgilio Conrero’s tube-frame, Alfa Romeo-powered racecar for the 1953 Mille Miglia. It was followed shortly afterwards by a similar body for the Fiat 8V chassis which incidentally went into production with a run of 50 cars. During the early part of 1954, Segre met with Exner and showed to him photos of the Alfa-Conrero. According to an article in the Fall 1990 issue of “Exotic Cars Quarterly,” Exner judged it to be a “beautiful design.” His occasional Italian translator and racecar builder, Paul Farrago, actually bought a Ghia-bodied Fiat 8V which gave Virgil Exner a chance to examine the actual car. Later, Segre suggested the basic design known as the “Supersonic Look” be adapted to a follow-up to the Adventurer I. Exner agreed and saw that the funds were made available for the project. By the way, the “Supersonic Look” was applied to a few other cars as well such as at least a couple of Jaguar XK-140s and a 1956 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk. II.

A burnished aluminum plate surrounds the instrument dials. The odometer shows less than 15,000 actual miles.

Two-piece luggage is fitted in the space behind the seats.

Kelsey-Hayes wire wheels were selected for the Adventurer II. The wheels were optional on production Chrysler-built cars.

The DeSoto Adventurer II was introduced to the American press on June 16, 1954 during ceremonies for the new Chrysler proving grounds near Chelsea, Michigan. It was first exhibited at the Turin Auto Show soon thereafter. In its August 1954 issue, “Motor Trend” ridiculed the styling of the Adventurer II by suggesting the car’s “slab sides and illusion of excessive width” violated Exner’s philosophy of “emphasis on the mechanical beauty and function of an automobile.” According to the aforementioned article in “Exotic Cars Quarterly,” Virgil Exner, Jr. said his father approved of the car and “realized that Savonuzzi was not only a great engineer but had a terrific styling eye.” Beauty, as the adage declares, is in the eye of the beholder.

The backlight of the Adventurer II is retractable.

The spare tire and wheel assembly takes up most of the trunk space. The backlight retracts into the cover just above and ahead of the spare.

After the Turin Auto Show in the summer of ’54, the history of the Adventurer II is a bit unclear. The car’s first documented private owner was a U.S. civilian named Art Spanjian who worked for Nouasseur Air Force Base in Morocco. As stated by an article in a 1959 issue of “Automobile Topics,” Spanjian affirmed that the Chrysler dealer in Casablanca purchased the show car at an auction following the auto show in Brussels. The dealer believed it could be sold to Morocco’s King Mohammed V. Reportedly the king drove the car for a week and then decided to not purchase it. The dealer then displayed the Adventurer II in the showroom while hoping someone would be willing to pay the $25,000 asking price. This is where Art Spanjian entered the scene. He saw the car in the showroom and tried to negotiate a better price but the dealer did not accept a lesser offer until three years later. Spanjian by that time had been appointed chief of Maintenance Planning in Dayton, Ohio. Before going to his new assignment, he made a final offer for the unique automobile and this time his price was accepted though the exact amount was not disclosed; Spanjian revealed to “Automobile Topics” that the price was “more than $2,500 and less than $10,000.”

The design of the rear of the car is similar to that of the front. It is bumperless and the paired exhaust outlets exit through a pod mounted directly beneath the taillights.

By around 1960, the Adventurer II was once again in a showroom – this time at a Chrysler-Plymouth dealership in Dayton. It was sold on December 26, 1960 to Fort Lauderdale resident, Armand Archer, Sr., during a Christmas visit to see his family. Archer drove the car back home to Florida but soon realized the drawbacks of owning such a car – mainly the irreparable damage that could potentially occur. The Adventurer II was locked away in a garage for more than a quarter century. Archer’s son, Armand, Jr., revived the car in 1986. It still had its original Dayton General tires and had logged less than 15,000 miles. In 1988, the Adventurer II was purchased by collector Ken Behring who had it restored in time for the 1989 Pebble Beach Concours, though another version of the story is that an anonymous West Coast collector bought the car, had it restored, and then donated it to the Behring Auto Museum. Today the Adventurer II is part of the collection of San Diego resident Chuck Swimmer. This one-of-a-kind show car which was supposedly unfit for a king has found a number of admirers over the years and remains an ageless and striking design more than 50 years after it was built.

