ONE-OFF Great man behind the great works. We are back to discussing about the American car that received the touch of the great French-born American industrial designer Raymond Loewy's eccentric hand after some time ago we had discussed another American car used by Loewy as a means of realizing the dream cars for him and his wife, namely the 1941 Lincoln Continental.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe de Ville designed by Raymond Loewy with the bodywork done by Pichon et Parat in France. (Picture from: Sportscarmarket)
Raymond Loewy is known and appreciated for his legendary style of speed, beauty and simplicity. His motto "never leave well enough alone," that's exemplified through his life and made his one of the most famous stylists of the time. Then in 1959, he was also known to have designed the Cadillac Eldorado Coupe de Ville later to be used as one of his personal vehicles from 1959 to 1970.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe de Ville powered by a 390-ci 4-bbl V8 engine coupled with automatic transmission system. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
The car was purchased in new condition and after the design was completed it was immediately sent to Pichon et Parat, his favorite coachbuilder company based in Paris. At the coachbuilder workshop, the car would be redesigned and transformed into a stylish and elegant coupe, after its completion it was shown off fo the first time at the 1959 Paris Auto Salon.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe de Ville posed along with Raymond Loewy, its designer. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
This Loewy's Cadillac Eldorado Coupe de Ville designed to be appeared in a unique and unusual style, it clearly can be seen from the appearance of the car without a conventional grille in front, instead it's replaced by the small ventilation holes that are colored according to the color of the car body. It was very rarely applied to a car model at that time.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe de Ville designed by Raymond Loewy with the bodywork done by Pichon et Parat.(Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
After finished, initially the body of the Loewy's Cadillac Eldorado was painted in light gray metallic with the roof in white. Later, at some point of the car was repainted in metallic gold, perhaps it was done by Loewy himself.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado Coupe de Ville designed by Raymond Loewy with the bodywork done by Pichon et Parat.(Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
Conceptually, the car's appearance almost resembles a European sports car, but in general the simplicity of the lines of his car designing is contradicting to the executive class car at that time. But the interior, engine and platform remain unchanged, apparently Raymond has no complaints about these spare parts. As in other cars, not everyone likes the design results, this also happens to his Caddy appearance and Loewy has no bother either.
The one-off Caddy was used for years by Loewy and his family in Europe, then shipped back home to the States, where it spent time in New York and Palm Springs, California and driven up to as far as 41 thousand kilometers such recorded on its odometer at the time. In January 1971 he sold the rare car to neighbors in Palm Springs, a car collector named Mimo Zaccuri. And for a moment the car had not seen by the public, until at the end, it's reappeared while auctioned by Barret-Jackson at the Scottsdale 2010. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | JALOPNIK | CARSTYLING.RU | SPORTSCARMARKET | BARRET-JACKSON ]
ONE-OFF The Corvette is one of the iconic American muscle cars have its own uniqueness so that it will never outdate when it's becomes a discussion subject. No exception to this muscle and beautiful Corvette of the 1958. Actually, those car mentioned above, later known as the Corvette 'Scotty' Retractable Hardtop is not a factory prototype issued by the Chevrolet, but is said to be the creation of an inside job as a private project. How could this be happened? Here's the story behind it;
1958 Corvette 'Scotty' has special feature with the hardtop able to retract into the trunk. (Picture from: Macsmotorcitygarage)
For years, there were the stories have circulated amongst the Corvette collectors of the existence of an unusual version of the Vette with retractable hardtop. One of theose stories mentioned that there was an unusual Chevy production on one of the Corvette models in the 1958, ie a special version featured with the hardtop able to retract into its trunk like the Ford Skyliner has.
1958 Corvette 'Scotty' Retractable Hardtop once painted in white before repainted in 1989 into its current black color. (Picture from: Corvetteactioncentre)
Many Vette enthutiasts even automotive experts mentioned ever have seen those eccentric shape. Some of them said that the unusual Vette was seen around Detroit, then Florida. Then said, its color is white. No, black. No, it was white with red coves. Some versions of the legend claimed there was not only one, but three Corvettes with retractable hardtop. Furthermore they construed that's a genuine factory product of a kind of the rare prototype that somehow managed to escape into the wild.
As it turns out, there really are such cars, and only one has ever been built. Though it wasn't a factory project, the unique Vette was made by Francis H. Scott, a General Motors stylist, uniquely that the entire work process was not done inside the GM's studio. Then where? He created and built the Vette with retractable hardtop in his living room. So that at this point, we can understand why there're many have been fooled before.