Specifications

1954 DeSoto Adventurer II

Engine: 276.1cid V8

Horsepower: 170@4,400rpm

Torque: 255@2,000rpm

Compression: 7.5:1

Bore and Stroke: 3.625 x 3.344 inches

Carburetion: Carter 2-bbl.

Exhaust: dual

Transmission: Powerflite two-speed automatic

Number Built: 1

Wheelbase: 125.5 inches

Length: 214.2 inches

Height: 55.5 inches

Width: 77.9 inches

Two Cadillac Show Cars and Their Unlikely Fates

2011-05-15T14:50:00.001-05:00

Robert Moore of Greenlease-Moore Cadillac-Chevrolet in Oklahoma City was photographed with the number two Le Mans when the car was sent there for display in the dealership's showroom in November 1953. (Author's collection)

Text by David W. Temple

Photos as credited

How often have we heard the story of the road from glory to ruin? The biographies of many once famous people are like that. There are automobiles that have traveled this metaphorical road, too. Presented here are the stories surrounding two Cadillac show cars – both 1953 Cadillacs named Le Mans. One was a star of the GM Motorama stage, then became an obscure footnote in automotive history and finally met a disastrous, fiery end. The fate of the other is currently unclear, but what is clear is that it spent its last known days as a show car in the shadow of a bizarre and senseless tragedy.

GM personnel, Don Ahrens (seated) and James Roche, posed with the 1953 Le Mans for this publicity photo. (Author's collection)

Prologue

The General Motors Motorama was created to showcase all of the products of the giant corporation. More notably, it featured experimental or dream cars to test public reaction to new ideas. The traveling exhibition which attracted millions of people highlighted the company’s many products with elaborate displays, orchestras, and troupes of dancers who performed at half-hour intervals.

Years before their Motorama, GM hired a styling engineer who would become tremendously influential in the automotive world. His name was Harley Earl. General Motors’ rise to leadership in the area of styling during the ‘30s, ‘40s, and ‘50s, can be largely credited to Earl who spent his early years in the Hollywood, California, area. His father, Jacob W. Earl, owned a carriage works business in which Harley became heavily involved. Jacob gradually placed the shop under his son’s leadership and the firm soon evolved into a highly successful custom car business.

An unnamed model is shown posing in the 1953 Le Mans at the GM Motorama in Kansas City. (H.B. Stubbs Co.collection)

Eventually, Earl gained notoriety for his customized cars which lead to the sale of his shop to Cadillac distributor and custom car builder, Don Lee, in 1919. Harley became chief designer and director of the custom department of what was now named The Don Lee Coach and Body Works. Earl’s work at Don Lee’s shop gave him access to the upper level managers of Cadillac and ultimately to a three-decade career with GM.

The metallic blue Le Mans number one made its debut at the Waldorf-Astoria in January 1953. (Author's collection)

Harley Earl brought styling to the mass-produced automobile and also created the experimental car. His first was simply called the Buick Y-Job. The car was so advanced in its styling that it appeared modern virtually a decade later. By then, two new experimental cars were in the works – the Buick XP-300 and the GM LeSabre. These were succeeded by many more such cars including four copies of the 1953 Cadillac Le Mans.

Act 1, Scene 1: Le Mans – Star of the Show

One of the attention getters at the ’53 GM Motorama was an uncharacteristically sporty, Metallic Blue (silver-blue) Cadillac dubbed Le Mans which was named after the 24-hour race held near Paris, France (in which the two Cadillac entries finished 10^th and 11^th in 1950). To emphasize the connection between the dream car and its namesake, the Le Mans was displayed against a large painting depicting a scene from the Le Mans road race.

The author's father attended the GM Motorama at the Civic Center in San Francisco in May 1953 and took this photo of the interior of the Le Mans. (Author's collection)

This dream car (show car one, serial number 5300 00002) was powered by a modified 331 V8 said to produce 250hp (or forty more than a stock version) at 4,500 rpm. (The 1953 Cadillac Orleans show car was assigned the first serial number of the model year; it was 5362 00001.) One of the modifications to the engine was the installation of dual four-barrel carburetors. Even with its sporty appointments, this dream car with a 115-inch wheelbase was easily recognizable as a Cadillac. Its frontal design was clearly Cadillac with its hooded headlights and “Dagmar” bumper guards and its grille and parking lamp arrangement was predictive of the style set to appear for the 1954 model year. The Le Mans also got the wraparound windshield (which was offered only on the limited production Eldorado at the time) and of course it had the obligatory tail fins resembling those of production Cadillacs.