1958 Corvette 'Scotty' was not a GM's factory project, but rebuilt byFrancis H. Scott, a General Motor stylist in his living room. (Picture from: Macsmotorcitygarage)
As quoted of Macsmotorcitygarage, that Francis H. Scott really wanted to have a Corvette. And of course, he would not be able to buy the dream car he wanted, if only relied on the salary obtained from GM (considering the Corvette base price at the time was around $3,600). However he has expertise in clay modeling and fiberglass lay-up where he was working as a sculptor in the GM Styling Section.
In short, in the late of 1958 he purchased a wrecked and and written-off 1958 Corvette from an insurance company for $ 900. The car is loaded into his living room through the front door by removing the windshield and shattered body shells fit sideways.
Then he set to work rebuilding it, with the original plan just wanted to repair it. The idea for a retractable roof came spontaneous when he started working on it, pure serendipity, due to his cramped work area. Coincidentally, the entire rear of the car was opened for repair, then he found a way that the Corvette able to lift-off its hardtop and stowed neatly in the trunk.
The idea for a retractable roof came spontaneous when he started working on it, pure serendipity, due to his cramped work area. (Picture from: Macsmotorcitygarage)
For his retracting mechanism, Scoot borrowed from the Skyliner which is much more complicated, but was later made to be simpler by him. The entire fabrication work, including the rear window frames, is done from fiberglass, from clay patterns and molds. Then he filed a patent on the design of the hinged track mechanism in 1962 and was granted in 1965 by a patent No. 3,180,677. Those mechanism has ever been offered to the GM management, but unfortunately they expressed no interest in Scott’s concept whatsoever.
After completion, this car was used by Scoot as its daily vehicle for nearly 6 years, before being swapped for another Chevrolet.This car had disappeared at a momment and only appeared occasionally which then made the rumors mentioned above. The unique car nicknamed Scotty (in honor of its creator) was known to have been in Florida for some time, repainted at least once, from black to two-tone white-and-red, then disappeared until 1989. When Terry Michaelis bought it, kept it and then restored back in 1994.
In 2005, the Corvette retractable hardtop was auctioned off in Barrett-Jackson, where it was sold for $ 340,200. The car is currently in the collections of car mega-dealer, NASCAR team owner and collector Rick Hendrick. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MACSMOTORCITYGARAGE | PROTEAMCORVETTE | BARRETT-JACKSON ]
ONE-OFF There are always creative people who are not only able to produce the best and quality works who are also able to provide inspiration to the people. No exception in the industrial world, especially automotive. A gentleman figure like Raymond Loewy, a well-known French-born American industrial designer who was involved in many industries including automotive between the 1930s and the late 1950s with his streamlined design style flourished.
This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo designed by Raymond Loewy in the 1959, is constructed by Rocco Motto in Turin, Italy and presented for the first time at the 1960 Paris Auto Salon. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)
As we can see today, there are many works created through this gentleman's hands, such several world's petroleum company logos such as Shell, BP, or the logo of one of the famous American cigarettes Lucky Strike to the king-size Coca Cola bottle shape. Then in the world's automotive, started in 1940s, when he made costly experimental design works on the Lincoln Continental.
He was also known as an automotive designer for Studabaker and one of his famous works is Studebaker Avanti. Even, he was also the trains designer, and because of his many works in various fields, no wonder if some called him as Father of Industrial Design.
This Lancia Flaminia Loraymo has the eccentric and exotic appearance of the car includes the tapering front end with gaping grill enclosed by a prominent chrome frame, which also serves as a bumper, plus four uniques lights. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)
Such as on the article before which talked about one of his famous creations called BMW 507 Loewy Concept. This car concept built and reconstructed on in such a way as to become an eccentric car by him and launched at the 44e Salon de l'Automobile (Paris Motor Show) in the 1957 based on the BMW 507 (like one ever owned by the famous singer, Elvis Presley), so no wonder its looking much different from the original car.
This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo carries many design elements from its predecessor the 1957 BMW 507 Coupe which later also be applied to the following Studebaker Avanti model in 1963. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)
Then in 1959, Raymond Loewy returned to spawn an automotive creation that was no less eccentric than his previous work. This time, he called it as the Lancia Flaminia Loraymo, and is built on the 1959 Lancia Flaminia Coupé chassis according to his own stylistic tastes resembled like a fish-face. Meanwhile about the 'LORAYMO' as the car's name is acronym of the surname and his owned-name, namely LO(ewy) RAYMO(nd) and also the telegraphic address of his studio.
This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo carries many design elements from its predecessor the 1957 BMW 507 Coupe which later also be applied to the following Studebaker Avanti model in 1963. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)
When viewed from its design, it appears that the Lancia Loraymo carries many design elements from its predecessor the 1957 BMW 507 Coupe which later also be applied to the following Studebaker Avanti model in 1963. Then Raymond Loewy submitted next job to an Italian Turin-based coachbuilder company that specializes in aluminum bodies named Rocco Motto to turn his designs into a real car.
This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo carries many design elements from its predecessor the 1957 BMW 507 Coupe which later also be applied to the following Studebaker Avanti model in 1963. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)
The eccentric and exotic appearance of the car includes the tapering front end with gaping grill enclosed by a prominent chrome frame, which also serves as a bumper. Then followed by the pinning four uniques lights consisted two outrigger fog lights are detached from the body by an aerodynamic fin and tucked under each headlights on the front fenders, which are slightly open-ended at the bottom for better brake cooling.
This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo uses a 2.5 liter V6 tune up engine by Nardi, and mated with 3 twin carburetors of Weber plus a modified camshaft. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)
The car's uniqueness does not stop there and continues to the sinuous shape incorporates highly sophisticated aerodynamic solutions, such as the aileron above the rear window and the fully closed chrome wheel rims. The wraparound rear window overhangs the boot, which is only accessible from the passenger compartment. The only protruding rear elements are the twin exhaust pipes and slim bumper, while the taillights are flush with the body.
This unique-shaped Lancia Flaminia Loraymo has also protruding rear elements are the twin exhaust pipes and slim bumper, while the taillights are flush with the body. (Picture from: Fabwhellsdigest)
Then the power source comes from a 2.5 liter V6 Lancia's engine which was originally only capable of producing 119 hp, but after tuning up by Nardi, and mated with 3 twin carburetors of Weber plus a modified camshaft, so the power increased significantly to 150 hp so able to make the car run to top speed of 190 kph.
Shortly after the car completed, Loewy was so delighted with the result that he decided to present the Lancia Flamina Loraymo at the 1960 Paris Auto Salon. Like the previous car, this Lancia Loraymo was once Loewy's personal car for years while was in Europe and the United States. After his passed away in 1986, the car had not been seen by the public for a long time, before finally being rediscovered by by the president of the American Lancia Club, who decided to repatriate it by donating it to Lancia, today, the Loraymo resides in Lancia's factory museum in Italy. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | FCAHERITAGE | FABWHEELSDIGEST | HEMMINGS ]
ONE-OFF We are still discussing the works ever presented for the automotive world in the past by Raymond Loewy, whose also known as the Father of Industrial Design through many of his works in the world's modern industrial. Yes, we have discussed some of his works here, such as the 1941 Loewy Lincoln, the 1957 BMW 507 Loewy Concept, and the 1959 Lancia Loraymo.
1955 Jaguar XK140 Coupe without front bumper as an inhouse study designed by Raymond Loewy and the bodywork built by Boano Carrozzeria. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
Now, we will have a glimpse of one of the British's brand car models, the Jaguar XK140 Coupe, after receiving a touch of the Raymond Loewy's designs. Indeed, there is not much information about the Loewy's Jaguar model was completed in 1955.
The original 1955 Jaguar XK140 Fixed Head Coupe. (Picture from: Driving.ca)
As qouted of Carstyling, the project started when the designer together with his Southbend-based automotive design firm was at the peak of their career and presented works at various the major world's automotive show held in Paris, London and New York.
1955
Jaguar XK140 Coupe without front bumper designed by
Raymond Loewy while sat on display at the Paris Auto Salon in October 1955. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
Uniquely, the project was originally commissioned by Ferrari to be undertaken secretly by Loewy Design in order to produce a design study for the Ferrari Europa in 1954. At the time, Loewy was looking for an unbroken line flowing from the hood to the back, along the lines of Virgil Exner's "dart" theme. As a result, the body line was developed before the trim.
1955
Jaguar XK140 Coupe without front bumper as an inhouse study designed by
Raymond Loewy and the bodywork built by Boano Carrozzeria. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
The pointy nose gave the Southbend-based auto designers problems in locating the headlights position, and in designing the grille and bumpers as well. Then they tried to make three or four different grille designs before settling on the final version, ie the chromed grille resembeled the "waterfall" effect one. Soon after that a 1:4 scaled clay model without the front bumper was built in South Bend, and sent to Boano Carrozzeria in Italy for construction of the actual body.