Though it was not a true sports car, Le Mans’ sporty attributes and other features were highlighted in a press release. Among other things, the press release said, “… the Le Mans represents an ideal of motor car enthusiasts – combining elegance with power. Its silver-blue body is constructed of plastic fiberglass. The car is low – only 51 inches in height to the top of the deep-angle panoramic windshield… This three-passenger sports convertible has speed, power and roadability. The Hydra-Matic transmission has been adapted to the increased engine output. The engine is painted in a silver-blue with chrome trim to match the elegance of the car… A view of the interior from the driver’s seat provides a thrilling taste of sports car emphasis in a setting of sheer luxury. The instrument panel presents a matching series of chrome housed dials extending the width of the front compartment. Instruments include a tachometer to show engine revolutions, a speedometer, fuel gauge, radio dial, ammeter and oil pressure gauge and clock.” The silver-blue leather upholstery was embossed with the Cadillac “V” crest and the electrically adjustable seat was of the “memory” type. When the door was opened the seat automatically moved back; closing the door sent the seat back to its previous position. An Orlon top in matching silver-blue was operated with a switch or it could automatically raise itself when moisture hit a rain switch. When retracted, the top was concealed under a hinged lid.

Act 2, Scene 2: Customized

Le Mans number one, the GM Motorama show car, is the car that went to shoe store mogul, Harry Karl. Paperwork in the archives of the GM Heritage Center says that Le Mans number one was shipped to the Los Angeles Branch for the account of Clarence Dixon Cadillac, Inc. in Hollywood, California on July 7, 1954. The paperwork noted, “For H. Earl” though whether or not this car had its title actually transferred to Harley Earl is not known. Probably, the car was sold to the owner of Clarence Dixon Cadillac and then Harry Karl bought it or perhaps it was transferred to Mr. Karl via the dealership. Either way it became his in 1954.

Famed customizer, George Barris, performed a makeover of the original Le Mans for his client, Harry Karl. (Charles D. Barnette collection)

The restyled Le Mans was on the show circuit at least briefly. This advertisement was for the Sixth International Motor Revue (formerly known as the Petersen Motorama) in 1955. (Author's collection)

Karl had customizer George Barris do a restyle of the car before giving it to his ex-wife and wife-to-be again, actress Marie McDonald (who was crowned Miss New York in 1939) sometime in the latter part of 1954. The lower fender panels were altered with custom formed blue-white chrome plated steel. Trim installed between the lower chromed panels and the fiberglass body was ½-inch steel bar plated with 24-karat gold. Thirty coats of “platinum dust” sprayed over a polychromatic base sealer were applied to the body. A multi-piece custom top was formed in plexiglass and trimmed with chrome-plated steel décor. This top could be removed entirely or the forward portion removed and the rear section (which was composed of the rear window with a chrome tiara) left in place. The quarter panels received stainless steel fins and a continental kit was integrated into the deck lid. The 30-spoke wheel covers were plated in gold and chrome.

The interior was either re-dyed or reupholstered in red leather and had a number of extra gadgets installed including a television, tape recorder, radio-telephone, and a cocktail bar in the rear window sill which could be kept concealed with a cover. A current inverter was fitted to convert the 12-volt electrical system to the proper voltage to operate the TV and other devices.

The engine was repainted metallic green and according to the Motor Trend report provided 300 horsepower – fifty more than the figure quoted for the engine during the GM Motorama.

Act 3, Scene 1: Fading Stars

The reworked Le Mans was pictured on the cover of the December 1955 issue of Motor Trend. The attention the car received did little or nothing in terms of getting the actress noticed. McDonald’s second marriage to Harry Karl lasted only half as long as the first. The two divorced for the last time in 1958. According to the Internet Movie Database (www.imbd.com), she had roles in Guest in the House (1944), Living in a Big Way (1947), Tell it to the Judge (1949), Once a Thief (1950), Hit Parade of 1951 (1950), The Geisha Boy (1958), and Promises! Promises! (1963). The audience apparently did not appreciate her very much despite her physical attributes (she was nicknamed “The Body”) thus big screen acting opportunities were somewhat scarce. Numerous rumors of scandal followed her; she was married seven times including the two to Harry Karl. She eventually turned to drug and alcohol abuse and died of an overdose on October 21, 1965, at the age of 42. Her ex-husband later married actress Debbie Reynolds and managed to lose his fortune as well as hers. Harry Karl died in 1982.