The Jaguar XK140 Coupe after got a few modifications in the 1956 with a new bumper and two foglights in the front. (Picture from: TheAvanti.com)
However, later the news about those projects leaked and was heard by Pininfarina and soon they voiced a complaint to Enzo Ferrari. This put Ferrari into a dilemma, and then the prancing horse logoed auto manufacturer big boss decided better to part ways with Loewy rather than spoil the relationship with his favorite carrozzeria. And left the halfway and uncompleted car design project, then Loewy decided to proceed it as an in-house design exercise.
The Jaguar XK140 Coupe after got a few modifications in the 1956 shows nice proportions of the right sideview. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
To finish the car design process, Loewy then bought a Jaguar XK140 Coupe (chassis number # 814096) which is considered to have almost similar wheelbase and track as a Ferrari. The Jag was stripped down to leave only the chassis, then the Boano Carrozzeria's bodywork attached upon it. That's not 100 percent fits to its original design, there are a few adjustments have to be made to accommodate the slightly shorter wheelbase and a taller dimension of the XK engine (thus making the hood pop up a little).
The Jaguar XK140 Coupe after got a few modifications in the 1956 with huge window, bumper frames tail light lenses at rear. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
After finished, the car brought to debut at the Paris Auto Salon in October 1955, but it did not attract much attention. At the time, it was displayed without a bumper, due to the designers were still having trouble determining its position and shapes. The car was shown again at the next Paris Auto Salon with some updates before being brought back to New York in the 1956.
Archie Moore who was the then heavyweight champion behind the wheel of the Loewy's Jaguar XK140 in September 1957. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)
In 1957, Loewy was persuaded to sell those car to the famous boxer Archie Moore who was the then heavyweight champion. Reportedly, the agreed price was $25,000, which was a real big number at the time (estimated over $200,000 under today's money). According to Jalopnik, the car was destroyed in the fire in 1957, since then it was never seen again.😭 That's too bad.*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARSTYLING.RU | AUTOMOBILIAC | COACHBUILD | JALOPNIK ]
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Rare ONES Now we are back to discussing the Corvette, one of the famous American muscle cars. Well if usually this American car appears in the appearance of a two-doors sports car, then is there a 4-doors Corvette model? As we all knew, until now the Chevrolet manufacturer had never made a single one of 4-doors Corvette variants.
Super rare 1980 Corvette four-doors built by California Custom Coachworks under commissioned of General Motors in limited number of 6 unit only (including one of them was a prototype). (Picture from: DesignYouTrust.com)
Now, if You see many of them circulated in the internet, it doesn't mean You are seeing the 3D rendering model results. We can be assured one of those are not a virtual car model that was digitally engineered through the 3D computer softwares by a rendering artist. How come? This is a real car that was deliberately built for anyone who want to combine the Corvette's sporty character with the practicality of a four-doors sedan.
Super rare 1980 Corvette four-doors was deliberately built for anyone who want to combine the Corvette's sporty character with the practicality of a four-door sedan. (Picture from: DesignYouTrust.com)
Back in the late of 1970s, indeed there was a 4-door Corvette variant made by California Custom Coachworks under commissioned of General Motors in limited numbers for its customers, namely 5 units out of a total of six cars ever produced, with one of them was a prototype.
Super rare 1980 Corvette four-doors was in the red olored interior ranging from the seats, dashboard, and seat belts all red. (Picture from: DesignYouTrust.com)
In short, the Pasadena-based company builds all those cars from the standard 2-doors Corvettes, then lengthened them to 30 inches, automatically adding a significant 500 lbs of weight to the body as well. As the result is a very rare four-doors Corvette featuring four seats and a very strange and unusual design.
Super rare 1980 Corvette four-doors built based on the standard Corvette by lengthened it to 30 inches. (Picture from: DesignYouTrust.com)
But unfortunately only two units are believed to survive today, and one of them, a bright red 4-doors Corvette listed for sale by the NBS Auto Showroom in the 2019. Those red color continues to creep into the interior as well, ranging from the seats, dashboard, and seat belts all red. Meanwhile the odometer recorded a range of 20,000 miles, because it was only driven to the auto shows.