Act 3, Scene 2: The final years of Le Mans number one

One of the surviving components of the original Le Mans is this button from the car's convertible top switch. (Charles D. Barnette collection)

Eventually, the Barris-built Le Mans changed ownership and was brought to Centerville, Ohio by a used car dealer and was purchased shortly thereafter by a local resident. The Le Mans was spotted on the streets of nearby Dayton from time-to-time by Cadillac-LaSalle Club (CLC) member, Bernie De Winter IV, during the 1963-64 timeframe and then disappeared until it was for sale in late 1984. Another Ohio resident, CLC member, Wayne Turner, spotted the ad in Hemmings Motor News and responded. An appointment was set to view the car in Centerville, but it was sold in partially dismantled condition to California resident, John Crowell, on December 1^st before Mr. Turner could see the car. As it turned out, the seller had secured ownership of the car through a lawsuit against his former business partner who was the same person who had bought the car from the used car dealer in the ‘60s. Allegedly, a short time after the lawsuit, this former partner retreated from society and took up residence in the woods! Mr. Crowell had little time to enjoy his new acquisition. His car was unfortunately destroyed in a building fire (sparked by spontaneous combustion of hay stacked next to the building) along with five other exotic and historic cars during the early morning hours of May 14, 1985 which was nearly 32 years after its last Motorama appearance; it had been driven a mere 7,945 miles.

Only the engine and miscellaneous other parts of the once glorious show car still exist; the entire body was destroyed by the flames. (Some surviving parts were not on the car or in the building at the time of the fire.) Mr. Crowell’s insurance company settled with him and took possession of the remains. Surprisingly, Crowell still has the bill of sale which clearly identifies the car with its serial number proving it was the first Le Mans.

Epilogue

The current owner of these parts, California resident Bill Pozzi, who bought them in 1991, said he considered having a replica of the original body built if engineering drawings could be located or if another of the “stock” versions somehow became available to instead have molds made from it. (The fourth car received substantial modifications to its body in 1959.) However, in a recent interview Pozzi said he may sell these parts. Perhaps there is a Le Mans owner who would be interested in having spare parts.

The “Off Broadway” Le Mans

Act 1, Scene 1: A tour of Oklahoma

The second Le Mans appeared at Grosse Point during the Glidden Tour in September 1953. A 1909 Cadillac was photographed with the show car. (Author's collection)

The second Le Mans (serial number 5300 00003) has an unusual and largely unknown history. It was built at virtually the same time as the Motorama Le Mans. The history of this car between then and August 1953 was not uncovered, but it was probably shown across the country. This car’s build sheet in the files at the GM Heritage Center says “Cars in Company use, for use of Harley J. Earl.” The car was transferred to Earl on August 21, 1953, so he owned it for a while. Internal correspondence at the center makes reference to a Le Mans sitting in a warehouse which was titled to Earl. The correspondence authorized the car to be transferred back to the company and gave its net asset value as one dollar. The VIN is not given, but unless Earl owned two Le Mans’ (doubtful), then number two must be the subject of the memorandum. Notes also indicate Earl’s car was repainted black sometime in 1953 – definitely prior to September of the year. (All four Le Mans’ were originally painted Metallic Blue with paint code F-272-X-75276.) Le Mans number two (serial 5300 00003) was definitely repainted black by the time it appeared with four other dream cars (LeSabre, Wildcat, Starfire, and Parisienne) at the Grosse Pointe Yacht Club in September of that year as part of the Glidden Tour. Incidentally, Harley Earl and Wilfred Leland, son of Cadillac’s founder Henry Leland, were in attendance. A few photos from the event still exist showing this car with others from the early 1900s including a shot of it posed with a 1909 Cadillac. In mid-October, the car was sent to Oklahoma at the request of the state’s governor, Johnston Murray, to participate in the Oil Progress Exposition. This car along with two other ’53 Motorama cars – Starfire and Wildcat I – as well as a Corvette were on display at the Oklahoma City Municipal Auditorium for two days before being driven in the Oil Progress Motorcade and on the newly completed Turner Turnpike. The Le Mans and the other cars went on to Tulsa to be displayed there.