Judging from the price of $35,000 offered for this car, it would be make you rethink for a moment, because it is double of the price of the base model Corvette at the time. But if you looking at the rarity factor plus if you were a true Corvette collector would make those $ 35,000 figures worth it for this 4-doors Corvette.
We thought, perhaps the car sold by now. It was fortunate that the buyer was able to own a rare 4-doors Corvette and most importantly the car was reside in the right hands now. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CARBUZZ | DESIGNYOUTRUST | NBS AUTOSHOWROOM ]
ONE-OFF Today, French-born American industrial designer Raymond Loewy is remembered as the Father of Industrial Design, who was involved in many industries including automotive between the 1930s and the late 1950s with his streamlined design style flourished which sometimes seemed outlandish and unusual to the common pepole.
1941 Loewy Lincoln built designed by Raymond Loewy, built based on the 1941 Lincoln Continental convertible and bodied by a Philadephia-based coachbuilder named Derham Body Co. (Picture from: Hemmings)
We cannot find any records stating when he began experimenting with those streamlined shapes, which led him to the pinnacle of accomplishment as an automotive designer with eccentric and unusual shapes. It's just that, in the early 1940s, when Raymond Loewy decided to build a car for his personal use, which was a vehicle suitable for traveling between many of his remote residences, later known as the Loewy Lincoln.
1941
Loewy Lincoln featured many unique styling touches, including shortened
front fenders, redesigned grille and hood, custom bumpers, removable
Plexiglass top, opera windows, and a fin below the trunk. (Picture from: Coachbuild)
Then he purchassed a Lincoln Continental Convertible which he would use as his dream car basis. Why was the choice fell on those American car figures? Because, he tought that the Continental convertible was a classy and stylish car at that time. Although in the process of later work, the car should lose all its elegance, which was replaced by an agglomeration of eccentric and uncommon shapes.
The 1940s dream car designed by Raymond Loewy is built on a chassis taken from the Lincoln Continental also keeps its V12 engine as its drivetrain. Then to realize his car, then he sent those Lincoln's chassis dan engine to the Philadelphia-based coachwork named Derham Body Company to construct the car bodywork under the style created by himself and called as the 'solid-top Victorian" style.
1941
Loewy Lincoln featured many unique styling touches, including shortened front fenders, redesigned grille and hood, custom bumpers, removable Plexiglass top, opera windows, and a fin below the trunk. (Picture from: PBase.com)
A letter from Derham confirmed their ability to "Rework the lower windshield, rework door glass in keeping, make town car style canopy over front seats, upholster the solid top interior above belt line in cloth, reworking front fender design similar to style indicated on sketch, close up standard radiator vents and re-arrange...with extras added. Furthermore, the car's interior is actually quite pleasant, all-surfaces of seats inside the cabin are covered by the light colored fabrics make the rear feel open, and of course, the front resembles the Clairière Viosin.
1941
Loewy Lincoln's interior has a gold-plate dashboard accents, and all-surfaces of seats inside the cabin are covered by the light colored fabrics make the rear feel open. (Picture from: Desert-Motors.com)
As quoted of Hemmings, after it was finished, he liked it very much. It was also stated that he had another, identical aside from paint, built for his first wife, Viola. We thought, that these Loewy Lincoln cars were built as many as 2 units with the same shape but different colors where each car was later used by Loewy and his first wife. Unfortunately, the Viola's car disappeared many years ago, but the original Loewy survived for refurbishment in 2007, and was sold for $451,000 by the Gooding & Co. in an auction event of the 2008 held in Scottsdale.
1941
Loewy Lincoln's body was lowered six inches over the frame and the special top helps to create one of the most elegant Lincolns of the prewar era. (Picture from: Desert-Motors.com)
However in between 1946 to 2007, the car underwent several changes. Early photos showed a series of tangential rings forming the grille, dual antennas on the engine cover, distinct bumpers with the overriders and, most importantly, Continental-style spare tires on the rear, with another unique rear bumper. Neither of them survived today. In contrast, the small front grille features one center ring with Studebaker-style bullets, and the spare is completely gone - in its place are the odd, shortened center fin and reworked rear valance.
Given Loewy's habit of tinkering with his designs and longevity, it's
possible that he's the one who changed it, not the next owner. Today the Loewy town car resides as one of the Richard Driehaus Collections. Wanna see the next eccentricity of Raymond Loewy on Lancia, Cadillac, Jaguar, and BMW.*** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CONCEPTCARZ | FABWHEELSDIGEST | HEMMINGS ]