Act 1, Scene 2: Greenlease-Moore Cadillac-Chevrolet

Le Mans number two went back to Oklahoma City to be displayed at Greenlease-Moore Cadillac-Chevrolet during the first week of November. After November 8, 1953, the car seemingly disappeared though it either went to another dealership, auto show, or simply went back to GM for testing or was placed in storage; from there it may have been sold. Some reports have claimed Le Mans number two was the car sold to Floyd Akers, a Cadillac distributor in the Washington, D.C. area. In fact, Akers received the third Le Mans. Incidentally, this car still exits.

The Rest of the Story

Additional information uncovered about the number two Le Mans only peripherally involves the car. Still, two bizarre stories are attached to it. One of the last known photographs taken of this experimental car was snapped against the backdrop of the Oklahoma state capitol building in Oklahoma City. Posing with the car was Robert T. Moore, who at that time was the vice-president and general manager of Greenlease-Moore Cadillac-Chevrolet. His millionaire partner, Robert C. Greenlease, Sr. had become one of the largest distributorships of Cadillacs and had additional dealerships in Kansas City, Tulsa, and Omaha. Unfortunately, in September 1953 he became the target of horrific kidnapping scheme that resulted in the death of his six-year old son, Bobby. (For the full details of this crime see www.crimelibrary.com/notorious_murders/classics/bobby_greenelease/index.html.)

The roots of the crime went back a number of years. The man responsible for the crime, Carl Hall, had gone to school with the Greenlease family’s much older adopted son, thus he was familiar with the wealth of the family. Hall at one time was well off himself; he had a significant inheritance which he squandered in short order on alcohol and foolish investments. Then Hall turned to crime to support himself, though he was no more successful at that and landed in jail for robbery. Within a few weeks of completing a two-year sentence, he met by chance in a bar a 41-year old prostitute named Bonnie Heady who had managed to lose a significant sum of money, too. They proved to be two of a kind. Somehow between May and September while in a near constant alcohol-induced haze, they managed to plot the kidnapping of young Bobby Greenlease.

Their plan was remarkably simple. Heady walked into the Catholic school in Kansas City, Missouri where Bobby was, pretended to be the sister of the boy’s mother, told Sister Morand a sob-story about the mother having a heart attack and was requesting to see her son. No one doubted her and Bobby (who expressed no resistance to leaving with the stranger) was immediately being driven away by Hall and Heady. Hall drove to a secluded area and coldly shot the boy in the head. His reasoning for this heinous act was that he did not want a witness around to identify him. Bobby was buried in the backyard of Heady’s residence and a ransom note demanding $600,000 was prepared. Hall, however, was so under the influence of alcohol he could not make his instructions for delivery of the ransom clear. Several attempts to deliver the money were made over a one-week span before the drop-off succeeded. One of those given the duty of delivering the ransom was Robert Moore. Unfortunately, the Greenlease family would learn afterward that their son would never return.

After a series of bizarre events too numerous to detail here, the kidnappers were caught, but most of the ransom money was never found thanks in part to a cop gone bad. Shortly after their arrests, Carl Hall and Bonnie Heady were put on trial (which lasted just three days), found guilty on November 16^th, and were both executed on December 18th.

The following August, specifically on Thursday the 26^th at approximately 3:45 in the afternoon, Robert Moore walked the short distance from his second-floor office at the Greenlease-Moore dealership to an adjoining bathroom, locked the door and shot himself in the side with a 12-gauge shotgun which had been given to him as a gift the previous Christmas. Moore was rushed to the hospital, but surgery failed to save his life; he lingered for two days before succumbing to his injuries. No suicide note was left and he had no reported problems to account for his behavior. Police ruled the shooting as either a suicide or an accident. Either way, Le Mans number two was certainly repainted an appropriate color – black seems to have served as an omen.

This article was partially compiled from my book, "GM's Motorama: The Glamorous Show Cars of a Cultural Phenomenon."

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